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Radar · EdTech in Santa Monica

Best EdTech Companies in Santa Monica, United States

The 41 best EdTech companies in Santa Monica, United States in 2026, ranked by funding and momentum. Funding, investors, founders, valuation, tech stack and live signals. Top: Tastemade.

41companies tracked
$348.1Mdisclosed funding
0unicorns
18have raised
Sector wealth & growth · validated company filings
$63Mmedian revenue
+0%median YoY growth
$1.0Bcombined revenue pool
9companies reporting

Biggest earners Skillsoft Corp. ($513M, -3% YoY), Instructure Inc ($156M, +12% YoY), Blackboard Inc ($119M), Capella Education Co ($112M, +0% YoY)

FLIAR INTELLIGENCE · EDTECH × SANTA MONICA

Our analysis of 88 EdTech companies

$7.3b in tracked funding; 99% of the stack-profiled cohort runs cloud-native; funding activity peaked in 2025.

88companies analysed
99%cloud-native stacks
2025funding peak (by rounds)
12unicorns
2016median founding year
277kcombined LinkedIn audience
93%of audience held by top 3

Ranked: Best EdTech companies in Santa Monica

#CompanyDisclosed fundingLast roundEmployeesFoundedFounderTech stackPatents & IP focusRecent signals
1Tastemade
Platform offering video-based cooking related learning solutions
$116M94 mo ago127
127 → 183 (+44%)
2012Larry Fitzgibbon
Co-Founder and CEO
Cart FunctionalitySentryZendesk+33——
2Formative
Online platform offering real-time instruction tools for educators
$70M62 mo ago812013Craig Jones
Co-Founder & CEO
Webflow EcommerceWebflowLodash+1512 patents
Radon detection and measurement instrumentation for environmental monitoring
—
3Quizizz
Provider of multiplayer quiz platform for academic subjects
$47M62 mo ago1942015Ankit Gupta
Co-Founder & CEO
Webflow EcommerceWebflowVWO+23——
4Toucan
Chrome extension for learning new skills
$30M64 mo ago122019Taylor Nieman
Co-Founder & CEO
SentryZendeskNode.js+16——
5Revolution Prep
Test prep and tutoring platform
$23M62 mo ago6562002—WordPressSentryMySQL+40——
6Bright
Cloud-based video calling platform
$15M60 mo ago332013Guy Oseary
Co-Founder
—83 patents
Advanced synthetic rope and cable manufacturing, termination, and inspection technologies.
—
7Tuition.io
Provider of student loan repayment and tuition assistance benefits
55Funding top 33%Tech top 34%Growth top 35%Talent bottom 49%
All 7 signals ▾
Fundingtop 33%
Techtop 34%
Growthtop 35%
Talentbottom 49%
Marketbottom 44%
Moatbottom 38%
Globalbottom 36%
Funding: Raised $14.3M across 5 rounds · 5 rounds over 14 yrs (0.4/yr)
Tech: 42 technologies across 6/8 capability areas · Cloud: Amazon Cloudfront, Amazon S3
rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 55/100
$14M16 mo ago552011Scott Thompson
CEO
HubSpot CMS HubMaterial Design LiteZURB Foundation+20—1 partnership
8OK Play
Mobile-based learning tool for kids
$11M71 mo ago402019Travis Chen
Co-Founder
—32 patents
Patents concentrated in transport & manufacturing processes
—
9Engrade
Educational content and technology solutions provider for PreK–12 and higher education
$8M158 mo ago382004————
10Chromatik
Music Assisting Platform
$8M159 mo ago62010Matt Sandler
Founder
———
11Up Word
AI-based platform providing reading proficiency-related learning solutions
$3M25 mo ago202021Veronika Kolin
Co-Founder
WebflowAmazon Web ServicesTypekit+20——
127 Generation Games
Educational games and tools empowering smarter learning experiences for all
$1M69 mo ago122013Maria Burns Ortiz
Co-Founder and President
WordPress Block EditorWordPressMySQL+23——
13BrainRush
Online free educational games for K-12 students
$875K166 mo ago112012Nolan Bushnell
Founder
———
14Speech Kingdom
Learning tool for developing communication skills in autistic children
$536K149 mo ago—2013David Kalmick
President and CEO
NginxAmazon Web ServicesAMP+7——
15Pundits
On-demand tutoring solution
$200K120 mo ago—2015John Feng
Co-Founder & CEO
———
16Little Quest
Online discovery platform for kids friendly places
$100K152 mo ago—2013Adam Carney
CEO
———

Top 12 EdTech companies in Santa Monica

#1
Series B · Santa Monica, California · founded 2011 · 55 employees
$14.3Mraised
▾

Provider of student loan repayment and tuition assistance benefits. It offers a suite of modular benefits to help employers attract and retain talent by addressing employee student loan debt. These benefits include student loan repayment assistance, tuition assistance administration, financial wellness tools, and coaching on programs like Public Service Loan Forgiveness. The platform aims to streamline benefit administration and provide employees with resources to manage their student loan debt effectively. The company also offers retirement savings matching programs linked to student loan payments.

