The educational publishing industry in Europe involves a spectrum of companies that produce and distribute learning materials for schools, universities, and lifelong learners. This sector includes traditional publishers, digital content creators, and innovative edtech firms that focus on interactive and adaptive learning solutions. Providers emphasize digital tools, engaging formats, and personalized education experiences. With the demand for online education increasing, integration of technology has spurred growth in digital resources and e-learning platforms, creating new opportunities for both existing companies and startups. Sustainability and accessibility are increasingly prioritized to shape a responsive educational framework across Europe.


This list profiles a mix of investors in the educational publishing sector, including venture capital firms and corporate players. Most are headquartered in major European cities like London, Paris, and Stockholm. They vary in size from small teams to large organizations, with founding years ranging from 1798 to 2017. In 2024, they collectively made significant investments, showcasing a strong interest in the educational marketplace. Companies like Kima Ventures and Bloomsbury Publishing have backed innovative startups, while others have reinforced their positions through strategic acquisitions to leverage new educational technologies.


Top 12 Educational Publishing Investors in Europe


1. Bpifrance French Tech Accélération


Bpifrance French Tech Accélération is a venture capital investor based in Paris, Île-De-France, France, founded in 2015. As a public entity and financial institution, Bpifrance supports entrepreneurs and businesses in France and internationally through various services, including direct funding, export credit insurance, and private equity investments. They aim to foster entrepreneurship and innovation, helping businesses navigate growth and international expansion. Notably, Bpifrance has made significant investments in the educational sector, including Nomad Education, which raised $892,708 in a Series A round in 2016, and SchoolMouv, which secured $1,118,521 in a Seed Round the same year. Additionally, they invested in Corneille, which raised $572,082 in 2022, and Kartable, an EduTech startup that raised €1.2 million in funding. These transactions highlight Bpifrance's active role in supporting educational publishing and EdTech initiatives.


2. Kima Ventures

  • Website: kimaventures.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Paris, Île-De-France, France
  • Founded year: 2010
  • Headcount: 1-10
  • Number of deals in 2024: 50
  • LinkedIn: kima-ventures

Kima Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Paris, Île-De-France, France, founded in 2010. The firm specializes in investing in early-stage startups across various sectors, backing two startups per week with financial support and mentorship to help them navigate initial challenges and achieve success. Notably, Kima Ventures has made significant investments in the educational sector, including SchoolMouv, which raised over $1 million in a seed round in 2016, and Lalilo, which secured $1.8 million in 2017. Additionally, they invested in Caktus and Kukua, the latter being an edtech company focused on mobile STEM education for children. These transactions highlight Kima Ventures' active role in fostering innovation within the educational publishing landscape.


3. Enterprise Ireland


Enterprise Ireland is a public entity that serves as the Irish government's enterprise development agency, founded in 1998. It supports Irish businesses at all stages of their growth journey by providing funding, advisory services, and market access assistance. The agency focuses on helping companies scale and compete internationally across various industries, including technology and manufacturing. In the context of educational publishing, Enterprise Ireland has been involved in several notable transactions, such as investing in Adaptemy, a Dublin-based adaptive learning startup that raised over €3m in funding, and the Digital Learning Institute, which raised €1.8M to expand its digital learning courses and upskilling programs. These investments highlight Enterprise Ireland's role in promoting innovation and growth within the educational sector.


4. Crowdcube

  • Website: crowdcube.com
  • Type: Corporate
  • Headquarters: London, England, United Kingdom (UK)
  • Founded year: 2010
  • Headcount: 51-200
  • Number of deals in 2024: 3
  • LinkedIn: crowdcube-limited

Crowdcube is a London-based crowdfunding platform founded in 2010 that enables businesses to raise capital through equity investments. It connects startups and SMEs with potential investors, facilitating the funding process. Crowdcube promotes diversity and inclusion within its workforce while providing investment management services to its clients. Notably, Crowdcube has been involved in several transactions within the educational publishing sector, including BibliU, which raised $4,238,687 in June 2022, and Bedrock Learning, which raised £155,400 in April 2017 to expand its online learning resources. These investments highlight Crowdcube's active role in supporting educational initiatives and resources, further solidifying its relevance in the educational publishing industry.


5. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc


Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, founded in 1986 and based in London, England, is a corporate investor in the publishing industry. The company offers a diverse range of fiction and non-fiction books, academic resources, and digital content, catering to readers, educators, and institutions. Bloomsbury has made several strategic acquisitions to bolster its presence in the educational publishing sector. Notably, they acquired ABC-CLIO, a US academic publisher, for $22.9 million in December 2021, enhancing their academic and digital publishing capabilities in North America. Additionally, their acquisition of Fairchild Books for $6.5 million in 2012 further solidified their position in the US academic publishing market, particularly in fashion and design education. These transactions reflect Bloomsbury's commitment to providing quality educational resources and expanding their influence in the academic publishing landscape.


6. Brighteye Ventures


Brighteye Ventures is a venture capital fund based in Luxembourg, founded in 2017, that specializes in Edtech investments. The firm supports early-stage Edtech startups by providing funding, strategic guidance, and access to a network of industry experts. Their focus is on helping these companies refine their products and scale effectively in the educational technology sector. Notable transactions include their investment in Epic, an on-demand digital library for kids that serves millions of children and is widely used in U.S. schools. They also invested in Sdui, a German EdTech startup that has shown significant growth, and Ucademy, a Spanish edtech company expanding in Latin America. These investments demonstrate Brighteye Ventures' commitment to enhancing educational resources and platforms, making them a key player in the educational publishing landscape.


7. Microsoft Accelerator


Microsoft Accelerator is a venture capital firm based in London, England, founded in 2013. It is part of Microsoft, a leading technology company specializing in artificial intelligence and cloud computing solutions. The accelerator aims to enhance productivity for businesses and organizations across various industries through secure and effective AI integration. Notably, Microsoft Accelerator has been involved in several transactions that are relevant to the educational sector, including support for companies like Firefly Learning, which provides a platform for schools to manage learning resources, and Pobble, which focuses on improving writing skills in students. These investments reflect Microsoft Accelerator's interest in fostering innovation in educational technology, making it a potential player in the educational publishing landscape.


8. Almi

  • Website: almi.se
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
  • Founded year: 1994
  • Headcount: 201-500
  • Number of deals in 2024: 7
  • LinkedIn: almi-ab

Almi AB is a financial services company based in Stockholm, Sweden, founded in 1994. It specializes in providing loans, risk capital, and business development support to small and medium-sized enterprises. Almi aims to enhance the growth and competitiveness of these businesses through tailored financial solutions and guidance. Notably, Almi has invested in several companies within the educational technology space, including Zcooly, which raised over SEK 20 million to support its growth in the Swedish market and product development. Additionally, Almi has been involved with Studybee, which raised significant funding in multiple rounds, indicating a focus on innovative educational solutions. These transactions highlight Almi's active role in supporting the educational publishing and EdTech sectors.


9. Sanoma

  • Website: sanoma.com
  • Type: Corporate
  • Headquarters: Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
  • Founded year: 1889
  • Headcount: 5001-10000
  • LinkedIn: sanoma

Sanoma is a media and educational publishing company based in Helsinki, Finland, founded in 1889. It provides a wide range of learning solutions and media content, including printed and digital learning materials and teaching platforms. Sanoma serves educational institutions and media consumers across multiple European countries. The company has made several strategic acquisitions to strengthen its position in the educational publishing market. Notable transactions include the acquisition of Nowa Era, a Polish educational publisher, in 2007, which aimed to enhance its presence in the European educational sector. In 2020, Sanoma acquired Santillana Spain, a leading provider of K-12 learning materials, for EUR 465 million, further solidifying its foothold in the Spanish educational market. In 2022, Sanoma acquired Pearson Italia, and in 2019, it acquired Iddink Group, a Dutch educational platform provider. Additionally, the acquisition of itslearning, an international learning platform provider, showcases Sanoma's commitment to digital learning solutions. These transactions highlight Sanoma's active role in the educational publishing industry and its focus on expanding its educational offerings.


