The first Investor Day of NextEdu, the edutech program born from the collaboration between Fondazione Sviluppo e Crescita CRT, OGR Torino and xEdu, arrives.

The first Demo Day of NextEdu, the European acceleration program for startups in the EduTech world, born from the alliance between Fondazione Sviluppo e Crescita CRT, OGR Torino and xEdu, was held in OGR Torino.

NextEdu was born from the alliance between OGR Torino, Fondazione Sviluppo e Crescita CRT and xEdu, the most important European accelerator in the sector based in Helsinki, Finland, and active since 2016, and is aimed at Italian and European startups interested in developing their business idea in Italy, targeting a total of 10 startups each year, offering digital solutions, innovative programs and cutting-edge technologies for digital education and training dedicated to all age groups, from children to adults, from school to the world of work, and continuing education.

The goal is to develop products, services and cutting-edge technologies for wide-ranging education and training aimed at all age groups in different fields: students from the early years of school to university, professionals, employees and customers of companies, and citizens.

From Finland to Italy, the acceleration program, involved eight startups from different parts of the globe, from Turin to Helsinki, from Vilnius to The Hague, from Dubai to Miami: GraphoGame, Usophy Kids, upiopi, Wonderly, 3DBear, Escape4Change, GILO Technologies, Edfluence.

From product development to market entry and internalization, the program offers extensive support including coaching, mentoring, and real-world experimentation environments for research and development, as well as providing a global network of partners and contacts.

Italy and Finland are world-renowned for the good performance of their respective education systems and can benefit from an alliance aimed at sharing and improving tools and results in pedagogy.

STARTUPS

• GraphoGame – the world’s most effective gamified learning platform for reading and writing, which collaborates with top universities around the world and produces playful and effective learning applications aimed at children ages 4-9. (https://graphogame.com)
• Usophy Kids – reading and learning app for children under the age of 12, offering unlimited access to thousands of ebooks, via a monthly subscription. (https://www.usophykids.com)
• upiopi – creates joy-filled hands-on learning experiences and offers curated, safe, live online lessons and after-school programs for children ages 5-10, led by experienced educators using the Nordic, stress-free learning style. (https://www.upiopi.com)
• Wonderly – “all-you-can-learn” platform where children and youth can learn software development, robotics, game design, math, data analysis, and languages through engaging, high-quality content. (https://learnwonderly.com/en/)
• 3DBear – has received $4 million in investment to date and has been recognized by Bill and Melinda Gates as one of the top 8 technology companies in the world. 3DBear provides a complete end-to-end service with software, teacher training and a learning sharing platform. With this solution, educators create their own learning and training content in AR/VR.(https://www.3dbear.io)
• Escape4Change – Turin-based startup offering its services throughout Europe. E4C seeks to raise awareness about social, cultural and environmental issues by creating educational gaming experiences that align with the 2030 Agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals.(https://escape4change.com)
• GILO Technologies – a platform that makes text writing easier because it allows its subscribers to have access to academic definitions, analyze citations on any topic, see when writing is off topic, correct faulty logic, and create short summaries. All feedback received is targeted and personalized. (https://gilotechnologies.com)
• Edfluence – an application that allows users to learn the English language in an easy and fun way, through short interactive videos, with which users can converse. The social, swiping-based format is the perfect companion for learning and having fun. (https://www.edfluence.app)

EDUTECH MARKET DATA

Since 2020, investment in edutech startups in Europe has more than doubled, making the continent one of the fastest growing areas globally. However, Italian edutech seems to be a large, still dormant giant. According to Dealroom’s 2020 data, investment in education in Italy is among the lowest in the European Union. In 2019, Italian public spending on education as a percentage of GDP remained below the EU average (3.9 percent vs. 4.7 percent).

In addition, another major problem is the school enrollment rate: nearly one-fifth of Italians aged 15-24 do not attend any school or training course, a figure 9 percentage points above the EU average (11 percent).

However, the country has recently announced measures to address the lack of funds for education and the high rate of low-skilled people. For example, through Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan, with a €20 billion investment to strengthen the education system at all levels, which-if properly implemented-could help close Italy’s gap with its continental neighbors.