Led by Round2 Capital, the round also saw support from existing investors Adjuvo, Brighteye Ventures, FJ Labs, Ascension Ventures, and notable angels, including Octopus founder and CEO Simon Rogerson. This marks the largest European EdTech round this year.

The funding will enable Zen Educate to make additional acquisitions in the UK and the US, expanding its operations in both markets. Furthermore, the investment will support the scaling of its new school workforce management software, including SaaS products for credentialing, compliance, and absence management.

Globally, schools and nurseries spend over $55 billion annually on temporary staffing due to costly recruitment agency fees, outdated technology, and poor matches. With recruitment agencies charging an average margin of 35% per match in a fragmented market, Zen Educate offers a modern, algorithm-based solution that directly connects schools with suitable teachers.

The platform allows teachers and schools to create profiles and match based on proximity, skills, and experience, leading to faster, more accurate matches, reduced hiring costs, and more effective resource allocation.

Educators using the Zen Educate platform delivered over two million hours of education in the past 12 months, saving the education system over $25 million in agency fees through its cost-effective approach.

Slava Kremerman, co-founder and CEO of Zen Educate, said, “We’ve been on a mission to solve schools' workforce challenges. This investment brings us closer to our goal of helping the education system save over $100 million annually through our fairer, more efficient recruitment model. As we enter into the next phase of our journey, we aim to reach out to more educational institutions across the UK and US.”

Facilitating this mission, Zen Educate acquired Opus Education in February 2023 and, more recently, Aquinas Education which was co-owned by television presenter and former footballer Jermaine Jenas, who will join Zen Educate as a brand ambassador.

Brand ambassador Jermaine Jenas, added, “I’ve witnessed first-hand the transformative impact of Zen Educate. What sets us apart from other tech companies is our simplicity. By eliminating unnecessary costs, Zen Educate empowers schools to prioritize what truly matters: delivering high-quality teaching, investing in better pay for educators, and focusing on the young minds of the future.”

Zen Educate currently operates in 11 regions across the UK and five states in the US, with plans to expand its reach further across the US in the next two years. Through strategic acquisitions in both markets, the company aims to consolidate a fragmented market and transform the educational staffing sector on a global scale.

Christian Czernich, co-founder and CEO of Round2 Capital, added, “Zen Educate has been successful in solving a significant challenge faced by educational facilities on a daily basis. The team’s deep understanding of the EdTech landscape is evident, and their remarkable growth, nearly fivefold over the last 24 months, is a testament to their effectiveness.”

Founded in 2017 by Slava Kremerman and Oren Cohen, Zen Educate is headquartered in London and has offices across the UK and the US. Kremerman was previously a leadership team member at Nutmeg, while Cohen ran the UK office of Optimizely. With a team of 300, Zen Educate has grown rapidly since its inception and has been recognized on prestigious lists such as the FT 1000, Deloitte Fast 50, and Tech Nation’s Future Fifty.