Online investment platform SyndicateRoom announced that EdTech companies Gooseberry Planet and Dem Dx are seeking funding on its investor network. EdTech has been cited the fastest-growing sector in the UK this month, after British EdTech companies received more VC and angel funding (£178m) than any other European country.
“The EdTech sector is anticipated to reach £3.4 billion by 2021, while companies operating in this market are expected to grow by 29 per cent per year, over the next couple of years,” forecasted SyndicateRoom CEO and Co-founder Gonçalo de Vasconcelos. “For the UK’s most ambitious investors, it’s clear that this is an exciting space to watch. We look forward to welcoming more entrepreneurs doing great things in EdTech onto SyndicateRoom’s platform over the coming months.”
Gooseberry Planet, a software platform which aims to change the way that online safety is taught in schools, has adopted a three-pronged approach incorporating students, teachers and parents; the app includes lesson plans, teaching resources and evaluation tools. While its main focus is on primary schools in the UK, Gooseberry Planet is expanding internationally with the £300K raise, with users in France, Romania, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
“The Internet has radically changed our world, increasingly raising questions about how we can protect children from unsuitable content and from those who are not what they seem,” explained Gooseberry Planet CEO and Founder Stella James. “In fact, 63 per cent of 13–18-year-olds have been asked for a sexual image whilst online. With Gooseberry Planet, we’ve created a fun way to present internet safety to children. Parents and teachers are able to get involved by discussing issues and monitoring reactions to situations.”
Dem Dx has created a learning tool which helps medical staff, from students to qualified physicians, make better and faster diagnoses. With 20,000 downloads to date, the diagnostics app is already being used across 126 countries. Dem Dx is seeking £450K in order to further develop its product and expand its international presence.
“Misdiagnoses are incredibly costly; not only can lives be lost, but also time and money,” explained Dem Dx CEO Lorin Gresser. “As I was going through medical school, I faced challenges using traditional textbook methods and realised that technology had the power to significantly transform and improve my learning experience. By incorporating videos, sounds and images into the app, we’re bringing education to life for students and institutions across the globe. By harnessing data, we’re also able to put emphasis on conditions which are prevalent in different geographies. This results in a faster, more accurate diagnosis for patients.”
Chairman of UK Business Angels Association and BGF Ventures Partner Simon Calver, entrepreneur and investor, added,
“Technology is rapidly changing before our eyes, which smaller companies are taking advantage of by innovating more quickly than larger firms. However, the EdTech sector is still dominated by larger companies which may prevent smaller firms from succeeding – unless investors recognise their potential.”
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