Arete Capital Partners is a family investment office that provides financial services.

Arete Capital Partners

Tactus Group

pi-top is a fast-growing ed-tech company with a unique vision to increase access to coding, robotics and AI through project-based learning. pi-top’s mission is to inspire a generation of makers by giving young people STEAM-related hard skills (e.g. coding and circuitry) and in-demand soft skills (e.g. communication, critical thinking and problem-solving) that they will need in a rapidly changing world. pi-top’s award-winning hardware and software ecosystem is used around the world thousands of homes, maker spaces and schools, blending physical computing and project-based learning with Computer Science and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and maths) education. With its latest product ecosystem educators and students get to design, code and make anything they can imagine.

The company has also developed its own brand of virtual reality (VR) equipment and accessories; the Tactus Pique VR camera which allows consumers to use mobile technology to create and view VR footage as well as produce a unique VR experience with immersive video. In addition, through a joint venture Tactus holds the exclusive European licence for Flexwarm, an innovative in-built heating technology for clothing, sleeping bags and muscle warmers which are controlled via a smart device.

<div>Founded in 2014 by Scott Brenchley, Cheshire-based Tactus Group develops consumer technology products such as IT hardware, smart home technology, and wearable tech apparel. As a Microsoft partner, Tactus sources, brands, and supplies Windows 10 devices across the UK and Europe. In April 2021, private equity firm Arete Capital invested GBP 10 million (USD 13.9 million) in the company, which Tactus used to acquire gaming specialist CCL Computers.</div>

Remote learning is driving an education technology revolution.

EdTech: K-12

Tactus Group swoops for acclaimed UK gaming brand Chillblast

Pi-Top

<div>
 
 Founded in 2014 by Scott Brenchley, Cheshire-based Tactus Group develops consumer technology products such as IT hardware, smart home technology, and wearable tech apparel. As a Microsoft partner, Tactus sources, brands, and supplies Windows 10 devices across the UK and Europe. In April 2021, private equity firm Arete Capital invested GBP 10 million (USD 13.9 million) in the company, which Tactus used to acquire gaming specialist CCL Computers.
 
 
 In June 2021, Tactus Group acquired London-based pi-top, a provider of coding and technical education along with its project-based learning software platform using its Raspberry Pi-based hardware. Pi-top products allow schools and home learners to blend physical computing and project-based learning with computer science and science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) education. The amount of the deal was not disclosed. The acquisition allows Tactus to strengthen its position in the education sector and allows pi-top to access Tactus’ supply chain expertise and markets.
 
 
 In January 2022, the company raised 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/7665">
 GBP 13 million
 </a>
 (~USD 17.6 million) in a funding round led by Santander UK. 
 
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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

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 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.
 
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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. 
 
 
 
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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

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

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

Tactus Group

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