A fast-growing Richmond edtech startup didn't need to look far to find some venture capital.
Trolley Ventures announced Wednesday that it invested an undisclosed amount in EdConnective, a young tech company working to ensure student success through online teacher training.
“With the support of Trolley Ventures and a recent investment from Center for Innovative Technology, EdConnective will be able to accelerate product development, accelerate nationwide growth and expand hiring and operations,” founder and CEO Will Morris said in a statement.
EdConnective has shown steady growth recently after what Morris called three years of "startup wilderness" after launching in 2013.
By the beginning of the year it had 45 schools and 70 coaches signed on, and it has since expanded coverage to two more states. The company now delivers more than 3,000 feedback sessions to teachers in nine states, including Virginia, Arizona, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. It was also a 2019 Startup to Watch.
“We have tremendous confidence in the management team with the experience in high-quality instructional coaching as well as the depth of knowledge in UI/UX platform integration,” Trolley Managing Director Mark Raush said in a statement. “The possibilities for active data gathering to power future improvement in both live coaching and artificial intelligence-driven engagements are endless.”
EdConnective provides virtual coaching to teachers through an online platform that includes an “e-harmony” style matching system and data-driven feedback engine for 1-on-1 coaching across schools and districts. With funding from school districts, the startup takes passive video of classroom instruction and pairs instructional coaches with teachers to conduct a series of feedback sessions online.
In recent years, Morris and his team hit a growth streak through accelerator programs including Richmond’s Lighthouse Labs, D.C.'s Village Capital, the Wharton Venture Initiation Program and a win at the Startup Arlington competition.
