Virgin Group invests in remote learning and attention disability service provider Marker Learning
Virgin Group has announced an investment in Marker Learning, a leading provider of remote learning and attention disability services.
Marker Learning has raised $15 million in Series A funding, led by Andreessen Horowitz. The round also included investments from existing investors Primary Ventures, Difference Partners, Operator Partners and Night Ventures. With the support of Andreessen Horowitz’s Cultural Leadership Fund, strategic investors in the round included NBA champion Danny Green, artist and entrepreneur La Mar Taylor, and WNBA player Jewell Loyd, among others.
“We're proud to partner with Marker Learning, a company whose innovative technology is empowering neurodiverse learners,” said Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Group. “Having dyslexia myself, I learned a long time ago that when students have the permission and support to think differently, there’s no limit to what they can achieve.”
For co-founders Stefan Bauer and Emily Yudofsky, Markers’ mission – to transform access to learning and attention disability care – is personal. Both were diagnosed with dyslexia in elementary school and have first-hand experience of the cost and time-consuming process that seeking and receiving the appropriate support can be.
While K-12 students in the US are legally entitled to learning disability assessments in public schools, diagnoses are often delayed or missed entirely due to unprecedented staffing shortages and backlogs. Parents who turn to the private market face evaluation fees of up to $14,000 and waitlists that can stretch beyond 24 months. Due to this systemic failure just four per cent of students receive a formal diagnosis or support – despite 20% of the population having a learning disability. And students of colour and from low-income households, it’s even harder to get a diagnosis.
“We are committed to serving all learners, no matter their background or means,” said Marker co-founder Emily Yudofsky. “Creating greater educational equity and access to learning support have always been, and will continue to be, Marker’s north stars.”
Market Learning provides assessments and support for individuals aged between six and 50. It also partners with school districts to provide critical services within a school setting. Working with school district special education staff Marker Learning helps them to manage their caseloads, acting as an extension of school psychologist teams so that district personnel can better prioritise day-to-day student care.
Marker Learning already reaches one million students through school partnerships, and will continue to rapidly scale school district partnerships. With Series A funding, Marker plans to expand into new geographies and expand the breadth of support services offer on its platform.
In addition to announcing their Series A, Marker Learning has announced its expansion into tutoring, coaching, and other learning support services. These new services are available to both individuals and to schools.
Visit Marker Learning to find out more.