Venture capital firm that backs and mentors growth-stage technology companies. Sistema_VC supports deep tech startups and brands that push the industry boundaries. With the team sourced from technology ecosystem we share our expertise and network to connect entrepreneurs with valuable professionals and prospect partners.

Sistema_VC

TMT Investments PLC invests in high-growth technology companies across a number of core specialist sectors and has a significant number of Silicon Valley investments in its portfolio. Founded in 2010, TMT has invested in over 65 companies to date.  The Company’s objective is to generate  an  attractive  rate  of  return  for  shareholders,  predominantly  through  capital  appreciation.    The Company is traded on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange. www.tmtinvestments.com.

TMT Investments

Yandex is a technological company. They develop products and services by machine learning that include transportation services, navigation products, and mobile applications for consumers. They help consumers and businesses navigate online and offline. Their services use machine learning including in the search results, serving online advertisements, and performing translations.

Yandex

Phystech Ventures was founded in 2013 to invest in deeptech across the globe. It specializes in seed and series A and tends to be the first institutional investor in the backed companies. PV has backed 31companies from 9 countries, including spin-offs of 8 universities.

Phystech Ventures

LaunchBay is a venture firm specialising in FinTech Infrastructure, B2B Software, and AI applications, investing in companies at the point where they have demonstrated product-market fit and are ready to scale. With headquarters in London, UK, and Tel Aviv, Israel, Launchbay has built a global presence with strong connections in the local ecosystems in which the team operates and an active investment and portfolio construction approach.    Launchbay supports technology companies across three main pillars: - a flagship access fund for early-stage investments,  - a growth fund for selected later-stage opportunities,  and  - a proprietary digital investment platform that facilitates primary and secondary deals across various stages Data-driven decision-making is a key aspect, where we utilize algorithms and scoring within the platform to address industry-wide challenges related to access and liquidity.    Launchbay takes a particular interest in founders with an immigrant background because we recognize the distinct perspective, drive, and ambition that often accompany building successful businesses outside of one's home country. We believe in the success stories of the vision, capabilities, and growth potential demonstrated by founders with this type of experience.

Launchbay Capital

They want to see the power of innovation and technology used to solve major social problems, bringing the benefits of innovation to everyone in society. They help to do this by investing in ventures with inclusive and scalable innovations that are run by outstanding entrepreneurs. They are an experienced team of sector experts, venture capitalists, impact investors and evaluators backed by a strong, innovative institution - Nesta.

Nesta Impact Investments

Mubadala Investment Company is a sovereign investor managing a global portfolio, aimed at generating sustainable financial returns for its shareholder, the Government of Abu Dhabi. Mubadala’s US $229 billion portfolio spans five continents with interests in multiple sectors including aerospace, ICT, semiconductors, metals and mining, renewable energy, oil and gas, petrochemicals, utilities, healthcare, real estate, pharmaceuticals and medical technology, agribusiness and a global portfolio of financial holdings across all asset classes. Mubadala has offices in Rio de Janeiro, Moscow, New York, and San Francisco, with a joint venture in Hong Kong. Mubadala is a trusted partner, an engaged shareholder and a responsible global company that is committed to world-class standards of governance.

Mubadala

Channel 4 Ventures offers high potential brands the opportunity to accelerate their growth through TV advertising, in exchange for an equity stake in the business.

Channel 4 Ventures

MEL Science

MEL Science is an educational startup focused to change early science education with a combination of up-to date technologies and hands on experience. Our main products are monthly subscription to chemistry kits and chemistry lessons in VR for schools.

<div>MEL Science aims to foster a passion for science in students by making microscopic concepts more dynamic through educational kits combined with experiments, virtual reality (VR) simulations, and live lessons. MEL stands for “more efficient learning”. The company’s products are designed for children aged 5 to 14 and can be used in schools or at home. </div>

Remote learning is driving an education technology revolution.

EdTech: K-12

From Bored to Brilliant: How MEL Science Kits Saved Our Summer

<div>
 
 MEL Science aims to foster a passion for science in students by making microscopic concepts more dynamic through educational kits combined with experiments, virtual reality (VR) simulations, and live lessons. MEL stands for “more efficient learning”. The company’s products are designed for children aged 5 to 14 and can be used in schools or at home. 
 
 
 MEL Chemistry by MEL Science is a subscription service that offers monthly home and school delivery of safe chemistry experiment kits (including all ingredients and instructions) for children that incorporate VR technology. The company’s portfolio also includes physics (MEL Physics) and STEM (MEL Kids) kits.
 
 
 In August 2022, the company merged with 
 Vsauce’s Curiosity Box, the STEM-focused subscription box, to expand its overall product offering.   
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 In January 2020, the company announced a partnership with zSpace, a US-based education technology (EdTech) provider, to make MEL Science’s chemistry courses available on zSpace’s augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) education platform.
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 In December 2020, MEL Science raised USD 14 million in Series B funding, and plans to use the funding to develop its subscription-based learning products further and expand into new markets. The round follows its USD 6 million raised in August 2019, to expand to 5,000 schools worldwide.
 
