The Venture Codex

Led · Series A · Nov 2013

LightSail Education builds an adaptive, tablet-based literacy platform for K-12 schools that provides personalized libraries and integrated reading and writing activities. Its platform draws from more than 18,000 e-books and embeds assessments and analytics that monitor Lexile measures, Common Core progress, and students’ reading habits. Teachers receive real-time data and instructional tools designed to support Common Core–aligned literacy instruction. The company launched its LightSail adaptive reading program after a four-month pilot in 12 New York City public and charter schools and cites strong teacher and principal endorsements. LightSail has received support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and has won recognition in the Gates Literacy Courseware Challenge and at SXSW V2V. It raised $3.5 million in a Series A to expand content partnerships, drive product development, and scale use nationwide.