Fliar Intelligence Index™ 55how this company ranks against its industry peers
Funding
top 33%
Tech
top 34%
Growth
top 35%
Talent
bottom 49%
Market
bottom 44%
Moat
bottom 38%
Funding: Raised $14.3M across 5 rounds · 5 rounds over 14 yrs (0.4/yr) · Last round Series B (Apr 2025)
Tech: 42 technologies across 6/8 capability areas · Cloud: Amazon Cloudfront, Amazon S3 · Devops: Nginx
Growth: Fresh capital in last 24 mo
Audience (LinkedIn): 5k LinkedIn followers · 14 engagements/post (1.5× cohort median)
Activity (LinkedIn): 1 product launches · 3 partnerships (incl. edX) announced in 12 mo
Funding rounds
  • Apr 2025Series B—
  • Sep 2017Series B$7M
  • Nov 2015Series A$5M
  • Jan 2015Seed$1.2M
Founders & team
Scott ThompsonCEO
Investors
Mohr Davidow Ventures, MESA Ventures, Launchpad LA, University of Twente, Rothenberg Ventures, Neu Venture Capital
Tech stack
Amazon CloudfrontAmazon S3Amazon Web ServicesBootstrapCdnjsCloudflare
#2
Seed · Santa Monica, California · founded 2021 · 20 employees
$3Mraised
▾

AI-based platform providing reading proficiency-related learning solutions. The platform enables enhancing reading skills, reading pace, reading efficiency, and more. The platform offers interactive learning solutions, notes taking solutions, word translation, and more. The platform also enables students from different universities to connect with each other.

Funding rounds
  • Jul 2024Seed$3M
  • May 2022Seed—
  • 2021Seed$800K
Founders & team
Veronika KolinCo-Founder
Investors
Wayra, FUSION, GoAhead Ventures, Atooro
#3
Acquired · Santa Monica, California · founded 2012 · 127 employees
$115.8Mraised
▾

Platform offering video-based cooking related learning solutions. It provides on-demand episodes of creator cooking shows and also host live filmings of different programs and events. Offers themed shows including video recipes, cooking shows, and travel using its channels. Its mobile application is available on android and iOS platform.

LinkedIn Pulse recent public activity · Jul 2026
Audience: 59k LinkedIn followers — 21.4% of this cohort's audience
Activity: 2 awards announced in 12 mo
Funding rounds
  • Oct 2018Series E$35M
  • Dec 2015Series D$40.4M
  • Jun 2014Series C$25M
  • Aug 2013Series B$10M
Founders & team
Larry FitzgibbonCo-Founder and CEOJoe PerezCo-FounderSteven KyddCo-Founder
Investors
Redpoint Ventures, The Raine Group, Scripps Networks Interactive, Liberty Media, Comcast Ventures, TOHOKUSHINSHA FILM
Tech stack
Amazon CloudfrontAmazon S3Amazon Web ServicesApple Icloud MailAppsflyerCart Functionality
#4
Acquired · Santa Monica, California · founded 2013 · 81 employees
$70Mraised
▾

Online platform offering real-time instruction tools for educators. It allows teachers to create, edit, preview, and assign assessments, providing actionable data to enhance teaching and learning. It supports collaboration among educators, allowing them to share assessments, make real-time edits, and sync rosters.

Funding rounds
  • Jun 2021Series A$70M
  • Nov 2016Seed—
  • Nov 2013Seed—
Founders & team
Craig JonesCo-Founder & CEODaniel CornellCo-FounderKevin McFarlandCo-Founder
Investors
Summit Partners, Emerson Collective, Fika Ventures, MaC Venture Capital, Rethink Capital Partners, Jefferson Education Accelerator
Tech stack
Amazon CloudfrontAmazon Web ServicesCloudflareCore-JsGoogle AnalyticsGoogle Font Api
#5
Funding Raised · Santa Monica, California · founded 2015 · 194 employees
$47Mraised
▾

Provider of multiplayer quiz platform for academic subjects. It offers to learn on quiz topics including Science, Maths, G.K, and more. It enables students to select a quiz and share that game code with their friends to compete among themselves for high scores.

