Fundraising Fox
Austin · Pre-Seed–Series A · 2 people tracked
Also known as Learn Start Management
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Investment thesis
Seed-stage investor with 20% reserved for under-8 early childhood companies, known as a first believer in unconventional education models across frontier markets like Bangladesh and Kenya and experimental formats.
Team · 2 people
from public directories
What they invest in
from 16 of 18 portfolio companiesEdTech ×9Marketplaces ×3SaaS ×3AI & Machine Learning ×2Consumer ×2Creator Economy ×2Enterprise Software ×2Gaming ×2
HQs:United States×8United Arab Emirates×1Bangladesh×1Germany×1India×1Kenya×1
Investments · 18 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBy year:2025 · 12023 · 12022 · 22021 · 12020 · 42019 · 110 dated
AltaClaro provides experiential training for lawyers, using education-science methods with simulated assignments, model answers, and data-driven feedback delivered by experienced practitioners.
EdTechLegalTechNew York, US
Abdi Shayesteh(Executive Officer, Director)inJulie Ryan(Chief Learning Officer)inCary Burch(Director)
Co-investorsInvariantes FundLair East Labs
Brave Care operates pediatric primary and urgent care clinics designed to treat common acute conditions in children, supplemented by remote consultations delivered by clinicians.
HealthtechPortland, US
Asa Miller(Founder)inDarius "Bubs" Monsef(Founder)inMaryam Taheri(Founder)inCorey Fish, MD(Founder)inGary Gerlacher(Executive Officer, Director)Corey Fish, M.D.(Executive Officer, Director)
Co-investorsAlumni VenturesAV8 VenturesFifty YearsVentureSouqY CombinatorZillionize+16 more
CreatorUp runs a marketplace that connects organizations with trained and certified creative talent to produce video content such as online lessons, virtual tours, live-streamed events, and product launches.
AI & Machine LearningCreator EconomyMarketplacesMedia & EntertainmentSaaSLos Angeles, US
Sara Akhteh(Founder)in
Co-investorsMetavallon VCNew Markets Venture PartnersGaingels
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Englease is an online English-language learning platform offering live and on-demand classes, practice tools, training videos, and conversation clubs, with CPD (UK)-accredited certificates upon completing each level.
EdTechSaaS
Omar Sheehan(Founder)Omar Chihanein
Co-investors500 GlobalBY Venture PartnersSalica InvestmentsWamda CapitalCOTU VenturesDubai Angel Investors
A brand centered on esports/competitive gaming fandom under the "Live Legendary" theme, offering a fan gallery where visitors can subscribe to a newsletter and download event images.
GamingMedia & EntertainmentCologne, DE
Co-investorsEngelhardt Kaupp Kiefer & Co. Management GmbHLeta CapitalLightspeed Venture PartnersSWC GlobalTMT InvestmentsXploration Capital
Flourish Labs was a healthcare startup that scaled mental health peer support through technology to address the youth mental health crisis, training young adults as certified Peer Support Specialists and Community Health Workers.
Digital HealthHealthtechMental HealthSan Francisco, US
Obi Felten(Co-founder)inKim Newell Green(Co-founder)inBETTINA FELTEN(Executive Officer, Director)
Co-investorsCollaborative FundGradient VenturesLearn Capital
Kidato operates online classes for K-12 students in Africa with lower student-teacher ratios than traditional public schools, charging significantly less than private institutions while delivering internationally-benchmarked curricula.
EdTechNairobi, KE
Sam Gichuru(Founder)in
Co-investorsVelocity DigitalY CombinatorGoodwater CapitalGraph VenturesHarvard Management CompanyLaunch Africa Ventures+1 more
Millie provides services and opportunities for military members to help each other reduce the stress of relocating during military moves.
ConsumerMarketplacesPropTech
Co-investorsMoonshots CapitalAmboy Street VenturesBBG VenturesChai VenturesCoyote VenturesForeground Capital+5 more
Neol operates a professional community platform for experienced creative leaders in brand, strategy, marketing, design, and innovation, offering mentorship, collaboration, and thought leadership opportunities.
B2B MarketplacesCreator EconomyEnterprise SoftwareFuture of Work
Co-investorsCapria VenturesFJ LabsGlobal VenturesLearn CapitalParibu Ventures
Novakid provides online English language lessons for children using a gamified learning approach with native and near-native English-speaking teachers.
EdTech
Co-investorsLeta CapitalOwl VenturesXploration CapitalBonAngels Venture PartnersGoodwater CapitalPortfoLion Capital Partners+1 more
Pathrise offers career coaching, networking access, and job search software to help individuals find employment, collecting payment only after successful placement.
