Strada Education Network, a national nonprofit united to strengthen America’s pathways between education and employment, has announced a new $1.5 million seed investment fund to back ventures focused on creating solutions that will serve working learners and help define the learning ecosystem of the future.
Through early-stage investment, the Strada Education Innovation Fund (SEIF) will support emerging organizations working to improve the lives of adult learners by creating more direct, seamless, flexible and promising education-to-employment pathways. The SEIF expects to support up to 20 commitments by the end of 2020.
“Innovations at the intersection of education and employment are necessary to help learners navigate an increasingly complex labor market—and realize the promise and potential of their investment in education,” said Andre Bennin, managing director of corporate development for Strada Education Network and SEIF manager. “This fund is about supporting entrepreneurs who need early-stage capital to scale their work in connecting adult learners with economic opportunity.”