London-based BibliU, a digital learning platform that makes textbooks and reading materials more accessible, has raised $10 million in a Series A equity round to continue transforming how higher education institutions make textbooks and supplementary reading materials accessible to students.
The round was led by leading European early stage edtech investor Nesta Impact Investment and included Guinness Asset Management, direct investment clients of Stonehage Fleming and ClearlySo.
Spun out of the University of Oxford Innovation Fund, BibliU has developed a modern eTexbooks platform that integrates fully with all library and university systems. It is first-of-its kind digital learning platform that brings online course materials to life, making information accessible and searchable for students of all backgrounds. The startup aims to fill the gap in the e-reading and e-distribution higher education market, benefiting a range of stakeholders, including students, academics, librarians, publishers and institutions.
BibliU works with more than 40% of universities in the UK and with over 2,000 individual publishers to bring a complete catalogue of digital content to institutions.
Speaking about the company and on the latest development, Dave Sherwood, Founder and CEO of BibliU, said in a statement,
“As a student at Oxford and the University of Western Australia, I would’ve loved to have had access to this content online for free. That’s why I founded BibliU and I’m proud to say we’ve addressed that for hundreds of thousands of students at our partner universities. We’re investing in our team and continuing to develop our institutional delivery tools. I’m also thrilled to have Sean Devine joining our board as Chairman, his experience as CEO and President of CourseSmart and Safari Books Online brings invaluable industry experience to our team. BibliU is proud to be an innovator for higher education, building an accessible solution for modern students – ensuring that amidst a growing necessity for remote education – textbooks and research materials are accessible to every student.”
According to its press statement, the startup will continue to invest in the digital transformation of higher education institutions, offering access to all varieties of tertiary reading content, enhanced by a first of its kind institution-wide search algorithm that empowers students to find the answers they are looking for in seconds. BibliU also plans to deliver its class-leading content platform to more universities in the United States.
Commenting on the investment, Lisa Barclay, Investment Director at Nesta Impact Investment, said,
“Now more than ever before, education institutions have the opportunity to harness technology to deliver new ways of learning. Nesta is delighted to be investing in BibliU, to support equal access to course materials for all students.”
Meanwhile, the company said Oxford Sciences Innovation, BibliU’s original investor, will remain on the board and will be joined by Lisa Barclay, and Sean Devine as Chairman. BibliU has raised $15 million in venture capital till date and has employees in the UK, US, and Australia.