10. Index Ventures

  • Website: indexventures.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: London, England, United Kingdom (UK)
  • Founded year: 1996
  • Headcount: 51-200
  • Number of deals in 2024: 67
  • LinkedIn: index-ventures

Index Ventures is a venture capital firm founded in 1996, based in London, England. The firm invests in innovative startups across various sectors, including technology and healthcare, and is known for providing capital and strategic support to entrepreneurs. Among their notable investments in the educational sector are Juni Learning, an online education platform for kids that raised $10.5 million in a Series A funding round, and Yup.com, a mobile tutoring service that has raised a total of $7.5 million in seed funding. These investments highlight Index Ventures' commitment to supporting educational initiatives and their focus on building long-term partnerships with founders to drive success in the educational publishing industry.


11. Bertelsmann Multimedia Gmbh


Bertelsmann Multimedia Gmbh, part of Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA, is a global media, services, and education company based in Neunkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With over 10,000 employees, the company operates across various sectors, including television, streaming, book publishing, and music production. Notably, Bertelsmann has made significant strides in the educational publishing sector through key transactions. They acquired Penguin Random House, a leading global publisher, in 2017, and later agreed to acquire Simon & Schuster in 2020, further solidifying their presence in the U.S. publishing market. Additionally, their investment in WizIQ, an online education platform, and participation in the funding round for Emeritus, an education upskilling company, showcase their commitment to enhancing educational content and services. These strategic moves position Bertelsmann as a key player in the educational publishing landscape.


12. Taylor & Francis Group


Taylor & Francis Group, founded in 1798 and based in Abingdon, England, is a prominent academic publisher specializing in scholarly publishing across a wide range of disciplines, including humanities, social sciences, science, and technology. They provide a platform for researchers and academics to publish their work and access a vast array of journals and books, catering to authors, librarians, and institutions. Notably, Taylor & Francis has made several strategic acquisitions to enhance its presence in the educational publishing sector. These include the acquisition of CRC Press in 2003, which bolstered their position in the U.S. professional publishing market, and the acquisition of Transaction Publishers in 2017, Acumen Publishing Ltd in 2014, and M.E. Sharpe in 2014, all of which contribute to their diverse portfolio in educational content. Additionally, their acquisition of Manson Publishing in 2013 highlights their interest in specialized medical publishing, further expanding their reach within the educational landscape.



Educational Publishing Insights: Key Investors in Europe


InvestorHeadquarterSizeFoundedDeals 2024
Bpifrance French Tech AccélérationParis, Île-De-France, France1-102015198
Kima VenturesParis, Île-De-France, France1-10201050
Enterprise IrelandDublin, Dublin, Ireland501-1000199848
CrowdcubeLondon, England, United Kingdom (UK)51-20020103
Bloomsbury Publishing PlcLondon, England, United Kingdom (UK)501-100019862
Brighteye VenturesLuxembourg1-1020177
Microsoft AcceleratorLondon, England, United Kingdom (UK)51-20020130
AlmiStockholm, Stockholm, Sweden201-50019947
SanomaHelsinki, Uusimaa, Finland5001-1000018890
Index VenturesLondon, England, United Kingdom (UK)51-200199667
Bertelsmann Multimedia GmbhNeunkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany10001+3
Taylor & Francis GroupAbingdon, England, United Kingdom (UK)1001-500017980


Want to find more investors focusing on the educational publishing industry?

If you want to find more investors that are active in the educational publishingindustry, you can do that with Inven. We built this list and analysis throughInven's Investor Search, and there are a lot more private equity, venturecapital, and corporate investors like these globally.

With Inven, you'll also get to know:

  • Deal History: Number of deals and their sizes.
  • Portfolio: Companies they've invested in.
  • Contact data: Key dealmakers, including their emails and phonenumbers.
  • ...and much more!