Emile Learning: Helping Students Study, Not Scroll - Education Technology

The Shift in Edtech: Catering to a New Generation

The educational technology sector is recognizing the necessity of adapting to the preferences of the TikTok generation. This trend partially explains the increasing popularity of supplementary and enrichment-focused platforms like Outschool and MasterClass. These companies prioritize concise editing, captivating content, and, crucially, learning available on demand.

The Challenge of Measurable Results

However, a significant hurdle remains: integrating demonstrable learning outcomes. Like many edtech startups, a core challenge exists – the platform must be sufficiently challenging to impart knowledge, yet simultaneously engaging and accessible enough to encourage consistent use.

Emile Learning: A New Approach to Frictionless Education

Emile Learning is the latest venture aiming to provide seamless learning experiences. The platform delivers on-demand high school courses, offering accreditation options alongside high-production-value content. Recently, Emile secured $3 million in seed funding, spearheaded by Kleiner Perkins, a firm with prior investments in Duolingo and Coursera.

Investor Confidence

Additional investors in this round include the SoftBank Opportunity Fund, Uber Alum Syndicate, Owl Ventures, John Thornton (formerly of Goldman Sachs), Steven Galanis (founder of Cameo), and Ankur Nagpal (founder of Teachable). This investment brings Emile’s total funding to $5.3 million.

Founding Team

Established in 2020, Emile is the creation of three Latino founders: Felix Ruano (CEO), a graduate of McKinsey and Harvard; Michael Vilardo (COO), with experience at Uber and Nike; and Jon Quiros (CTO), formerly of Dun & Bradstreet and Cal Poly Pomona.

“Our vision is to establish a leading platform where students globally can access learning materials with maximum ease,” Ruano stated. “This extends beyond casual learning, like watching YouTube videos, to encompass complete courses and the potential to earn high school credit.”

The founder believes the timing is opportune, given the difficulties encountered with accountability and engagement during the “Zoom University” era.

Course Offerings and Accreditation

Emile provides virtual, high-quality high school classes covering subjects such as AP language, AP biology, personal finance, and acting. Initially, Emile focused on assisting students in preparing for AP exams – achieving a good score can translate to college credit and substantial savings.

Within less than a year of its inception, Emile has expanded to offer accredited courses that can be directly applied towards high school graduation requirements. Students can earn high school credit through a WASC-accredited transcript, in addition to potential college credit through AP courses.

Vilardo highlighted that AP courses served as an initial entry point to reach high school students, but believes the greater opportunity lies in providing for-credit courses directly within schools.

“Students might initially enroll for the AP preparation, but they’ll have a low-risk, high-reward opportunity to explore experiential courses, potentially discovering a passion for finance or coding early in their high school career,” he explained.

Content Creation and Platform Growth

To develop its course content, Emile collaborates with accomplished high school and college instructors across the United States. These educators are brought to Los Angeles for professional filming. Currently, the platform features over 20 classes, with a goal of expanding to 30 by September.

The company reports that over 50,000 students have utilized its platform to date.

Emile's Monetization and Growth Strategy

Emile operates on a subscription model, charging students an annual fee for platform access. This fee typically falls within the $100 to $200 range. Although this is more affordable than one-on-one tutoring, the company is exploring additional revenue streams.

The founder believes substantial growth will stem from securing government funding. He posits that approximately $600 billion is allocated to high school education annually in the U.S. through governmental sources.

Government Funding as a Catalyst

Recent COVID-19 relief funds directed towards high schools represent a significant opportunity. Emile aims to become a beneficiary of these funds, contingent upon demonstrating its effectiveness.

Despite increased attention on edtech following the pandemic, a significant gap in investor understanding persists.

Investor Awareness and the Importance of Optionality

Ruano highlights that “99% of investors still have no idea” regarding the value of course selection flexibility in high school. Many investors have benefited from excellent educational experiences themselves.

The concept of a market for for-credit high school classes is novel to them. Securing investment required identifying individuals with varied educational backgrounds who could appreciate Emile’s core proposition.

Competition and Lessons from the Past

Several startups focusing on high school education have recently attracted funding, including Galileo, Fiveable, and Sora Schools. Kleiner Perkins, leading Emile’s seed round, made a remarkably swift investment decision, completing the process in just two days.

The success of these companies will depend on avoiding the pitfalls of AltSchool, a previous edtech venture. AltSchool, which attempted to replace traditional schools with its own facilities, faced challenges due to the pressures of rapid scaling.

A Cautious Approach to Disruption

Families and educators expressed dissatisfaction with the impact of scaling on AltSchool’s students and their academic results. Emile, in contrast, focuses on high school students, a different demographic than AltSchool’s younger learners.

The experience of AltSchool provides a crucial lesson for any startup seeking to disrupt traditional education: prioritize gradual implementation and minimize disruption to the learning process.