• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechEducation

Jeff Bezos and Eric Schmidt Are Pumping Millions into an Ed Tech Startup

Robert Hackett
By
Robert Hackett
Robert Hackett
Down Arrow Button Icon
Robert Hackett
By
Robert Hackett
Robert Hackett
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 27, 2016, 9:00 AM ET
Smithsonian Hosts Naturalization Ceremony And Honors Jeff Bezos With Its Bicentennial Medal
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 14: Amazon Founder and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos delivers remarks during a naturalization ceremony on the 100th anniversary of Flag Day at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History June 14, 2016 in Washington, DC. During the event, Bezos was also presented with the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)Win McNamee—Getty Images

Education has always mattered to Tom Davidson.

To this day, the chief exec at EverFi, an education software startup based in Washington, D.C., boasts about an initiative he backed in the ’90s as a member of the state legislature in Maine that provided laptops to every seventh grader in the state. (He ran for office while still a student at Bowdoin College in 1994—and won.)

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

Davidson’s enthusiasm for technology in schools has not diminished. On Wednesday, his company will announce a $40 million series C funding round led by a couple of tech tycoons and other firms: Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon (AMZN); Eric Schmidt, CEO of Alphabet (née Google) (GOOG); and venture capital firms New Enterprise Associates and Rethink Education.

Founded in 2008, EverFi has raised $61 million to date including the latest round. Other participants include Advance Publications, Rethink Impact, and existing investor Allen & Co.

“We’re trying to get the private sector to really engage in local education,” Davidson says of his venture.

Indeed, the company has partnered with organizations ranging from the NHL to the NFL, while tapping also into the corporate social responsibility arms of big companies like Intel (INTC), American Express (AXP), and U.S. Bank (USB), to get its learning software into school systems across the country.

Earlier this month, Davidson participated in an eduction task force at Fortune’s Brainstorm Tech conference in Aspen, Colo. You can read more about the results of that summit here.

For more on technology in education, watch:

Beyond its network of 20,000 K-12 schools in the United States and Canada, EverFi also sells its product—called Foundry—to universities such as Harvard, MIT, the University of Michigan, and Stanford University. These institutions use the company’s tech to meet compliance requirements by educating students on subjects such as alcohol abuse and sexual assault.

EverFi recently agreed to buy LawRoom, a competitor in the colleges market. Davidson says he plans to use some of the latest fundraising round to complete that acquisition.

Although Davidson declines to reveal the company’s revenue, he says the business is profitable. About a third of the business focuses on corporate sponsorships for schools, he says. Another third involves selling its prevention programs to universities. And the remaining third goes to companies seeking to teach their employees about topics like personal finance and workplace behavior.

Davidson sees this last portion as a big growth area for the firm. Customers currently include Acxiom (ACXM), Barracuda Networks (CUDA), Samsung (SSNLF), and SurveyMonkey (SURVEYMONKEY).

“It’s a big opportunity,” he says. “And it’s getting more complicated on all sides of the ball every day.”

About the Author
Robert Hackett
By Robert Hackett
Instagram iconLinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Image showing multiple computer screens with code.
CybersecuritySecurity
Mercor, a $10 billion AI startup that works with companies including OpenAI and Anthropic, confirms major data breach
By Beatrice NolanApril 2, 2026
3 hours ago
picture of the word "solana"
CryptoCryptocurrency
Latest crypto hack sees thieves make off with $280 million from Solana DeFi platform Drift
By Carlos GarciaApril 2, 2026
3 hours ago
Jack Dorsey and Roelof Botha think AI can make middle management obsolete 
AIBlock
Jack Dorsey and Roelof Botha think AI can make middle management obsolete 
By Jacqueline MunisApril 2, 2026
5 hours ago
china
AIChina
Meet China’s AI-powered recycling robot that sorts 220 pounds of clothes in 2 to 3 minutes
By Tian MacLeod Ji and The Associated PressApril 2, 2026
5 hours ago
In the age of vibe coding, trust is the real bottleneck
AIEye on AI
In the age of vibe coding, trust is the real bottleneck
By Sharon GoldmanApril 2, 2026
6 hours ago
A photo illustration of two laptops with eyeballs over a red background with alert signs.
CryptoNorth Korea
I knew about North Korean hackers—they still tricked me and got into my computer
By Ben WeissApril 2, 2026
7 hours ago

Most Popular

Gen Z fled San Francisco for Texas and Florida. Now they’re turning ‘welcomer cities’ into the next big tech towns
Real Estate
Gen Z fled San Francisco for Texas and Florida. Now they’re turning ‘welcomer cities’ into the next big tech towns
By Fortune EditorsApril 2, 2026
15 hours ago
Current price of gold as of April 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of April 1, 2026
By Fortune EditorsApril 1, 2026
1 day ago
Two-thirds of parents say their adult Gen Z kids still rely on them financially  for support—even though it's putting them under strain
Success
Two-thirds of parents say their adult Gen Z kids still rely on them financially  for support—even though it's putting them under strain
By Fortune EditorsMarch 31, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of April 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of April 1, 2026
By Fortune EditorsApril 1, 2026
1 day ago
The tax escape map: Billionaires are bolting for Florida from the West Coast and taking billions in tax revenue with them
Real Estate
The tax escape map: Billionaires are bolting for Florida from the West Coast and taking billions in tax revenue with them
By Fortune EditorsApril 2, 2026
15 hours ago
Deutsche Bank asked AI if it’s true that AI will solve the economy’s inflation problems. The robots answered
Economy
Deutsche Bank asked AI if it’s true that AI will solve the economy’s inflation problems. The robots answered
By Fortune EditorsApril 1, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.