Cape-Town based edtech startup, Valenture Institute has announced it has raised a $7 million investment from GSV Ventures, an investor in leading global edtech platform Coursera. 

“The global demand for high-quality online schooling is skyrocketing in the current climate. We are thrilled to be partnering with the GSV team, who have already added immense value to our business through their knowledge, connections, and strategic guidance. We’re scaling up rapidly, and look forward to working with the GSV team to achieve our goal of becoming the largest and most impactful school on the planet,” founder Robert Paddock said. 

Here Is What You Need To Know

• The startup intends to use the investment to fund its global expansion, as well as to enhance the learning experience, and build out its additional offerings such as new subjects and exclusive bootcamps like Coding, Design Thinking, Data Science, etc.
• In addition, the startup will use the funding to launch the roll-out of its hybrid, tech-enabled, boutique campuses, which combine online learning, in-person guidance by Learning Coaches, and socialising with peers, and additional features of physical spaces.

Why The Investor Invested

GSV is a San Francisco-based early stage VC fund empowering exceptional entrepreneurs in education & future of work sectors. The VC is a previous investor in leading tech and work outsourcing platforms such as Coursera, Andela, Degreed, ClassDojo, Masterclass, among others.

Read also: How Startups In Egypt Can Apply For US-based VC Openner ‘s New Accelerator Program

A Look At What Valenture Institute Does

Founded in January 2019 by Robert Paddock, who was also the co-founder of Getsmarter, Valenture Institute aims to be the most impactful school by 2028, transforming the educational landscape and transforming learning to be focused around student-centered education. The startup currently has three South African boutique campuses opening its doors in January 2021 in Joburg’s Dunkeld and Cape Town’s southern suburbs of Newlands and Constantia. It also offers a curriculum recognised by a number of the world’s leading universities.

The edtech platform also plans to launch its global destinations like London, Boston, and New York. 

Charles Rapulu Udoh

Charles Rapulu Udoh is a Lagos-based lawyer who has advised startups across Africa on issues such as startup funding (Venture Capital, Debt financing, private equity, angel investing etc), taxation, strategies, etc. He also has special focus on the protection of business or brands’ intellectual property rights ( such as trademark, patent or design) across Africa and other foreign jurisdictions.
He is well versed on issues of ESG (sustainability), media and entertainment law, corporate finance and governance.
He is also an award-winning writer