About EdTech sector in San Francisco, United States
The EdTech sector in San Francisco, United States comprises 1.21K companies, including 350 funded companies having collectively raised $5.5B in venture capital money and private equity. Out of these, 150 are Series A+ funded, and 7 have achieved unicorn status.
EdTech sector in San Francisco, United States has seen 80 acquisitions and 8 IPOs. This represents almost 7.3% of all such companies - which is higher than the 4.5% exit rate of tech companies in general.
This sector includes companies providing technology-based education industry solutions to both consumers and businesses.
EdTech sector is also known as Education IT, Online Education or Digital Education.
Companies that provide technology based solutions to students(Pre-K, K-12, Higher education and Professionals) for education. Also, companies that rovide software solutions to education related businesses are included in this sector. Companies that provide offline solutions to the education industry. Also, sports and fitness related solutions to athletes are excluded.
Top EdTech Companies in San Francisco, United States
There are 1,208 EdTech startups in San Francisco, United States which include Udemy, Speak, ClassDojo, Quizlet, MasterClass. Out of these, 350 startups are funded, with 150 having secured Series A+ funding, and 7 achieving unicorn status.
2026 has seen the creation of 11 EdTech startups in San Francisco, United States. Over the past 10 years, an average of 53 new companies have been launched annually. Notably, several of these startups have been founded by alumni of Stanford University, Harvard University and University of California (Berkeley).
Here is the list of top EdTech startups in San Francisco, United States
1. Udemy
Provider of a marketplace offering online courses. It offers courses in various disciplines such as business, IT and software, photography, marketing, music, finance, and more. The courses can be taken at any pace and the course content can be created by instructors according to their choice. It also offers corporate online learning platform, that provides training solutions to corporates. Its mobile app is available for android and iOS devices.
Key facts about Udemy
- Founded Year: 2010
- Location: San Francisco (United States)
- Stage: Acquired
- Total Funding till date: $274M
- Investors: Insight Partners, Norwest and 68 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series E, Nov 18, 2020, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 79/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 2 of 7,284 Competitors
2. Speak
AI-powered language learning platform. Its platform helps users to practice conversational English with an AI bot. Its mobile app is available for iOS and Android devices.
Key facts about Speak
- Founded Year: 2016
- Location: San Francisco (United States)
- Stage: Series C
- Total Funding till date: $162M
- Investors: Accel, OpenAI and 25 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series C, Nov 13, 2024, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 78/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 1 of 36 Competitors
3. ClassDojo
Classroom behaviour feedback platform used by teachers and students. The platform allows teachers to give students real-time feedback. The platform engages parents and students to improve behaviour at home as well. The platform can run on an interactive whiteboard, a computer connected to a projector or on a smartphone, tablet. The tool offers behaviour-tracking analytics and reports that can be shared with parents and administrators. Teachers can message parents and keep them informed about students' progress. Its mobile app is available for Android, iOS, and web devices.
Key facts about ClassDojo
- Founded Year: 2011
- Location: San Francisco (United States)
- Stage: Series D
- Total Funding till date: $221M
- Investors: General Catalyst, Paul Graham and 44 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series D, Mar 04, 2024, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 77/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 1 of 977 Competitors
4. Quizlet
Provider of learning tools and flashcards for students. It enables users to create study sets on the platform for anything they are learning. Provides a collaborative platform where students can learn with their peers. The platform enables students to learn languages, science, arts & humanities, math, and more. Additionally, users can also add audio or images to the study set and search the repository of existing study sets. Its mobile app is available for Android and iOS devices.
Key facts about Quizlet
- Founded Year: 2005
- Location: San Francisco (United States)
- Stage: Series C
- Total Funding till date: $62M
- Investors: Icon Ventures, General Atlantic and 6 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series C, May 13, 2020, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 77/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 1 of 137 Competitors
5. MasterClass
MasterClass provides online courses delivered by celebrity experts. The company offers courses in writing, acting, singing, photography, and more. It offers video content, a class workbook, interactive assignments, and community activities. It has a subscription-based revenue model and it is accessible through mobile and the web. Its mobile app is available for Android and iOS devices.
Key facts about MasterClass
- Founded Year: 2012
- Location: San Francisco (United States)
- Stage: Series F
- Total Funding till date: $461M
- Investors: Fidelity Investments, IVP and 60 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series F, May 13, 2021, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 76/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 4 of 7,284 Competitors
Companies founded year-on-year in the EdTech sector in San Francisco
11 new startups have been founded so far in 2026 in the EdTech sector in San Francisco. 96 EdTech startups in San Francisco were founded in 2020 - this is the most number of startups founded in any year in the last 10 years.
- Total Number of Companies
Year | No. of companies |
|---|---|
2026 | 11 |
2025 | 31 |
2024 | 34 |
2023 | 91 |
2022 | 49 |
2021 | 61 |
2020 | 96 |
2019 | 49 |
2018 | 55 |
2017 | 55 |
Stage-wise distribution of EdTech sector companies in San Francisco
Out of the total 1,208 EdTech companies in San Francisco, 350 have secured funding. Among them, 150 have reached Series A or higher, and 114 to Series B or beyond.
