Nordic EdTech News #122: 2024-10-28
Your Weeks 42 - 43 update from the Nordic and Baltic EdTech ecosystem
Hello and welcome to today’s Nordic EdTech News. Despite the inevitable slowdown for the Autumn break, it’s been a busy couple of weeks across our ecosystem, so let’s see what’s been happening!
It’s always great to see news of sizeable funding rounds in Nordic EdTech, particularly from the smaller nations. So the news that Reykjavik-based Moombix has raised €2.27 million to scale its online music learning platform is particularly welcome (Link). The seed funding round was led by Iceland’s Frumtak Ventures with participation from angel investors.
The Moombix platform “connects people with live online music lessons.” The investment will help scale the marketplace and prepare for a strategic launch in the UK, where it already has “nearly 200 teachers signed-up to offer classes.”
Congratulations also to Learnesy, who have acquired the assets of Confex Group AS, Confex Norge AS and Icon Business Solutions AS (Link). Confex is one of the Nordic region's leading training providers and offers high-quality courses in a variety of corporate roles / settings. The move enables Learnesy to offer a “comprehensive range of training” across digital and face-to-face courses.
Although not strictly Nordic news, it’s great to be able to report that HolonIQ has been acquired by QS Quacquarelli Symonds (Link). Patrick and Maria have always been huge supporters of this newsletter and my work generally, so I’m delighted to wish them every future success.
Do check out this interview with Eilert Hanoa, CEO of Kahoot!, about the key trends that are shaping both classroom and workplace learning (Link). The interview comes at an interesting time for the business as it “invests in accelerated growth in the APAC region” (Link). The move will involve the recruitment of a new and dedicated team, content localisation and a focus on regional strategic partnerships.
Whilst we’re talking about growth, it’s good to see Skolon in second place on Breakit’s list of fastest-growing SaaS companies (Link). This performance is further reiterated in their Q3 report and year to date performance for 2024 (Link). It shows net sales of SEK 117.0 million (79.5 in the same period in 2023), 835,012 paying users (684,132) and ARPPU of SEK 165 (138) for the period of January to September 2024.
To get a detailed picture of what’s happening in Swedish EdTech (and a broader European perspective), this recording of Jannie Jeppesen, CEO of Swedish Edtech Industry at the Google Leaders’ Summit is very informative.
And finally, huge congratulations to everyone involved in the creation and launch of EdTech Ukraine (Link). There’s lots of Nordic expertise supporting this brilliant initiative and the launch event included the signing of a memorandum of EdTech cooperation between Ukraine and Estonia.
As always, if you’ve got a story that you’d like me to include in a future issue of this newsletter, please email hello@10digits.org, tag me on Twitter or LinkedIn or use #nordicedtech / #balticedtech.
Thanks for reading, Jonathan
News from Denmark
“ChatGPT could be the worst thing to happen to our school system.”
Access to social media is to be blocked at all Copenhagen schools, starting 31 October. (Link)
The team behind Attender are in the process of raising capital with the aim of building a global business. (Link)
Cliarly, a startup, is using AI to help make writing and reading easier for those with dyslexia and other challenges. (Link)
A new survey from Djøf shows that three out of four students use AI in their studies, but lack training in its use. (Link)
Great to see EdTech Denmark meeting the Minister of Digitalisation and presenting their triple-helix organisation. (Link)
tinyfarms is rebranding to become tiny, a “multi-product EdTech company.” The first of which will be an AI-enabled science education platform. (Link)
Zensai has appointed Microsoft veteran David Willis as the new Chairman of the Board of Directors. (Link)
News from Estonia
Put the EdTech Hackathon 2024 (15 to 17 Nov) in your diary if you’re looking to “transform the future of career pathways and vocational education.” (Link)
News from Finland
Don’t miss InvestED, organised by the Helsinki Education Hub, on the 19th November between 1600 and 2100. (Link)
Interesting to see that 89% of Finnish teachers think that online or remote teaching hinders social and emotional learning, according to OECD research.
Elements of AI was named Artificial Intelligence Act of the Year at Finland’s AI Gala. (Link)
Sari Hurme-Mehtälä, Managing Director of Kide Science, reveals that they are now in over 100 Texas school districts with customers in 14 other US states. (Link)
Pandatron is looking to raise €910,000 on a maximum capital valuation of €18 million. Their plan is to go for a €15 million Series A in 6 months when “ARR is expected to be €2m+.” (Link)
See the Good! get the ball rolling in Chile & Latin America. (Link)
EduCluster Finland has entered into an agreement to introduce Finnish International Kindergartens into Bahrain. (Link)
News from Iceland
Bara tala have launched a range of new, customised Icelandic courses to support workplace health and safety. (Link)
News from Latvia
Edurio’s latest research looks at high-quality and inclusive education in UK MATs School Trusts. (Link)
Swedbank’s Money Day initiative takes place online in Latvian schools on 31 October - unsurprisingly AI is one of the main themes. (Link)
News from Lithuania
Danielius Stasiulis of BitDegree believes that AI could transform Lithuanian education within a year. (Link)
Digiklasė /Memby launched Digi1: a new platform for private tutors and individual training courses. (Link)
Applications are still open for the first cohort of the Edu Challenger accelerator, which is powered by Startup Lithuania and designed by xEdu. Details here.
News from Norway
New research to be conducted by University of Oslo (Link). FRAME (Framing Reading Across Mediums) will look at how digitisation affects pupils' reading education.
Student absence in Norway has doubled since COVID - wellbeing detailed as a factor (Link). Where are the EdTechs tackling this challenge?
D2L’s new Creator+ product is integrated with newly-acquired H5P to help “educators create highly interactive content for greater learner success.” (Link)
Interesting perspective from SIKT: “AI in higher education - are we trying to fix a leaky tap on the Titanic?”
News from Sweden
Atea and TechSverige argue in favour of “national initiatives to strengthen the digital competence of young people.” (Link)
Bright will partner with Inspera to enhance the exam experience for students. (Link)
Upplands-Bro municipality is training 500 teachers in AI with EdAider. (Link)
FCV Sverige launches the Hot Skills board game to entertain but also prepare young adults for the workforce. (Link)
Gro Play has teamed up with Story House Egmont to develop a new game featuring Bamse, the beloved children’s character. (Link)
Good to see Pether Wiklander of Kattalo featured on the influential AI Sweden Podcast. (Link)
A teacher from Växjö has raised SEK 1,000,000 in capital for Nextgen, her AI-powered learning platform. (Link)
Great response on Product Hunt for Scrintal’s new Playground for the Mind experience. (Link)
TRUE will provide digital certifications for the Karolinska Institutet, one of the world’s leading medical universities. (Link)
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