Quebec-based education technology startup Classcraft has raised $7.5 million (C$10 million) in a Series A funding round led by Investissement Quebec, an investment arm of the Quebec government.
The funding round was joined by Classcraft’s existing investors including Whitecap Venture Partners, Brightspark Ventures and MaRS Catalyst Fund.
Founded in 2013 by brothers Shawn and Devin Young and their father Lauren Young, Classcraft focuses on improving student motivation in the K-12 education sector. It combines technology with the tools of what kids love – games and stories – to make learning fun and enhance student motivation.
Classcraft’s approach to helping educators motivate students through the power of games, which have become a cultural phenomenon among young people, is making a significant wave across the world. Currently, the company is serving more than 6 million students and educators worldwide. Classcraft is used in more than 160 countries and is available in 11 languages.
The latest investment will enable the company to deepen its ability to motivate students by harnessing the power of games and to achieve its mission of making school more relevant and meaningful by promoting human connections between students and teachers.
Speaking about the company and the latest investment it received, Shawn Young, Co-Founder and CEO of Classcraft, said,
“At Classcraft, our aspirations go beyond student engagement. We’re aiming to foster the type of intrinsic motivation that makes students care about succeeding in school. We’ve made an incredible impact working with educators to improve outcomes like social emotional learning, academic performance, and school climate. This investment allows us to scale these efforts while developing new ways of leveraging games, technology, and experiences to create cultures of engagement.”
Commenting on its investment in Classcraft, Guy LeBlanc, Investissement Quebec President and CEO, said,
“Investissement Quebec is proud to play a role in consolidating Classcraft’s position in Quebec and abroad, helping to ensure its continued growth and a bright future. With this initiative, we are supporting a major player in the field, one able to offer tangible solutions to address the biggest education challenges our society is facing. We are excited to see what educators and students can achieve with what Classcraft has built. And when these breakthroughs are happening in your own backyard, being able to support them means so much more.”
Emphasizing on the importance of staying connected, Devin Young, Co-Founder and President of Classcraft, said,
“We’re living in a time in which the rate of change is only accelerating, and those who aren’t thriving are finding themselves increasingly marginalized. By helping young people stay connected to themselves, their peers, and the world around them, we can create generations of lifelong learners who find meaning in living and working together. Achieving this won’t just improve educational outcomes – it will help our society become happier, more productive, and more equitable.”
By measuring things like engagement, creativity, and collaboration, Classcraft helps educators make decisions that will boost student motivation. While Classcraft’s approach to helping educators motivate students is rooted in the power of games, it isn’t for gamers. It’s for every teacher who wants to make learning fun. Games aren’t at the heart of Classcraft. Learning is!
