StayQrious, an edtech startup focused on STEM foundations, has raised $2 million (about Rs 14.7 crore) in a seed funding round to develop tools and content for students.
The Bengaluru-based startup secured the funds from some of the leading early-stage investors such as Learnstart, the dedicated seed fund of edtech-focused investor Learn Capital, Draper Associates, Y Combinator, First Principles VC Founder Nitin Sharma, Lavni Ventures, and Japan-based Dream Incubator, the company said in a statement.
Founded in early 2020 by Aanand Srinivas, StayQrious is India's new operating system for education that helps kids gain important skills and attitudes that schools don't teach and exams never test. It is focused on providing students with skills in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). The startup also focuses on essential 21st century skills such as collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity through small virtual classrooms with discussions, group activities, videos and more.
StayQrious follows a unique teaching and learning approach, and includes methods such as experiential learning, social thinking and applicability.
Speaking about the company, Aanand Srinivas, Founder and CEO, StayQrious, said,
“We enable leaders and innovators of tomorrow with skills and attitudes that schools don’t teach and exams never test. With our new methodology of social learning guided by a motivating ‘learning coach’, children are learning subjects as if they are playing a team sport and are enjoying the process of learning like never before.”
According to the company’s press statement, the startup plans to use the funds to build its product, coach tools, and instructional content that will enable its ‘classroom of the future’.
Commenting on the investment, Daniel Sanhyoon Kim, early-stage investor at Draper Associates, said,
“By incorporating social learning and live coaches, StayQrious is set to bring about a 10X more effective and engaging way to learn any subject in India.”
Nitin Sharma, angel investor and founder of First Principles VC, also commented saying,
“I believe StayQrious’s unique approach to social learning will provide students (and parents) the best experience in strengthening STEM foundations.”
StayQrious’ founding team has years of experience in learning content and online pedagogy. Before starting the company, Srinivas has led the content team at edtech majors Khan Academy and Byju’s.
The Bengaluru-headquartered startup claims that its learning environment is designed by dedicated learning engineers and is based on the principles of cognitive science and behavioral economics. Pioneering a unique approach to teach core STEM subjects through the joy of coding, and with a major focus on experiential learning, social thinking and applicability, StayQrious strives for a major overhaul of the existing education system.