LinkedIn Pulse recent public activity · Jul 2026
Audience: 98k LinkedIn followers — 35.4% of this cohort's audience · 76 engagements/post (8.1× cohort median)
Founders & team
Ankit GuptaCo-Founder & CEODeepak CheenathCo-Founder
Investors
Powerhouse Ventures, Inventus Capital Partners, GSF
Tech stack
Amazon CloudfrontAmazon S3Amazon Web ServicesCloudflareCloudflare Bot ManagementCloudflare Browser Insights
#6
Acquired · Santa Monica, California · founded 2019 · 12 employees
$30Mraised
▾

Toucan is a chrome extension for learning new skills. It enables users to learn languages, communication skills, and more while browsing the internet. It also provides mini-quizzes and hidden challenges.

Funding rounds
  • Apr 2021Seed$4.5M
  • Sep 2020Seed$3M
  • Oct 2019Seed$750K
  • Series A$20M
Founders & team
Taylor NiemanCo-Founder & CEOShaun MerrittCo-Founder & CTO
Investors
Amplifyher, VitalizeVC, GSV Ventures, Wonder Ventures, Halogen Ventures, Golden Ventures
Tech stack
Amazon CloudfrontAmazon Web ServicesAmplitudeAws Certificate ManagerCore-JsEmotion
#7
Series A · Santa Monica, California · founded 2002 · 656 employees
$23.3Mraised
▾

Revolution Prep offers test prep and tutoring platforms. The platform offers test preparation tools for SAT, ACT, and other exams. Offers programs in real classroom settings, live online classroom settings, private in-person tutoring, private online tutoring, self-guided online courses, and hybrid courses. Also provides tutoring in Math, Science, and English. Ongoing sessions can be scheduled by email and phone.

LinkedIn Pulse recent public activity · Jul 2026
Audience: 5k LinkedIn followers
Funding rounds
  • Jun 2021Series A$4.3M
  • May 2017Series A$4M
  • Aug 2010Series A$15M
Investors
Apax, Kennet Partners, Savant Growth
Tech stack
Amazon CloudfrontAmazon Web ServicesAws Certificate ManagerAxiosBootstrapCdnjs
#8
Series B · Santa Monica, California · founded 2013 · 33 employees
$15Mraised
▾

Cloud-based video calling platform. The platform connects creators, experts and icons to learn and interact in live sessions. Additionally, the platform covers topics such as mind, body, home, money, and more. The mobile application is available for Android and iOS users.

Funding rounds
  • Aug 2021Series B$15M
Founders & team
Guy OsearyCo-Founder
Investors
RIT Capital Partners, Regah Ventures, Grupoglobo, Sound Ventures, TIME Ventures, Globo Ventures
#9
Series A · Santa Monica, California · founded 2019 · 40 employees
$11Mraised
▾

OK Play is a mobile-based learning tool for kids. It provides learning activities that enable in growing child's empathy, kindness, and creativity. It also enables in capturing videos with the child and store it in the moment section. It also provides weekly themed programs that are designed by artists, educators, and leading scientists. It provides its application for both Android as well as iOS.

Funding rounds
  • Sep 2020Series A$6.5M
  • 2019Seed$3.5M
  • Mar 2019Seed$800K
Founders & team
Travis ChenCo-FounderChris OvitzCo-Founder
Investors
Obvious Ventures, Forerunner Ventures, Greycroft, Progression Fund, Muse Capital, LEGO Ventures
#10
Acqui-Hired · Santa Monica, California · founded 2010 · 6 employees
$7.9Mraised
▾

Chromatik provides a catalogue of free music sheet and videos based on the instrument chosen by the user. Also provides reference tracks, annotation tools and recording features which are available only in the iOS app. Users can upload their own tunes through snapping pictures of each page and collaborate on music with other members. Available on iOS and Android.

Funding rounds
  • May 2013Series A$5.7M
  • Nov 2012Seed$2M
  • Jul 2011Seed$220K
  • Mar 2011Conventional Debt$75K
Founders & team
Matt SandlerFounder
Investors
Purvi Capital, 500 Global, Kapor Capital, MuckerLab, Launchpad LA, Promus Ventures
#11
Acquired · Santa Monica, California · founded 2004 · 38 employees
$8Mraised
▾

Educational content and technology solutions provider for PreK–12 and higher education. They offer a wide array of learning resources, from core curriculum materials to supplemental programs and digital platforms. They provide educational content across various subjects, including language arts, math, science, and social studies, catering to diverse learning needs and environments. They offer digital products like Connect, ALEKS, and Achieve3000, providing adaptive learning experiences and personalized instruction. They also focus on educator support through communities, training, and resources, promoting effective teaching practices and student success. They are committed to equity in action, the art of teaching, and research-backed pedagogy, aiming to empower every student with literacy, empowerment, and choice. They offer services like learning management system integration and custom courseware solutions. They also provide platforms for students to login, sign in, access their bookshelf, and manage their accounts.

