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Manabie Raises $23 Million in Series B Funding to Revolutionize Education

Manabie International Pte. Ltd., headquartered in Singapore, has successfully raised approximately 3.3 billion yen (about 23 million USD) in Series B funding. The company aims to maximize individual potential through its education DX platform, reinforcing its commitment to transforming the educational landscape.

Background of Funding

This funding round was led by JIC Venture Growth Investments, along with contributions from several prominent investors, including Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, Hulic Co., and various founders from major educational institutions. With these recent investments, Manabie has accumulated a total of about 60 billion yen (approximately 41.2 million USD) since its inception.

Manabie was co-founded by Takuya Honma, a former co-founder of the online learning service Quipper, and Christy Wong, who was part of the founding team at Lazada, a subsidiary of Alibaba Group. Established in 2019, the company provides a vertical SaaS solution aimed at educational institutions across Japan and Southeast Asia, delivering an all-in-one platform encompassing learning management, communication tools, content management, and billing functions.

Business Aspirations and Future Developments

The acquired funding will be allocated to strengthen product development in Japan and expand operations in Southeast Asia. Here’s a closer look at these initiatives:

• - Enhancing Product Development in Japan: By targeting various educational settings such as cram schools, correspondence high schools, vocational schools, and English conversation schools, Manabie aims to enhance its school management and educational systems. One of the focal developments includes the implementation of an ‘AI Tutor’ feature utilizing generative AI technology to help address the growing shortage of teachers.

• - Expanding Operations in Southeast Asia: Leveraging the expertise and operational knowledge gained in Japan, Manabie plans to introduce its product to the rapidly growing Southeast Asian education market. In Vietnam, where the company has established a digitized cram school system supporting 30 classrooms and 13,000 students, Manabie aims to accelerate growth and replicate these successes in other countries, thereby contributing to educational reform across Asia with homegrown technology.

Manabie's Product Line

Manabie offers several innovative products designed to improve educational access and learning outcomes:

1. Manabie LMS (Learning Management System): This platform allows educational institutions to manage their own original materials flexibly while providing real-time analysis of each student's learning progress, effectively consolidating study trajectories, weak point analyses, and goal management.

2. Manabie ERP (Educational Administration System): This cloud-based platform streamlines operations from enrollment procedures to attendance and grade management, significantly reducing administrative burdens and errors, allowing educators to focus on improving teaching quality.

3. Manabie Tutor: Utilizing the latest generative AI technology, this system offers real-time responses to student inquiries, generating tailored tips and explanations based on individual understanding, thus fundamentally enhancing self-learning capabilities.

Investor Insights

Investors have expressed strong support for Manabie’s mission. Daisuke Kaiho from JIC Venture Growth Investments noted that the services offered by Manabie contribute to enhancing the value within the education sector, which is increasingly vital for creating a sustainable industrial society. Junichi Taguchi from Mitsubishi UFJ Capital shared admiration for the teamwork and the commitment to supporting education in Japan and Southeast Asia.

Other stakeholders, including representatives from Hulic and Tsuzuki International Education Foundation, echoed enthusiasm for Manabie's potential impact on educational reform and the importance of leveraging technology in addressing well-documented industry challenges.

Moving Forward

As education undergoes significant changes driven by technology, Manabie remains steadfast in its mission to enhance individual educational experiences. “Education is now at a historic turning point,” says Takuya Honma. The company continues to evolve in partnership with its clients, embracing a progressive vision for education that merges traditional values with innovative solutions.

With ongoing recruitment efforts aimed at building a strong team, Manabie positions itself as a leader in the education technology space. For more information on available positions, visit their careers page.

About Manabie Pte. Ltd.

Founded in 2019, Manabie International Pte. Ltd. aims to unlock individual potential through its DX platform, providing comprehensive solutions for educational institutions. The company operates primarily in Singapore, Japan, and Vietnam.

For further details, visit their official website: manabie.com.