K-12 Dealmaking: EverFi Raises $40 Million; Wonder Workshop Picks Up $20 Million

Contributing Writer

In the latest dealmaking news, ed-tech company EverFi has raised $40 million from investors who include Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos and Google chairman Eric Schmidt, while children’s robot company Wonder Workshop raised $20 million.

EverFi Raises $40 Million: Washington, DC-based ed-tech company EverFi, a provider of critical skills and prevention education for K-12, higher education, and adult learners, drew in funding in a round led by current investors Bezos Expeditions (an investment arm of Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos), New Enterprise Associates, Tomorrow Ventures (an investment arm of Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt), and Rethink Education.

Advance Publications, Rethink Impact, and Silicon Valley Bank are new investors and join a group that includes Allen and Company and Warhorse. The company has raised $61 million to date, according to CrunchBase.

EverFi says its audience is adults, college students, and K-12 students in 90 of the 100 largest K-12 school districts across North America.

Also last month, EverFi acquired compliance education company LawRoom for an undisclosed sum.

Wonder Workshop Raises $20 Million: Wonder Workshop, maker of Dash and Dot robots that teach kids computer science and coding fundamentals, has taken in $20 million in a Series B funding round, the company said in a blog posting on its website.

The financing round, co-led by WI Harper Group and Idea Bulb Ventures with participation from Learn Capital, Charles River Ventures, Madrona Venture Group, and TCL, “will enable Wonder Workshop to drive expansion into new international markets, with a focus on Asia, grow its management team and make new product investments,” according to a statement, which also unveiled plans to move into the Chinese market.

The new funding will “also help the company continue to broaden its vast network of educators using Wonder Workshop to teach computer science and STEM subjects in the classroom,” the company said, noting that Wonder Workshop robots are currently used by more than 7,000 elementary schools worldwide.

Byndr Raises $700,000: The mobile learning management platform Byndr, which has offices in both Hyderabad, India and Philadelphia, today has raised $700,000 in seed funding from University of Pennsylvania’s Education Design Studio accelerator, Ben Franklin Technology Partners, and a group of angel investors, according to TechCircle.

Byndr aims to “provide an easy-to-use, fast, and mobile-first platform to benefit all stakeholders in higher education,” according to the company’s website.

Volaris Group Acquires School Information Systems Company: Toronto-based investment company Volaris Group has acquired The Alpha School System, or TASS, for an undisclosed sum, according to a statement.

Brisbane, Australia-based TASS provides School Information Systems to K-12 independent and Catholic schools throughout Australia.

“Volaris’ ability to invest in our company, our people and our products in a meaningful way means we can ultimately serve the K-12 independent school market even better,” Craig McAlister, managing director of TASS said in the statement. “Volaris has complementary businesses serving the education and library markets, providing us with the opportunity to learn from and share best practices and experiences with these like-minded businesses.”

Be sure to check back on Marketplace K-12 for updates on mergers, acquisitions, fundraising, and other dealmaking. Also see EdWeek Market Brief, a service that gives companies operating in the market insights on the needs and priorities of school officials.

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