Knewton
Encyclopedia
Knewton is an adaptive learning
company that has developed a platform to personalize educational content. The Knewton platform allows schools, publishers, and developers to provide adaptive learning for any student. Knewton recently announced a partnership with Pearson Education
to power the publisher's digital content, including the MyLab and Mastering series. The company also builds its own adaptive learning products, including a developmental math program and test prep courses for the GMAT, LSAT, and SAT
.
The company was founded in 2008 by Jose Ferreira
, a former executive at Kaplan, Inc. In its first round of funding, Knewton raised $2.5 million in investment capital from Accel Partners
, Reid Hoffman
, Ron Conway
, and Josh Kopelman
at First Round Capital
. In April 2009 Knewton closed a $6 million round of funding led by Bessemer Venture Partners
with returning investors, and in April 2010 Knewton closed a $12.5 million round of funding led by FirstMark Capital
with returning investors.In October 2011 the company closed a $33 million series D round of funding, led by the Founders Fund and Pearson.
Knewton's offices are located at 19 Union Square West in Manhattan
, New York City
.
(ETS) and ACT, collaborated to write the scoring algorithms.
In 1995, researchers now working for Knewton proved that the small question pool available to the Graduate Record Examination
(GRE) computer-adaptive test made it vulnerable to cheating.
In January 2011, Arizona State University
began powering developmental math and blended learning
courses with Knewton’s adaptive technology.
’s 2008 Start-Up Challenge.
In July 2009, Knewton was selected to the 2009 AlwaysOn Global 250 List and was named Category Winner in the Digital Education field.
In August 2010, Knewton was named to Lead411's New York City
Hot 125.
On September 1, 2010, the World Economic Forum
announced the company as a Technology Pioneer for 2011.
In September, 2011 Knewton was named to the Dow Jones VentureWire FastTech 50 list of most innovative startups.
Adaptive learning
Adaptive learning is an educational method which uses computers as interactive teaching devices. Computers adapt the presentation of educational material according to students' weaknesses, as indicated by their responses to questions. The motivation is to allow electronic education to incorporate...
company that has developed a platform to personalize educational content. The Knewton platform allows schools, publishers, and developers to provide adaptive learning for any student. Knewton recently announced a partnership with Pearson Education
Pearson Education
Pearson Education is an international educational publishing and technology company providing textbooks and other educational material, such as multimedia learning tools...
to power the publisher's digital content, including the MyLab and Mastering series. The company also builds its own adaptive learning products, including a developmental math program and test prep courses for the GMAT, LSAT, and SAT
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
.
The company was founded in 2008 by Jose Ferreira
Jose Ferreira
Jose Ferreira is an American entrepreneur and Founder and CEO of Knewton.-Education:Ferreira graduated from Carleton College in 1991 and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1997.-Professional career:...
, a former executive at Kaplan, Inc. In its first round of funding, Knewton raised $2.5 million in investment capital from Accel Partners
Accel Partners
Accel Partners is a global venture and growth equity firm funding companies from inception through the growth stage.The firm is based in Palo Alto, California with major offices in Bangalore, Beijing, London, and Shanghai....
, Reid Hoffman
Reid Hoffman
Reid G. Hoffman is an American entrepreneur and venture capitalist. Hoffman is best known as the co-founder of LinkedIn, a social network used primarily for business connections and job searching.-Early education and career:...
, Ron Conway
Ron Conway
Ron Conway is an American angel investor, often described as one of the "super angels". Conway is recognized as a strong networker and is based in Silicon Valley.-Early career:...
, and Josh Kopelman
Josh Kopelman
Joshua Kopelman is an American entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and philanthropist.Kopelman is best known as the founder of Half.com, a fixed price marketplace connecting buyers and sellers of used books, movies and music products. In 2000, Kopelman sold Half.com to EBay for US $350...
at First Round Capital
First Round Capital
First Round Capital is a venture capital firm that specializes in providing seed-stage funding to technology companies. Managed by Josh Kopelman, Chris Fralic, Rob Hayes and Howard L. Morgan, the Philadelphia-based company typically provides seed-stage investment that ranges from $250,000 to $500,000...
. In April 2009 Knewton closed a $6 million round of funding led by Bessemer Venture Partners
Bessemer Venture Partners
Bessemer Venture Partners is a private venture capital firm with offices in Silicon Valley, New York, Massachusetts, Israel, China, and India.Bessemer Venture Partners is the longest-standing venture capital practice in the United States...
with returning investors, and in April 2010 Knewton closed a $12.5 million round of funding led by FirstMark Capital
Firstmark Capital
FirstMark Capital is a private equity firm focusing on venture capital transactions in the United States. With approximately $2 billion of capital under management, FirstMark invests in technology companies early in a company’s lifecycle, frequently as the first institutional investor.Among the...
with returning investors.In October 2011 the company closed a $33 million series D round of funding, led by the Founders Fund and Pearson.
Knewton's offices are located at 19 Union Square West in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Description
Knewton uses adaptive learning technology to identify each student's particular strengths and weaknesses. Concepts are tagged at very specific levels, which allows the platform to make custom recommendations based on students’ proficiency and needs. The company first launched with a GMAT preparation course. Len Swanson and Rob McKinley who developed the original GMAT CATs for Educational Testing ServiceEducational Testing Service
Educational Testing Service , founded in 1947, is the world's largest private nonprofit educational testing and assessment organization...
(ETS) and ACT, collaborated to write the scoring algorithms.
In 1995, researchers now working for Knewton proved that the small question pool available to the Graduate Record Examination
Graduate Record Examination
The Graduate Record Examinations is a standardized test that is an admissions requirement for many graduate schools in the United States, in other English-speaking countries and for English-taught graduate and business programs world-wide...
(GRE) computer-adaptive test made it vulnerable to cheating.
In January 2011, Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
began powering developmental math and blended learning
Blended learning
Blended learning refers to a mixing of different learning environments. It combines traditional face-to-face classroom methods with more modern computer-mediated activities. According to its proponents, the strategy creates a more integrated approach for both instructors and learners. Formerly,...
courses with Knewton’s adaptive technology.
Honors & Recognitions
In November 2008, the company was a finalist in AmazonAmazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
’s 2008 Start-Up Challenge.
In July 2009, Knewton was selected to the 2009 AlwaysOn Global 250 List and was named Category Winner in the Digital Education field.
In August 2010, Knewton was named to Lead411's New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
Hot 125.
On September 1, 2010, the World Economic Forum
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
announced the company as a Technology Pioneer for 2011.
In September, 2011 Knewton was named to the Dow Jones VentureWire FastTech 50 list of most innovative startups.