EdTechSan Francisco, US
Kevin Wu(CEO)inEvan Limanto(Founder)inQuinn Rutledge(AProduct Manager)Derrick MarRachelle GuptaKelly Barber(Program Director)
Co-investorsY CombinatorDay One VenturesDevelopment AnalyticsGoAhead VenturesK50 VenturesKutlu kazanci+6 more
Prenda provides a learning model and operational support for adults to start and run microschools serving K-8 students.
EdTechMesa, US
Kelly Smith(Founder)inAndy Jennings(Tech/Tools Team Lead)Amera alo(People Team)
BoardRob Hutter(Director)inCahlan Sharp(Growth)
Co-investorsAlbum VCBVP InvestorsMVP VenturesPerot JainPHX VenturesPioneer+14 more
Shikho is an online learning platform offering video lessons with animated examples created by experienced mentors to help students prepare for classes and exams.
ConsumerEdTech
Shahir Chowdhury(Founder)Zeeshan Zakaria(Founder)
Co-investorsAnchorless BangladeshStartup BangladeshWavemaker Partners
Skillprint provides an AI platform and SDK that analyzes gameplay signals in real time to build cognitive and behavioral profiles of players, offering assessments for cognitive performance, learning, and mental wellness.
AI & Machine LearningGamingWellness & FitnessOakland, US
Chethan Ramachandran(Founder)in
Co-investorsChaos VenturesDaft CapitalMachina VenturesVerissimo VenturesNIREMIA CollectiveShanda Capital
StayQrious operates a school that moves away from traditional factory-model education toward experiential, project-based learning for children.
EdTechBengaluru, IN
Shankar Ram A(Founder)inAvinash Anand(Founder)inAanand Srinivas(Founder)in
Co-investorsY CombinatorASDF VenturesDraper AssociatesEmles Venture PartnersDream IncubatorEmles Advisors+5 more
Vincoed manages educational programs and training across multiple institutions for organizations and their employees, offering services including preferential pricing, scholarship administration, coaching, and centralized payment processing.
EdTechEnterprise SoftwareHR TechMarketplacesSaaSMonterrey, MX
Lissy Giacoman(Founder)inMiriam Fernandez(Founder)inSofía Sada(Founder)inSofia Sada(Founder)in
Co-investorsAlter GlobalCapria VenturesStartupsY CombinatorAngel Ventures MexicoEvergreen Venture Partners+6 more
Other
Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.
EngleaseNextStep Interactive
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has LearnStart made?
- LearnStart has 18 tracked investments, 1 of which have exited, including 1 dated in the last 24 months.
- What stage does LearnStart invest at?
- LearnStart invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A stages.
- What is LearnStart's typical check size?
- LearnStart typically writes checks of $50K – $1M.
- What sectors does LearnStart focus on?
- LearnStart focuses on Consumer, EdTech, Future of Work, Healthtech, SaaS.
- Where is LearnStart located?
- LearnStart is headquartered in Austin, US.
- Does LearnStart lead rounds?
- LearnStart typically participates in rounds rather than leading them.
Media · Podcasts & interviews
featuring the teamEpisode 279: Don Burton, Founder & Managing Partner of LearnStart | Host: Julian Torres
Behind Company Lines · Don Burton
Co-investors · 9
Learn Capital is a venture capital firm that backs and builds companies focused on education and human learning, aiming to empower individuals with knowledge and tools to thrive.
Goodwater Capital is a consumer technology investment firm backing entrepreneurs building products across financial services, retail, healthcare, education, housing, transportation, and ecommerce globally.
Collaborative Fund is a venture capital firm that backs entrepreneurs building category- and culture-defining brands, products, and services across consumer, health, energy, and access-to-capital themes.
Leta Capital is a venture capital firm managing three funds and investing in exceptional founders regardless of geography, primarily in B2B software and deep-R&D IT solutions.
Firework Ventures defines "future of work" unusually narrowly as technology that creates opportunity for the entire workforce, explicitly excluding automation-first themes like robotics and AI in favor of products that help humans adapt, upskill, and thrive through economic transitions. The fund targets four specific areas—new models of work, worker mobility, supports outside traditional employers, and skills for middle-skill and often rural workers—while being led by partners who combine federal policy experience, on-the-ground teaching background, and prior investments in human-capital companies like Guild Education and BetterUp.
GV (Google Ventures) is a venture capital firm that has invested in AI and machine learning since its early days, backing more than 100 AI companies across infrastructure, life sciences, and applications.
Kleiner Perkins is a venture capital firm that backs founders across technology and life sciences, from early stage through growth.
Vibe Capital is a $10M venture fund investing in Web3, AI, and Deep Science startups at the pre-seed and seed stage.
BECO Capital is a venture capital firm that backs founders from inception through growth, focusing on the Gulf region's key growth drivers.
Firms observed investing alongside LearnStart, from public investor directories. Shared companies are the overlap with LearnStart's recorded portfolio.
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