Edukasyon, the leading education technology platform in the Philippines, recently closed its Series A financing round, joined by Asian and European investors, which include EduLab Capital Partners, Obunsha Ventures, Alternate Ventures, Foxmont Capital Partners, Lorinet Foundation, French Partners and KSR Ventures.
The undisclosed amount raised in Series A comes on the heels of Edukasyon’s pre-Series A round closed in May 2018 and an investment from the Gobi-Core Philippine Fund in early 2019.
Edukasyon.ph, launched in 2015, offers access to senior high schools, colleges and universities, scholarships, online courses and other resources that enable successful education to employment pathways. Having formed partnerships with more than 500 educational institutions and 50 corporations and foundations, Edukasyon aims to empower Filipino Gen Z youth to make self-aware education decisions that lead to a fulfilling career and life.
Together with its other website FindUniversity, Edukasyon engages more than 10 million Filipino Gen Z youth each year. And this year, the Manila-based startup also solidified its nationwide presence with the opening of offices in Cebu and Davao.
“We are grateful to our partners who believe in our mission and in the critical role that technology can play in improving education to employment outcomes for the Filipino youth. This opportunity allows us to deepen our focus on product development: to not only broaden the platform’s reach, but more importantly to create more meaningful and measurable engagement with each user,” Edukasyon CEO and Founder Henry Motte-Muñoz said.
In the Philippines, out of 2 million children who turn 18 each year, up to 80 percent are left behind between higher education to employment, resulting in poor life outcomes for them. Edukasyon.ph was created as a solution to centralize resources and facilitate inquiries and applications to various schools, so that students can take control of their options and be equipped for better decision-making. Building on its comprehensive search-and-apply platform for schools and scholarships, Edukasyon has introduced new channels to connect students to online courses, technical-vocational programs and internships.
“For emerging markets across Asia-Pacific, especially within a dynamic economy like the Philippines, the youth represent hope for sustained and responsible growth. We are happy to be supporting Edukasyon as it takes on new initiatives to support the next generation of leaders,” Foxmont Capital Partners Managing Partner Franco Varona said.
Over the past year, Edukasyon has also significantly expanded its content offering, through multimedia channels that provide students guidance for navigating student life and career preparation. These offerings have cultivated campaign partnerships with leading corporations, which seek new targeted approaches to engage with Gen Z at scale.
Koji Takahashi of EduLab Capital Partners, a new investor in Edukasyon, stated: “We are thrilled to be joining Edukasyon in creating value for the youth and various educators in the Philippines. This marks EduLab Capital Partners’ first investment in the Asia Pacific region, and we are excited to extend our global presence and network to aid successful startups in transforming education through innovation."
Michael Dargani, President and CEO of IceDream Inc., another Series A investor said: “I am very pleased with the progress Edukasyon has made in such a short period of time, which is a real testament to the vision, hard work and competence of the team. I am certain that with this funding round, they will reach even greater heights.”
In the coming months, Edukasyon will unveil new platform features as it strengthens its network of partners from all sectors across the country and beyond.
“Our hope is to continue building a holistic education ecosystem online, so that together we can eliminate job-skills mismatch and help the youth rise above industry demands. With continued investment from our partners, we will be able to leverage insights to refine products and services that address the ecosystem’s various needs,” Edukasyon Chief Strategy Officer Judge Calimbahin said.
