Youni, a Romanian educational technology startup, recently raised $1 million in new funding as it prepares to introduce a new AI-based technology to enhance university admissions processes. Soulmates Ventures, a Czech fund, led the investment round, which Early Game Ventures also joined. Early Game had previously invested in Youni through Early Game Fund I in pre-seed and seed rounds and was joined by other investors.
Youni aspires to connect every student with the university that best suits their profile, needs, and budget, whether it is in the United States, Europe, or anywhere else in the world. The company aims to help students find the right university by transforming the university recruitment process from a transactional approach to one of proactive scouting. The platform develops a comprehensive ecosystem for the success of students seeking to study abroad. It believes that there is a university that is right for each student. With a suitable adviser, every student will be guided and prepared to discover the fields and faculties that are most appropriate for them.
Speaking about the company, CEO of Youni, Andrei Nicolae, said:
This unique new technology is already being tested at several famous universities in the United States. We received very positive feedback. By automating certain processes, our technology has already managed to reduce by more than 30% the efforts and time allocated by universities’ teams for the admissions process. We are confident that the new investment will help us develop this new business line and become the preferred admissions technology provider for universities around the world.
The investment will help Youni bring to the market a new technology based on artificial intelligence aiming to optimize the admission processes in universities anywhere in the world. Youni currently collaborates with more than 600 universities in Europe, the United States, Asia and Australia.
Dan Călugăreanu, Early Game Ventures Partner, also commented:
Youni is one of the edtech startups in our portfolio in which we invested shortly after the launch of our first fund. We have constantly followed their evolution and the innovations they bring to the market of formal education, and we are convinced that the new investment will give them wings for what they want to develop in the future.
The funding supports Early Game’s philosophy of offering help and cash to promising entrepreneurs regardless of stage of development or financial requirements. It is the right VC fund for bold companies seeking a lead investor willing to take risks.
Youni’s latest round of investment brings its total raised to USD 2.3 million.