</div>

Founded in 2016, BookNook is an online literacy platform designed for learners in grades 1-5. Partnering with school districts and non-profit organizations, the company focuses on human-to-human learning and works with children one-on-one or in small groups, enabling it to gather rich, observational data. As of June 2021, the company partnered with hundreds of schools, school districts, and non-profits across 35 states.BookNook differs from other digital literacy tools by not requiring students to take formative assessments to check for their understanding. Rather, the platform lets teachers record qualitative data on oral fluency, such as whether a student pauses at punctuation marks as they read aloud, or reads in set phrases. Students can also record self-reflections on the platform.In June 2021, the company partnered with MIND Research Institute, a neuroscience and education social impact organization and creator of the PreK-8 visual instructional program ST Math, to deliver a High Dosage Tutoring program (HDT) for math to K-8 students to address unfinished learning. BookNook tutors will deliver tutoring sessions using the ST Math program over BookNook’s synchronous learning platform. The company launched a new teacher application portal at booknooktutor.com in October 2021, giving experienced teachers the opportunity to apply to become BookNook virtual tutors on its platform. BookNook intends to engage 10,000 virtual teachers to support 80,000 students by the end of the 2021-2022 school year.

BookNook

Story2 uses its proprietary Moments Method writing system, its StoryBuilder software, and live online group coaching to help high school students and professionals improve their writing, speaking, storytelling, and collaboration skills.The company aims to help different segments with their specific needs: students with college admission and scholarship essays, professionals preparing for interviews and creating cover letters, and business teams to improve sales, recruiting and company messaging through effective storytelling.Since 2013, Story2 has worked with more than 200,000 individuals in 21 countries with college admission essays, interview preparation, and pitching ideas. The company is expanding into China and India in 2020 and plans to focus on helping science and technology students improve their communication and leadership skills.

Story2

<div>
 
 Vooks offers a subscription-based, ad-free curated library of children's books converted to video with narration and some slow-paced animation, allowing children to read along while watching. Aimed at young children aged 6 months to 8 years, Vooks promotes reading aloud to develop fluency and comprehension. The company was founded by siblings Marshall Bex and Shannon Bex, and Russell Hirtzel, and is reportedly the first-ever streaming service for books with illustrations, read-along text and animations.
 
 
 In February 2020, Vooks raised USD 12 million in Series A funding; however, the investors and purpose of the funding were not disclosed. In November 2020, the company raised USD 21.9 million in equity investments from more than 30 investors.
 
 
 In November 2020, Vooks partnered with United Way of Metropolitan Dallas (UWMD), a community-based, nonprofit social change organization, and Atmos Energy, a natural gas distributor, to provide around 78,000 one-year Vooks subscriptions for children aged 3 to 6 and early education teachers in the Greater Dallas area. The program is funded by a USD 1 million contribution from Atmos Energy, and contributes to UWMD’s Aspire United 2030 education goal of increasing the number of North Texas students reading at grade level by third grade by 50%. Similarly, in March 2021, the company partnered with Reach Out and Read Of Greater New York (ROR GNY), a nonprofit organization of healthcare providers who promote early literacy. The partnership aims to provide more than 75,000 preschool children with one-year Vooks subscriptions starting in March 2021.
 
 
 In July 2021, it was reported that Vooks is offering its service to authors and producers as a way of quickly testing ideas with audiences through simple animated shorts. Thereby, Vooks expands its library of original content while authors and producers get real-time performance data.
 
</div>

Vooks

Xeropan offers an AI-powered, game-based approach to learning English through 14 of the most widely-spoken languages. As of October 2020, the app had more than one million players.

Xeropan

<div>
 
 GoGuardian is a provider of student security software solutions to help educators identify learning patterns, protect students from harmful and distracting content, and support students at risk of self-harm and suicide. As of August 2021, the company had partnered with more than 10,000 schools in the US, covering more than 22 million students.  
 
 
 In November 2020, GoGuardian announced a 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/1863">
 merger with Pear Deck
 </a>
 to deepen the support provided to students and teachers and improve their in-class experience. Founded in 2014, Pear Deck is a student engagement platform that allows teachers to create, edit, and launch multimedia content and formative assessments on students' devices to increase student engagement. At the time of the merger, Pear Deck was used by 8 million educators and students in more than 17,000 schools worldwide. Pear Deck co-founder and Chief Educator, Michal Eynon-Lynch, will join the GoGuardian Board of Directors. In May 2022, the company acquired 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/10683">
 TutorMe,
 </a>
 Zovio’s tutoring services business, for USD 55 million in cash to strengthen its product offering. 
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 In August 2021, GoGuardian secured a USD 200 million investment from Tiger Global Management. The funds will be allocated for product innovation, talent acquisition, and business development. 
 
 
 
</div>

GoGuardian

Businesses providing education delivery solutions such as learning management systems (LMS), and tech solutions for data analytics, administration, and other services to educational institutions.

Businesses delivering curriculum-based learning, particularly relating to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education to educational institutions and individual students.

Mostly for-profit corporations running state-funded, tuition-free schools as an alternative to traditional public schools.

Businesses providing extra-curricular education relating to the arts, hobbies, and life skills, and entities providing college and career guidance.

Businesses delivering English language arts (ELA) education, and language learning and literacy support to educational institutions and individual students.

Platforms providing students with after-school tutoring support on an individual or group basis.

Businesses delivering early childhood education, special education, and social-emotional learning (SEL) programs to educational institutions and individual students.

Entities providing professional development resources and tools for teachers, and those providing testing and assessment solutions to educational institutions and educators.

Platforms providing student-parent-teacher-school communication and networking solutions, and those providing search, reference, and marketplace solutions.

Companies that use GenAI as a core part of their product offering for EdTech: K12 solutions

Uses GenAI to provide interactive AI tutors, create personallized learning pathways,  and gamified learning solutions

Uses AI/ML to create personalized learning plans, adaptive learning platforms, and intelligent tutoring systems

Adaptive learning platforms, personalized learning plans, and AI-powered analytics provide insight into student performance

Learning platforms that promote an inclusive and equitable educational culture for underserved communities

MEL Science

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