Founded - 1,208
Funded - 350
Series A+ - 150
Series B+ - 114
Series C+ - 101
Company Stage | No. of companies |
|---|---|
Founded | 1,208 |
Funded | 350 |
Series A+ | 150 |
Series B+ | 114 |
Series C+ | 101 |
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Funding Trends in the EdTech sector in San Francisco
Total funding year-on-year in the EdTech sector in San Francisco
The EdTech sector in San Francisco saw a total funding of more than $4.05B in the last 10 years. The most amount of funding was in 2021 at more than $1.13B. There has been a total funding of $18.1M in 2026 till date.
- Total Funding
Year | Total Funding |
|---|---|
2026 | $18.1M |
2025 | $92.6M |
2024 | $174M |
2023 | $111M |
2022 | $428M |
2021 | $1.13B |
2020 | $519M |
2019 | $379M |
2018 | $755M |
2017 | $441M |
Recent Funding Rounds in EdTech in San Francisco
In the year 2026, till July 2026, EdTech companies in San Francisco have raised $16.9M in equity funding across 6 rounds.
In the same period last year (i.e. till July 2025), EdTech companies in San Francisco had raised $72.8M across 8 rounds.
So, 2026 has seen a 76.83% drop in funding in EdTech companies in San Francisco as compared to 2025.
Here are some recent, important funding rounds in EdTech companies in San Francisco:
Company | Round Raised | Amount Raised | Funding Date | Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Seed | 1194 | Jul 16, 2026 | ||
Seed | 8796 | May 15, 2026 | - | |
Seed | 6659 | 2026 | ||
Series A | 6080 | Mar 23, 2026 | ||
Seed | 4006 | Feb 27, 2026 |
Top Investors in EdTech in San Francisco
500 Global is the top investor in EdTech companies in San Francisco based on number of companies invested.
Here are some top investors in EdTech companies in San Francisco:
Investor | Location | Top Portfolio Companies |
|---|---|---|
Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) | ||
San Francisco (United States) | ||
Menlo Park (United States) | ||
San Francisco (United States) | ||
Palo Alto (United States) |
M&A activity in EdTech sector in San Francisco
In the year 2026, till May 2026, 3 acquisitions happened in EdTech sector in San Francisco. Last year, in 2025, a total of 3 acquisitions happened in EdTech sector in San Francisco.
Here are some recent, important acquisitions in EdTech sector in San Francisco:
Company | Acquisition Type | Acquisition Date | Acquirers |
|---|---|---|---|
Acqui-Hired | May 06, 2026 | ||
Business Acquisition | Apr 17, 2026 | ||
Business Acquisition | Mar 24, 2026 | ||
Business Acquisition | Dec 17, 2025 | ||
Business Acquisition | May 06, 2025 |
Acquisition trends in EdTech sector in San Francisco
Here are the acquisition trends in EdTech sector in San Francisco:
- Total Number of Acquisitions
Year | No. of companies |
|---|---|
2026 | 3 |
2025 | 3 |
2024 | 3 |
2023 | 3 |
2022 | 6 |
2021 | 9 |
2020 | 4 |
2019 | 9 |
2018 | 11 |
2017 | 2 |
IPOs in EdTech in San Francisco
In the year 2021, till October 2021, 1 IPO happened in EdTech sector in San Francisco.
Here are some recent, important IPOs in EdTech sector in San Francisco:
Company | IPO Date | Exchange Symbol |
|---|---|---|
Oct 29, 2021 | National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) | |
Dec 08, 2017 | Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) |
Colleges which produce the most EdTech companies in San Francisco
Companies founded by alumni from top colleges in the EdTech in San Francisco
Most number of EdTech startups in San Francisco have been founded by alumni from Stanford University, Harvard University and University of California (Berkeley).
College | No. of companies |
|---|---|
Stanford University | 55 |
Harvard University | 30 |
University of California (Berkeley) | 18 |
University of Pennsylvania | 17 |
Stanford Business School | 16 |
Harvard Business School | 14 |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 12 |
Columbia University | 10 |
Cornell University | 8 |
University of California (Los Angeles) | 7 |
Total funding in EdTech companies founded by alumni from top colleges in San Francisco
In the last 10 years, Stanford University graduates' EdTech companies in San Francisco have raised the most funding among top colleges. Stanford Business School alumni are second, and University of Cambridge alumni are third.
College | Total Funding |
|---|---|
Stanford University | $1.6B |
Stanford Business School | $1.1B |
University of Cambridge | $546M |
Harvard University | $449M |
University of Oxford | $278M |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $146M |
Wharton School | $119M |
University of Pennsylvania | $87.6M |
Columbia University | $71.7M |
IIT Delhi | $69.3M |
Top News in EdTech in San Francisco
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Coursera Completes Combination with Udemy to Build the World’s Most Comprehensive Skills PlatformBusiness Wire•May 11, 2026•Udemy, Coursera
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Numos Raises Seed from General Catalyst to Build AI Finance Platform CFOs Can Trustintelligence360•Apr 14, 2026•Udemy
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Udemy Expands End-to-End Certification Journey with Microsoft CertificationsBusiness Wire•Apr 07, 2026•Udemy
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Udemy Partners with Google to Launch First-of-its-Kind "Learn AI with Google" PlanBusiness Wire•Feb 19, 2026•Udemy
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