NewSchools Venture Fund

What is NewSchools Venture Fund?

NewSchools Venture Fund is a non-profit venture philanthropy fund that focuses on improving public education in the United States, particularly at the K-12 levels. Founded in 1998 and headquartered in Oakland, California, their mission is to support educational organizations and entrepreneurs who aim to foster an equitable and excellent education system. They believe education is pivotal for progress and work to ensure every child has a fair chance at success, regardless of background.

To this end, NewSchools funds both nonprofit and for-profit ventures that show potential for positive impact and innovation in education. Their investments range from $100,000 to $1,500,000, with a sweet spot of around $500,000, particularly targeting the Pre-Seed, Seed, and Early Stage phases of development.

As a venture capital entity, they identify bright spots in communities and invest in visionary teams that actively engage with students, parents, and educators to create engaging and relevant learning experiences. Besides financial support, NewSchools offers connections, resources, and strategic assistance to their portfolio companies.

Over their history, they have invested over $400 million in early-stage education innovators and impacted 60% of the nation's public school students. Their strategy for 2024-26 emphasizes an expanded definition of student success and acknowledges the academic and mental health impacts of Covid-19 on learning.

NewSchools thrives on rewriting the rules of education and philanthropy, considering who leads, collaborates, and realizes their dreams through education. They've established milestones such as investing $25 million in 102 ventures in a single year and convening educational leaders to build better and braver coalitions.

What they say:

We are a venture fund that raises charitable funds from donors to support innovative initiatives.

What we look for: We invest in education entrepreneurs.