About EdTech sector in North America
The EdTech sector in North America comprises 31.1K companies, including 4.05K funded companies having collectively raised $37.4B in venture capital money and private equity. Out of these, 1.86K are Series A+ funded, and 23 have achieved unicorn status.
EdTech sector in North America has seen 1.13K acquisitions and 197 IPOs. This represents almost 4.3% of all such companies - which is higher than the 3.8% exit rate of tech companies in general.
This sector includes companies providing technology-based education industry solutions to both consumers and businesses.
EdTech sector is also known as Education IT, Online Education or Digital Education.
Companies that provide technology based solutions to students(Pre-K, K-12, Higher education and Professionals) for education. Also, companies that rovide software solutions to education related businesses are included in this sector. Companies that provide offline solutions to the education industry. Also, sports and fitness related solutions to athletes are excluded.
Top EdTech Companies in North America
There are 31,076 EdTech startups in North America which include Duolingo, Udemy, Care.com, Coursera, Speak. Out of these, 4,048 startups are funded, with 1,855 having secured Series A+ funding, and 23 achieving unicorn status.
2026 has seen the creation of 466 EdTech startups in North America. Over the past 10 years, an average of 1,313 new companies have been launched annually. Notably, several of these startups have been founded by alumni of Stanford University, Harvard University and University of Pennsylvania.
Here is the list of top EdTech startups in North America
1. Duolingo
Developer of mobile applications for learning various foreign language skills. The platform utilizes interactive exercises and gamified lessons to teach vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation. Users progress through structured levels while receiving immediate feedback on their performance. The software adapts curriculum content based on individual user progress and accuracy.
Key facts about Duolingo
- Founded Year: 2011
- Location: Pittsburgh (United States)
- Stage: Public
- Total Funding till date: $183M
- Investors: CapitalG, General Atlantic and 19 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series H, Nov 18, 2020, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 87/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 1 of 4,211 Competitors
2. Udemy
Provider of a marketplace offering online courses. It offers courses in various disciplines such as business, IT and software, photography, marketing, music, finance, and more. The courses can be taken at any pace and the course content can be created by instructors according to their choice. It also offers corporate online learning platform, that provides training solutions to corporates. Its mobile app is available for android and iOS devices.
Key facts about Udemy
- Founded Year: 2010
- Location: San Francisco (United States)
- Stage: Public
- Total Funding till date: $274M
- Investors: Norwest, 500 Global and 68 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series F, Nov 18, 2020, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 85/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 1 of 8,489 Competitors
3. Care.com
Provider of an app-based marketplace for booking caregivers. It enables users to have access to a large network of caregivers such as child care, senior care, and pet care. It also enables people to list themselves as a caregiver. It offers mobile applications for Android and iOS devices.
Key facts about Care.com
- Founded Year: 2006
- Location: Waltham (United States)
- Stage: Acquired
- Total Funding till date: $111M
- Investors: Trinity Ventures, New Enterprise Associates and 11 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Post IPO, Jun 29, 2016, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 83/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 1 of 760 Competitors
4. Coursera
Provider of online courses, professional certificates, and degree programs. The platform collaborates with universities and companies to deliver educational content. It offers opportunities for individuals to learn new skills and advance their careers. The platform provides learning resources for businesses to train their workforce.
Key facts about Coursera
- Founded Year: 2012
- Location: Mountain View (United States)
- Stage: Public
- Total Funding till date: $443M
- Investors: New Enterprise Associates, Kleiner Perkins and 49 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series F, Jul 17, 2020, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 81/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 2 of 8,489 Competitors
5. Speak
AI-powered language learning platform. Its platform helps users to practice conversational English with an AI bot. Its mobile app is available for iOS and Android devices.
Key facts about Speak
- Founded Year: 2016
- Location: San Francisco (United States)
- Stage: Series C
- Total Funding till date: $162M
- Investors: Accel, OpenAI and 25 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series C, Nov 13, 2024, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 79/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 2 of 2,860 Competitors
Companies founded year-on-year in the EdTech sector in North America
466 new startups have been founded so far in 2026 in the EdTech sector in North America. 2,652 EdTech startups in North America were founded in 2020 - this is the most number of startups founded in any year in the last 10 years.
- Total Number of Companies
Year | No. of companies |
|---|---|
2026 | 466 |
2025 | 679 |
2024 | 886 |
2023 | 1,333 |
2022 | 1,177 |
2021 | 1,714 |
2020 | 2,652 |
2019 | 1,586 |
2018 | 1,294 |
2017 | 1,346 |
Stage-wise distribution of EdTech sector companies in North America
Out of the total 31,076 EdTech companies in North America, 4,048 have secured funding. Among them, 1,855 have reached Series A or higher, and 1,533 to Series B or beyond.
Founded - 31,076
Funded - 4,048
Series A+ - 1,855
Series B+ - 1,533
Series C+ - 1,430
Company Stage | No. of companies |
|---|---|
Founded | 31,076 |
Funded | 4,048 |
Series A+ | 1,855 |
Series B+ | 1,533 |
Series C+ | 1,430 |
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Funding Trends in the EdTech sector in North America
Total funding year-on-year in the EdTech sector in North America
The EdTech sector in North America saw a total funding of more than $24.9B in the last 10 years. The most amount of funding was in 2021 at more than $6.66B. There has been a total funding of $540M in 2026 till date.