Funding rounds
  • Jul 2013Series B$5M
  • May 2012Series A$3M
Investors
NewSchools Venture Fund, Rethink Capital Partners, New Ground Ventures, Javelin Venture Partners, Kapor Capital, Expansion Venture Capital
#12
Funding Raised · Santa Monica, California · founded 2013 · 12 employees
$1Mraised
▾

Educational games and tools empowering smarter learning experiences for all. They create engaging educational games and development tools focused on math, social studies, and cultural awareness. Their products aim to make learning fun and effective, particularly for underserved communities. They offer customized development services and a platform for creating educational games. They focus on democratizing game development, empowering users to create their own games. They are committed to creating inclusive edtech that reflects diverse cultures. Their games are designed to improve learning outcomes and promote cultural understanding. They provide resources for teachers and support for their products. They leverage gamification to enhance education and offer innovative solutions for closing achievement gaps.

LinkedIn Pulse recent public activity · Jul 2026
Audience: 578 LinkedIn followers
Funding rounds
  • Nov 2020Grant (prize money)$1M
Founders & team
Maria Burns OrtizCo-Founder and President
Investors
United States Department of Agriculture, BoomStartup Accelerator
Tech stack
Apache Http ServerContact Form 7Core-JsExactmetricsGoogle AnalyticsGoogle Font Api

Funding & investor landscape

$348.1Mtotal disclosed funding
18companies funded
36disclosed rounds
0rounds last 90 days
Most active investors
Kapor Capital2 rounds
Launchpad LA2 rounds
New Ground Ventures2 rounds
NewSchools Venture Fund2 rounds
Rethink Capital Partners2 rounds
500 Global1 rounds
AF Square1 rounds
AgVenture1 rounds
Amazon1 rounds
Amplifyher1 rounds

Notable founders

Scott Thompson
CEO · Tuition.io
Veronika Kolin
Co-Founder · Up Word
Larry Fitzgibbon
Co-Founder and CEO · Tastemade
Joe Perez
Co-Founder · Tastemade
Craig Jones
Co-Founder & CEO · Formative
Daniel Cornell
Co-Founder · Formative
Ankit Gupta
Co-Founder & CEO · Quizizz
Deepak Cheenath
Co-Founder · Quizizz
Taylor Nieman
Co-Founder & CEO · Toucan
Shaun Merritt
Co-Founder & CTO · Toucan
Guy Oseary
Co-Founder · Bright
Travis Chen
Co-Founder · OK Play
Prism market signals · United States · country-scoped Prism corpus, 1,661,750 docs

Market landscape — 10 sub-themes by coverage

Share of EdTech coverage by sub-theme.

Regulatory-risk over time rising

Funding & growth over time

funding rising · growth rising

RESEARCH SIGNALS · United States

How research on Education Technology is moving in the United States

A read on the academic research around Education Technology — which themes are gaining ground, the institutions and researchers driving them, and how the tone is shifting. Based on 4,451 United States-affiliated papers.

research sentiment over time
200820172026
enthusiastic · positive · guarded tone
Tone is overwhelmingly optimistic and intensifying — the enthusiastic (strongly-positive) share moved 48% → 65% across 2008–2026.
top research entities
  • Purdue University West Lafayette107
  • North Carolina State University61
  • Michigan State University61
  • University of Florida57
  • Carnegie Mellon University56
leading researchers
E Mahiban Ross · D Beula Jeba Malar · Freederia AI Researcher · Charles R. Graham · Wordly Knowledge Publishing Centre · Richard E. Mayer · Vincent Aleven · Florence Martin
▲ Breakthroughs487 · 11%
▲ 4%→12% share
▲3.0× share momentum0 median citations93% since 2021mostly methods-led
Breakthroughs are rising (4%→12% of field), led by Adaptive learning.
rising sub-themes (early→recent)
  • Adaptive learning3→51
  • Analytics2→42
  • Learning analytics6→44
  • Educational technology6→37
  • Artificial neural network1→27
Newly emergingReinforcement learning 0→63 · Scalability 0→43 · Personalized learning 0→26
Landmark What is Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK)? · 1,481 cites
◆ Advancements2,156 · 48%
▲ 43%→50% share
▲1.2× share momentum0 median citations84% since 2021mostly empirical
Advancements are rising (43%→50% of field), led by Educational technology.
rising sub-themes (early→recent)
  • Educational technology84→423
  • Experiential learning13→154
  • Higher education4→126
  • Curriculum23→137
  • Learning analytics28→135
Newly emergingTransformative learning 0→112 · Generative grammar 0→72 · Digital learning 0→71
Landmark The Relative Effectiveness of Human Tutoring, Intelligent Tutoring Systems, and Other Tutoring Systems · 1,829 cites
▼ Concerns1,162 · 26%
▼ 30%→25% share
▼0.8× share momentum0 median citations79% since 2021mostly empirical
Concerns are cooling (30%→25% of field), led by Educational technology.
rising sub-themes (early→recent)
  • Educational technology79→257
  • Higher education7→109
  • Professional development11→74
  • Curriculum19→74
  • Transformative learning2→55
Newly emergingGenerative grammar 0→63 · Digital learning 0→38 · Thematic analysis 0→32
Landmark Teacher Technology Change · 2,249 cites
RESEARCH HOTSPOTS · United States

