Rethink Education

Learning that is less passive, less rigid and less shame-based is what Rethink Education wants to see more of. The venture firm invests in education technology companies, and its stated mission is to realize the potential of people who have been marginalized or underserved.

Who the investments are meant to reach

The firm says it wants people to thrive in their work, personal lives and civic engagement. It names the groups it has in mind: people living in poverty, those who are cognitively or physically different, deskless workers and the underemployed, incarcerated people, refugees and other immigrants, and people who face persecution because of race, gender, sexuality or other aspects of identity.

What good education looks like to it

Rethink argues that learning at all levels ought to blend the joy of preschool play, the intense group experimenting of a hackathon and the deep self-directed study of a doctoral program. It looks for companies that can transform entrenched institutions, communities and value systems, and it says it has spent more than a decade investing in tools and technologies that widen access to learning.

How it works with companies

Its usual entry points are the pre-seed and seed stages and Series A, with Series B now and then. It seeks companies that partner with school systems, employers and large education operators so that solutions reach scale and the best resources serve all students whatever their economic background. Through close partnership with chief executives, thought leaders and other stakeholders, it says it is working to change the educational landscape.

Three areas of focus

• Laying groundwork for learning through life and for developing skills.
• Widening routes after high school and tying them to results.
• Upskilling critical workers and helping them live purposeful lives.

Leadership and reporting

The two managing partners have backgrounds in academia, education software and corporate development. One co-founded a software company serving children with special needs and has taught college students, including in a teacher-preparation program; the other led corporate development and investment work at a large education network and a previous venture firm. Both sit on the boards of education companies and nonprofits. The firm also publishes an impact report.

Rethink Education is a venture firm investing in education technology. Its stated mission is to unlock the potential of people who have been marginalised or underserved. The firm says it has spent over a decade backing tools that improve access to learning.

Products and services

• Early-stage investment: it usually joins companies at pre-seed, seed or Series A, and sometimes Series B.
• Lifelong learning: support for companies building foundations for skills development.
• Post-secondary pathways: backing for businesses that make routes after school easier to reach and more focused on results.
• Workforce upskilling: investment in helping critical workers gain skills.

Clients

The firm favours companies that sell to school systems, employers and large education operators. Its stated target groups include people in poverty, disabled or neurodiverse learners, deskless workers, incarcerated people and refugees.

Key facts

• Managing partners: Matt Greenfield, founder, and Andre Bennin
• Stage: pre-seed to Series B
• Focus: more inclusive and engaging learning