NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Marker Learning – a leading provider of remote learning and attention disability services – today announced it has raised $15 million in Series A funding, led by Andreessen Horowitz. The round also included investments from the venture arm of Richard Branson’s Virgin Group, as well as existing investors, Primary Ventures, Difference Partners, Operator Partners, and Night Ventures. With the support of Andreessen Horowitz’s Cultural Leadership Fund, strategic investors in the round included NBA champion Danny Green (GreenLight Venture Partners), creative director and entrepreneur La Mar Taylor, 2X WNBA champion Jewell Loyd, among others.
For co-founders Stefan Bauer and Emily Yudofsky, Marker's mission is personal. Both were diagnosed with dyslexia in elementary school and experienced firsthand the costly and time-consuming process of seeking and receiving appropriate support.
“We are transforming access to learning and attention disability care – from early diagnosis to navigating the world as a neurodivergent adult,” explained CEO and Co-Founder, Stefan Bauer.
While K-12 students are legally entitled to learning disability assessments in public schools, diagnoses are often delayed or missed entirely due to unprecedented staffing shortages and backlogs. Parents who turn to the private market are met with evaluation fees of up to $14,000, and waitlists that can stretch beyond 24 months. Due to this systemic failure, only 4% of students receive a formal diagnosis or support, despite 20% of the population having a learning disability. Moreover, students of color and of low-income households are disproportionately overlooked.
“We are committed to serving all students and others with learning disabilities, no matter their backgrounds or means,” said Co-Founder Emily Yudofsky. “Creating greater educational equity and access to learning support has always been, and will continue to be, Marker’s north stars.”
Marker Learning’s core evaluation offering leverages its groundbreaking technology and world-class network of providers to deliver the highest quality services for a fraction of the cost of traditional offerings. Within one month, learners receive a comprehensive diagnostic report that can be submitted to schools or employers to obtain learning services or accommodations. When appropriate, Marker’s report can also be used to secure accommodations on entrance exams and standardized tests.
"Marker Learning exemplifies what technology can do to unlock access to scarce, specialized resources in an affordable way, and transform the experience for both professionals and consumers," said Julie Yoo, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz. “I’d encourage anyone with a family member or friend with needs in this area to try Marker and experience the difference for themselves.”
While individuals ages 6 to 50 can seek support directly from Marker Learning, the company also partners with school districts to provide critical services within a school setting. Marker Learning partners with school district special education staff to help manage their caseloads and acts as an extension of school psychologist teams so that district personnel can better prioritize day-to-day student care.
“Personally, Marker has been a lifesaver. As the lead school psychologist in my district, I have taken on a large chunk of caseloads due to our vacancies within the department while still performing all of my lead psychologist responsibilities," said Anita Frederick at Hall County School District, located in Georgia and serving over 25,000 students. “There is absolutely no way I could have gotten to the evaluations I’ve had this year without Marker’s help.”
Marker Learning already reaches 1 million students through its school partnerships and will continue to rapidly scale school district partnerships. With Series A funding, Marker plans to expand into new geographies and expand the breadth of support services offered on their platform.
"We're proud to partner with Marker Learning, a company whose innovative technology is empowering neurodiverse learners," said Sir Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Group. "Having dyslexia myself, I learned a long time ago that when students have the permission and support to think differently, there’s no limit to what they can achieve.”
In addition to announcing their Series A, Marker Learning has announced their expansion into tutoring, coaching, and other learning support services. These new services are available to both individuals and to schools. “It’s our mission to ensure everyone has continued support and a clear path forward, no matter where they are in their journey,” said Bauer.
About Marker Learning:
Marker Learning (www.markerlearning.com) is on a mission to make critical learning disability evaluations and support more accessible and affordable. Marker equips its network of renowned psychologists and educators with groundbreaking technology to deliver evaluations, tutoring, coaching and other learning services to people with learning disabilities for a fraction of the cost of traditional providers.
