Finnish early education concept, HEI Schools, has raised 2 million euro Series A round of financing, which was co-led by Practica Capital and Tesi, Finnish Industry Investment.
The 2015-founded HEI Schools is offering a premium learning centre concept, an easy-to-use digital curriculum platform and pedagogical tools for educational operators and teachers outside of Finland to use.
“The market of early childhood education is developing fast towards a more professional approach: from offering babysitting services to actual early learning.
Milla Kokko, CEO and Co-founder of HEI Schools
“With new investors on board, we can enable this approach to serve more and more families around the world. We are not trying to “export” Finnish society or even the educational system as such, but the deep know-how and methods about how children learn,” Kokko said.
14 HEI Schools learning centres, operated by local entrepreneurs, are open in China, Australia, Indonesia, Korea, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Finland. In addition to current markets, 16 new HEI Schools centres are opening during 2021 also in the USA, Canada, Kuwait and Thailand.
“HEI Schools’ impressive growth and large customer base of premium learning centres around the world, as well as the fast-growing number of users in digital resources were key proof points of the value of its concept.”
Arvydas Bložė, Investment Director at Practica Capital
HEI Schools’ Finnish education model is based on holistic development and wellbeing, without compromising academic skills. The idea that learning is not limited to a classroom plays a vital role in children’s strengths, interests, social interactions and peer relationships.
Paying close attention to children’s social-emotional, physical, creative and cognitive growth, the HEI Schools curriculum supports children to be active agents in their own learning and development so that they learn to love learning.
