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§ Private Profile · 1855 Griffin Rd Ste A290, Dania, Florida, 33004, United States
Nearpod is a technology company.
Nearpod offers an interactive instructional delivery platform designed to enhance the learning experience. The company provides teachers with tools to create and present engaging lessons, integrating formative assessments, interactive activities, and real-time insights directly into their instruction. Its technology transforms student devices into dynamic learning instruments, streamlining lesson planning and focusing on effective, inclusive educational practices.
The company was founded in 2012 by Guido Kovalskys, Felipe Sommer, and Emiliano Abramzon, three friends from Argentina. They conceived Nearpod with the understanding that more dynamic and interactive classroom tools could significantly improve student engagement and learning outcomes, ultimately empowering educators to deliver more impactful teaching.
Nearpod serves K-12 educators and students globally, providing a versatile platform that supports diverse educational needs. The company's overarching mission is rooted in the belief that education is a fundamental pathway to a more equitable world, striving to foster a love of learning in every student. Nearpod envisions a future where its platform continually enriches teaching methodologies and student comprehension.
Nearpod has raised $36.1M across 4 funding rounds.
Nearpod has raised $36.1M in total across 4 funding rounds.
Nearpod is a K-12 edtech platform that enables teachers to create and deliver interactive lessons using mobile devices, incorporating videos, quizzes, gamification, formative assessments, and activities like VR field trips and simulations[1][2][4][6]. It serves teachers, students, and schools worldwide, solving the challenge of engaging students with digital content in traditional classrooms by providing real-time insights, 100% participation tools, and a library of over 22,000 standards-aligned resources[3][4][5][7]. Acquired by Renaissance in February 2021 after raising $50.67M, Nearpod powers instruction in 75% of U.S. districts and 150 countries, with strong growth including 1.5 billion student insights collected in 2020[1][5].
Nearpod was founded in 2012 in Dania Beach, Florida, by Guido Chacon, Felipe Sommer, and Emiliano Abramzon, who identified the need to leverage emerging classroom mobile devices and laptops for better student engagement despite edtech market warnings about long sales cycles[1][2]. Starting with a simple iOS-only free product—described as "interactive PowerPoint"—they quickly expanded to multi-platform support, prioritizing ease of adoption to overcome resource barriers in underfunded districts[2]. Early traction included Inc. 5000 recognition in 2016, acquisition of Flocabulary in 2019 for hip-hop literacy tools, and the 2021 Renaissance acquisition, which enhanced its practice and assessment capabilities[1][5][6].
Nearpod rides the edtech wave of digital transformation in K-12 education, accelerated by mobile device proliferation and post-pandemic hybrid learning demands, timing its 2012 launch perfectly as laptops entered classrooms[2]. Favorable market forces include bureaucratic shifts toward teacher-friendly tools amid long sales cycles, AI integration for efficiency, and emphasis on equity—eroding barriers for under-resourced districts via free, browser-based access[2][4]. It influences the ecosystem by empowering teachers as central to social-emotional learning, collecting massive student data for insights, and partnering with Renaissance to form a comprehensive "instructional operating system," competing with platforms like Seesaw and Canvas while leading in engagement[1][5][8].
Nearpod is poised to deepen AI-driven personalization and expand global reach, leveraging Renaissance's resources to integrate more adaptive practice amid rising demands for data-informed, inclusive instruction. Trends like AI literacy, active learning, and hybrid models will propel it, potentially evolving its influence toward dominant classroom orchestration as edtech consolidates. This positions Nearpod as a sustained leader in equitable, engaging K-12 tech, transforming devices from distractions into engagement engines[4][5].
Nearpod has raised $36.1M across 4 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $21.0M Series B in February 2017.
Nearpod has raised $36.1M in total across 4 funding rounds.
Nearpod's investors include Insight Partners, Bling Capital, Bullpen Capital, CRV, Electric Capital, Elsewhere Partners, Ensemble VC, Gradient Ventures, GSV Acceleration, Hyde Park Venture Partners, IrishAngels, Khosla Ventures.