How Much Did Newsela Raise? Headquarters, Funding & Key Investors

Newsela has raised approximately $1.2 M in a Seed round in October 2013, $6 M in a Series A in September 2014, $15 M in a Series B in October 2015, $50 M in a Series C in March 2019, and $100 M in a Series D in February 2021, bringing total funding to around $173 M. The Series D was led by Franklin Templeton and TCV at a valuation of about $1 billion. Founded in 2013, Newsela is scaling its K-12 educational content platform and preparing for broader growth across schools and distance learning.

How Much Did Newsela Raise? Funding & Key Investors

Newsela, founded in 2013 by Dan Cogan-Drew and Matthew Gross, is a New York City-based (United States) EdTech company with a team of 535 employees as of December 2022. The platform transforms trusted third-party content into engaging learning materials across social studies, science, and literacy for students and schools. It offers study guides, webinars, research tools and supports distance learning, helping educators boost student engagement and streamline classroom instruction.

What Is Newsela and What Does It Do?

Newsela, founded in 2013 by Dan Cogan-Drew and Matthew Gross, is a New York City-based (United States) K-12 EdTech company.

With a team of approximately 535 employees, it develops and operates a digital learning platform that converts news articles and other trusted content into classroom-aligned resources for students and educators.

Newsela supports literacy, social studies, science curricula, offers study guides, webinars and assessment tools, and is designed to help schools drive student engagement and modernise instruction frameworks through digital content.

How Much Funding Has Newsela Raised?

1. Seed Round

Amount Raised: $1.2 M
Date: October 2013
Lead Investors: Kapor Capital, NewSchools Venture Fund
Motivation: To kick-start the development of their educational platform and begin market penetration.

2. Series A

Amount Raised: $6 M
Date: September 2014
Lead Investors: Owl Ventures
Motivation: To expand the platform’s content library and enhance user engagement.

3. Series B

Amount Raised: $15 M
Date: October 2015
Lead Investors: Kleiner Perkins (and others)
Motivation: To scale operations and increase market reach.

4. Series C

Amount Raised: $50 M
Date: March 2019
Lead Investors: TCV
Motivation: To enhance platform capabilities and expand the user base.

5. Series D

Amount Raised: $100 M
Date: February 2021
Lead Investors: Franklin Templeton, TCV
Motivation: To expand operations, enhance the content library, and explore acquisitions.

Total Funding Raised: $173 Million

Current Valuation: $1 Billion (as of Feb 2021)

Latest Funding Date: February 2021

Key Investors

1. Franklin Templeton

Details: A global investment management organisation managing mutual funds, institutional assets and alternative investments.
Investment Focus Areas: Technology, financial services, global growth companies.
Notable Investments: Newsela, Zoom, Shopify (via funds)

2. TCV (Technology Crossover Ventures)

Details: A private equity & venture capital firm that backs high-growth technology companies across growth stages.
Investment Focus Areas: Internet, software, fintech, enterprise SaaS.
Notable Investments: Netflix, Facebook, Spotify, Newsela

3. Kleiner Perkins

Details: Venture capital firm specialising in early-stage and growth companies in technology and life sciences.
Investment Focus Areas: Technology platforms, software, healthcare innovation.
Notable Investments: Google, Amazon, Twitter, Newsela

4. Owl Ventures

Details: A venture capital firm specialising in education technology investments at various stages.
Investment Focus Areas: K-12 EdTech, higher education, workforce development.
Notable Investments: Byju’s, MasterClass, Quizlet, Newsela

5. Kapor Capital

Details: Early-stage VC focusing on social impact and technology startups, especially in underserved markets.
Investment Focus Areas: Social impact, technology inclusion, diversity in tech.
Notable Investments: Twilio, Uber, Bitwise Industries, Newsela

Where Is Newsela’s Headquarters?

Newsela is headquartered in New York City, United States a global media and education hub. Being located in such a major metropolis supports strong access to educational institutions, content partners, and talent in digital learning and edtech.

What’s Next for Newsela?

Newsela aims to expand its content library further by incorporating more multimedia formats such as audio, video and interactive lessons, and to deepen its global expansion beyond the U.S. K-12 market. The company may pursue strategic acquisitions to accelerate its platform offerings and strengthen its foothold in remote and hybrid learning environments.

Get Investor & Funding Insights with TexAu

TexAu helps sales and business teams uncover detailed fundraising information on companies like Newsela. Use the platform to research investors, track funding rounds, and gather actionable insights to strengthen prospecting and business strategy.

Sign Up for Free on TexAu and start uncovering detailed funding insights that give your business a competitive edge.