One Cambridge-based company has caught the attention of Mark Zuckerberg. Panorama Education announced Monday it has raised $4 million in seed funding. The round was spearheaded by the Facebook founder's three-year-old Startup:Education, and marks the foundation's first national equity investment.
The Y-Combinator-bred Panorama Education provides a survey and analytics platform specifically designed for K-12 schools. The startup's classroom surveys collect feedback that teachers can use to grow, while school surveys are capable of helping educators improve as a whole. From survey design and administration to reporting, analysis and follow-through, Panorama works with schools throughout the entire process.
"We are using technology to address some of the most difficult problems in education," said Panorama CEO Aaron Feuer, who co-founded the company while still an undergraduate at Yale, in a statement. "We are tremendously excited to have Mark Zuckerberg involved because of his passion for technology and education."
Other investors who participated in Panorama's seed round include SoftTech VC, Google Ventures, Ashton Kutcher's A-Grade Investments and Yale University. The financing will be used to launch a new free tool for individual teachers, as well as to add new data analytics to the platform and, thereby, continue expansion efforts.
"We aim to help every school use data to tackle the issues that matter most in their communities," Feuer said.
More than 4,000 schools are currently using Panorama's platform, including the Los Angeles Unified School District and Aspire Public Schools. Feuer, who attended high school in Los Angeles, added that the data Panorama is collecting is crucial when addressing issues such as parent involvement, bullying prevention, school safety and student engagement.
Zuckerberg, who founded Startup:Education with his wife Priscilla, first met the Panorama team at a dinner hosted by Y Combinator, according to VentureBeat. Beyond being an investor, Zuckerberg now serves as a mentor to the team.
"Priscilla and I are excited to support Panorama Education and its mission," said Zuckerberg in a statement. "Their company is an exciting example of the way technology can help teachers, parents and students make their voices heard."
Featured Photo Courtesy of Yale Scientific Magazine