Where edtech is researched across United States

Location clusters by institution affiliation — each city's volume, stance tone, and a quick read on its hot topic, what's advancing, the opening opportunity, and the main concern.

Boston105 · +0.37
Hot · Educational technologyAdvancing · Student engagementOpportunity · Key (lock)Concern · Mathematics education
New York92 · +0.31
Hot · Medical educationAdvancing · Key (lock)Opportunity · Generative grammarConcern · Data science
Pittsburgh82 · +0.48
Hot · Intervention (counseling)Advancing · Learning analyticsOpportunity · Collaborative learningConcern · Generative grammar
SF Bay Area76 · +0.41
Hot · Reflection (computer programming)Advancing · Embodied cognitionOpportunity · LiteracyConcern · Generative grammar
Philadelphia52 · +0.32
Hot · Social mediaAdvancing · Science educationOpportunity · PedagogyConcern · Emerging technologies
Atlanta46 · +0.51
Hot · PersonalizationAdvancing · Adaptation (eye)Opportunity · Educational technology
Los Angeles44 · +0.24
Hot · PerceptionAdvancing · Test (biology)Opportunity · Active learning (machine learning)Concern · Higher education
Chicago42 · +0.29
Hot · Higher educationAdvancing · Bridge (graph theory)Opportunity · Adaptive learningConcern · Engineering ethics
Ann Arbor35 · +0.30
Hot · Teacher educationAdvancing · Sociotechnical systemOpportunity · Teaching method
Seattle34 · +0.44
Hot · Formative assessmentAdvancing · UsabilityOpportunity · Reinforcement learning
PATENT SIGNAL · United States

Who's filing edtech patents in the United States

United States edtech patent filing is accelerating — 2,649 filings from 804 assignees (2016–2025), led by Google, Microsoft, Adobe; annual filings 32→533.

2,649 filings804 assigneespeak 533/yr2016–2025
filing momentum (YoY 2016–2025)
top patent filers
  • Google131
  • Microsoft123
  • Adobe110
  • Equifax107
  • IBM94
  • Oracle64
  • Capital One Services58
  • Qualcomm55

Common questions

How many EdTech companies are there in Santa Monica, United States?
Radar tracks 41 indexable EdTech companies headquartered in Santa Monica, United States that meet our profile-completeness bar.
What is the total funding raised by EdTech companies in Santa Monica, United States?
The EdTech companies in Santa Monica, United States on this list have raised a combined $348.1M in disclosed equity funding across 18 funded companies.
Which is the highest-funded EdTech company in Santa Monica, United States?
Tastemade is the highest-funded EdTech company in Santa Monica, United States, with $115.8M in disclosed equity funding.
How many EdTech companies in Santa Monica, United States are funded?
18 of the 41 EdTech companies in Santa Monica, United States on this list have disclosed at least one equity funding round.
How many EdTech unicorns are there in Santa Monica, United States?
None of the EdTech companies in Santa Monica, United States on this list currently has a disclosed valuation of $1B or more.
Who are the top investors in Santa Monica, United States EdTech companies?
The most active investors in Santa Monica, United States EdTech companies on this list include Kapor Capital, Launchpad LA, New Ground Ventures, NewSchools Venture Fund, Rethink Capital Partners.
Rohit KhannaTrends & Stories

Rohit lives in the feed. He covers what's moving right now — the funding rounds, launches and shifts breaking across the trade press — and ties them back to where the sector is heading.

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