- Total Funding
Year | Total Funding |
|---|---|
2026 | $540M |
2025 | $1.51B |
2024 | $1.22B |
2023 | $1.71B |
2022 | $2.84B |
2021 | $6.66B |
2020 | $3.23B |
2019 | $3.28B |
2018 | $2.31B |
2017 | $1.61B |
Recent Funding Rounds in EdTech in North America
In the year 2026, till October 2026, EdTech companies in North America have raised $521M in equity funding across 81 rounds.
In the same period last year (i.e. till October 2025), EdTech companies in North America had raised $468M across 104 rounds.
So, 2026 has seen a 11.34% rise in funding in EdTech companies in North America as compared to 2025.
Here are some recent, important funding rounds in EdTech companies in North America:
Company | Round Raised | Amount Raised | Funding Date | Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Seed | 6975 | Oct 13, 2026 | - | |
Series A | 7880 | Oct 07, 2026 | and 4 more | |
Series A | 4393 | Sep 28, 2026 | - | |
Seed | 2522 | Sep 24, 2026 | ||
Seed | 7242 | Sep 22, 2026 |
Top Investors in EdTech in North America
HHS is the top investor in EdTech companies in North America based on number of companies invested.
Here are some top investors in EdTech companies in North America:
Investor | Location | Top Portfolio Companies |
|---|---|---|
Washington, DC (United States) | ||
Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) | ||
Arlington (United States) | ||
Mountain View (United States) | ||
New York City (United States) |
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M&A activity in EdTech sector in North America
In the year 2026, till October 2026, 33 acquisitions happened in EdTech sector in North America. Last year, in 2025, a total of 52 acquisitions happened in EdTech sector in North America.
Here are some recent, important acquisitions in EdTech sector in North America:
Company | Acquisition Type | Acquisition Date | Acquirers |
|---|---|---|---|
Business Acquisition | Oct 19, 2026 | ||
Business Acquisition | Oct 09, 2026 | ||
Business Acquisition | Oct 05, 2026 | ||
Business Acquisition | Sep 24, 2026 | ||
Business Acquisition | Sep 14, 2026 |
Acquisition trends in EdTech sector in North America
Here are the acquisition trends in EdTech sector in North America:
- Total Number of Acquisitions
Year | No. of companies |
|---|---|
2026 | 33 |
2025 | 52 |
2024 | 71 |
2023 | 63 |
2022 | 120 |
2021 | 143 |
2020 | 77 |
2019 | 90 |
2018 | 112 |
2017 | 83 |
IPOs in EdTech in North America
In the year 2024, till December 2024, 1 IPO happened in EdTech sector in North America.
Here are some recent, important IPOs in EdTech sector in North America:
Company | IPO Date | Exchange Symbol |
|---|---|---|
Dec 06, 2024 | National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) | |
Aug 22, 2022 | National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) | |
Jan 10, 2022 | Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) | |
Dec 14, 2021 | National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) | |
Nov 03, 2021 | Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) |
Colleges which produce the most EdTech companies in North America
Companies founded by alumni from top colleges in the EdTech in North America
Most number of EdTech startups in North America have been founded by alumni from Stanford University, Harvard University and University of Pennsylvania.
College | No. of companies |
|---|---|
Stanford University | 240 |
Harvard University | 233 |
University of Pennsylvania | 123 |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 111 |
Harvard Business School | 100 |
University of California (Berkeley) | 95 |
University of California (Los Angeles) | 94 |
Columbia University | 80 |
Cornell University | 76 |
Yale University | 72 |
Total funding in EdTech companies founded by alumni from top colleges in North America
In the last 10 years, Stanford University graduates' EdTech companies in North America have raised the most funding among top colleges. Harvard University alumni are second, and Stanford Business School alumni are third.
College | Total Funding |
|---|---|
Stanford University | $3.85B |
Harvard University | $2.35B |
Stanford Business School | $1.77B |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $1.57B |
Carnegie Mellon University | $1.18B |
University of Waterloo | $1.15B |
University of Oxford | $1.11B |
Cornell University | $968M |
Yale University | $917M |
University of California (Los Angeles) | $878M |
Top News in EdTech in North America
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Hippo's casualty book now outweighs homeowners as program platform drives 60% premium growthInsurance Business America•Oct 30, 2026•Hippo Education
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INE Launches Rebuilt eCDFP Certification for Digital Forensics and Incident Response SkillsFinancial Post•Oct 28, 2026•INE
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Ellucian Wins 2026 Stratus Award for Cloud Computing for Third Consecutive YearPR Newswire•Oct 27, 2026•Ellucian
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Pluralsight Opens London Customer Hub to Enhance Technology Workforce Readiness in EMEAPR Newswire•Oct 27, 2026•Pluralsight
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Kaplan Recognized as a 2026 Inc. Power Partner Award Winner for Being a Leading B2B CompanyBusiness Wire•Oct 20, 2026•Kaplan
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