Singapore’s leading edtech accelerator, EduSpaze, moves towards supporting startups offering unique learning solutions beyond K12 and academics in its 9th cohort

Singapore, 14 August 2024; Singapore’s first and leading edtech accelerator, EduSpaze, welcomes six startups across Southeast Asia, Europe, the Middle East and South Asia into its ninth installation of the esteemed accelerator programme. The latest batch of newly joined startups includes startups offering broader learning solutions including financial literacy, education on mental wellness, green skills and extra-curricular activities platforms.

“As Singapore’s first edtech accelerator, we are committed to nurturing a vibrant startup ecosystem for the next generation of innovators. Undeniably, the global edtech scene has collectively evolved since its peak in 2021 where the funding value was estimated at $20.1B in 2021[1], an astonishing 34% increase from the previous year. While the global startup scene in SEA regions continues to witness a prolonged funding slowdown, EduSpaze firmly believes in the potential of edtech and the importance of our role in contributing to the ecosystem’s success,” commented Alex Ng, Managing Director of EduSpaze. “Nonetheless, with the Southeast Asia edtech scene remaining relatively nascent, we’re seeing more edtech startups offering learning solutions outside of traditional K12 and academia. This is where our ninth cohort excels.”

The six startups, specifically Cards by Cazh, Elggo, eFrontiers, Kidaura, Startup Early, and Skilledin Green, were shortlisted due to the strength of their founding teams, ability to effectively implement innovative solutions to the identified challenges, and ambition to scale and accelerate their business across the region. The three-month EduSpaze edtech accelerator programme presents an excellent opportunity for startups, providing seed funding, and access to a well-established regional network of schools, universities, mentors and investors within the edtech landscape.

An edtech initiative launched by Spaze Ventures in 2019, EduSpaze is now Singapore’s first and leading edtech accelerator that is supported by Enterprise Singapore. Through its multiple iteration, the mission of cultivating a dynamic ecosystem that caters to the educational needs of Singapore and the broader Southeast Asian region remains. The accelerator program creates a conducive environment for emerging startups to expand their operations, facilitating significant growth over a three-month period. It offers up to S$500,000 in seed funding, along with opportunities for collaboration with various stakeholders and the execution of pilot projects.

Successful participants in previous iterations include Flying Cape, ClassPoint, MakersEmpire, and Noodle Factory.

Learning continues outside academia: The pivotal shift towards supporting startups beyond traditional edtech startups

While the edtech landscape in Southeast Asia is home to nearly 3,000 edtech startups, it is also now oversaturated with startups addressing learning challenges experienced within K12 education and academia by leveraging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics. However, for the SEA edtech scene to mature continuously, there’s a dire need for the landscape to address learning challenges across all sectors. That is, for edtech startups looking to succeed in the fast-bleeding red ocean, expanding towards learning challenges faced outside of academics is a pivotal shift.

“With more top universities and parents prioritising the holistic development of students, more emphasis has been placed on participating in extracurricular activities. Students are no longer merely expected to focus on excelling in academics, but also excelling outside of the classroom where they develop life-long skills. This is where we see a growing demand within educational institutions when it comes to managing the administration of extracurricular activities. From efficiently organising and coordinating extracurricular activities within the institution to generating comprehensive reports on students’ performance and achievements, Startup Early is a one-stop platform for managing extracurricular activities for students and most importantly generating individual extracurricular reports,” shared Ansar Hamza, CEO of Start Up Early.

In addition to improving learning experiences for students within educational institutions, there is a notable increase in startups dedicated to enhancing the upskilling and reskilling of job seekers in the marketplace. Among these is Skilledin Green, a shortlisted Singaporean startup from the ninth cohort, which aims to translate the successes observed in academia to the professional realm, particularly for individuals aspiring to develop their skills in the sustainability sector. The platform serves as a comprehensive solution, enabling users to create a green CV, access on-demand courses, engage with expert topics, and contribute as thought leaders by sharing educational articles.

“By expanding on the spectrum of edtech solutions they shortlist for the programme, it is evident that the team behind EduSpaze is forward-thinking and truly understands that for the edtech landscape to continue to flourish, solutions offered shouldn’t be confined to education for  young students. Learning should occur continuously throughout our lifetime, and our goal at Skilledin Green is to facilitate the journey for talent seeking a career in the sustainability industry. We are incredibly excited and honoured to be part of such an esteemed accelerator programme,” said Natasha Syed, CEO of Skilledin Green.

For the full list of companies in this cohort, please refer to Appendix A.

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About EduSpaze

EduSpaze is Singapore’s first edtech accelerator supported by Enterprise Singapore, the enterprise development agency. It aims to nurture a vibrant edtech startup ecosystem that serves the education sector in Singapore and Southeast Asia. EduSpaze helps early-stage edtech startups go to market, accelerate their growth, and co-innovate with other stakeholders in the space. The accelerator supports companies that address sector-specific challenges with innovative solutions to improve learning outcomes and the impact of education. EduSpaze is part of Spaze Ventures.

About Spaze Ventures

Spaze Ventures is a seed capital firm that provides seed funding and mentorship to the founders of early-stage startups. It has operated a sector-agnostic startup incubator since 2014 and has a portfolio of more than 70+ startups. After five years of supporting the startup ecosystem and educating founders of early-stage startups, it has established a strong network of partners including many educational institutions. Spaze Ventures launched EduSpaze as a dedicated edtech initiative in 2019.

About Enterprise Singapore

Enterprise Singapore is the government agency championing enterprise development. We work with committed companies to build capabilities, innovate and internationalise. We also support the growth of Singapore as a hub for global trading and startups and build trust in Singapore’s products and services through quality and standards. Visit www.enterprisesg.gov.sg for more information.


S/N COMPANY COUNTRY WEBSITE
1 Cards By Cazh Indonesia https://cards.co.id/
2 eFrontiers Geneva https://moneymasters.app/
3 Elggo Dubai https://www.elggo.com/
4 Kidaura India https://kidaura.in/
5 Startup Early Dubai https://startupearly.com/
6 Skilledin Green Singapore https://green.skilledin.io/