Private Equity

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EduCapital

Paris-based EduCapital is Europe's largest EdTech-focused VC, backing over 40 companies with checks up to €10M from late seed to Series B.

EduCapital logo

EduCapital

Founded in 2017 by Marie-Christine Levet, a former founder and CEO of Lycos and Club-Internet, and Litzie Maarek, who previously helped create Bpifrance's Large Venture fund, EduCapital is a specialized venture firm focused exclusively on education and the future of work. Levet and Maarek channel their operational and late-stage venture experience into a concentrated bet on European startups that use technology to improve learning outcomes, professional training, and talent engagement. The firm pursues a dual-thesis strategy, investing in the 'Future of Education' — spanning K12, higher education, and lifelong learning — and the 'Future of Work,' which covers corporate skills, talent platforms, and employee engagement tools. It typically writes checks up to €10 million from late seed to Series B. The portfolio includes collaborative LMS platform 360Learning, AI language tutor Buddy.ai, and science learning platform Labster. EduCapital invests across continental Europe, with portfolio companies operating in France, Germany, the UK, and Ukraine. EduCapital has built a team of investment professionals led by two founding partners and supported by Investment Directors Jonathan Denais and Alexandre Glaser. The firm operates from a single office in Paris and does not publicly disclose its assets under management. It integrates an impact management framework into its process, evaluating portfolio companies across three axes: reach, inclusion, and outcomes. In May 2024, the firm announced a new investment in Nolej, an AI toolbox for teachers, deepening its bet on generative AI in education. EduCapital's structural architecture is distinct: it is not a generalist tech fund with an education sleeve, but a pure-play educational technology vehicle built by operators who have been CEOs. This narrow mandate forces the firm to source through a specialized network of educators, policymakers, and edtech founders, giving it access to deal flow that generalist funds often overlook.

General information

Firm type

Private Equity

Year founded

2017

AUM

Undisclosed

Location

Region

Europe

Country

France

City

Paris

Corporate office

12 rue du 4 Septembre, 75002 Paris, France

Principals

Marie-Christine Levet

Founding Partner

Litzie Maarek

Founding Partner

Jonathan Denais

Investment Director

Alexandre Glaser

Investment Director

Maxime Lacoume

General Secretary & CFO

Géraldine Fillet

Senior Associate

Alexis Pavy

Associate

Sector focus

EdTechHRTech

Frequently asked questions

Who runs investment decisions at EduCapital?

Founding partners Marie-Christine Levet and Litzie Maarek lead the investment team. Levet was a founder and CEO at Lycos and Club-Internet before turning to venture capital at Jaina Capital. Maarek spent 14 years in private equity and helped create Bpifrance's Large Venture fund. Investment directors Jonathan Denais and Alexandre Glaser support deal execution.

Is EduCapital a generalist VC or a sector-specialist?

EduCapital is a pure-play specialist. The firm invests exclusively in education technology (K12, higher ed, lifelong learning) and future-of-work platforms (skills, talent, employee engagement). It does not maintain fintech, health, or enterprise SaaS verticals outside of this dual thesis.

How does EduCapital source deals differently from generalist European VCs?

By operating a single-sector mandate for seven years, EduCapital has built a sourcing network around educators, school system administrators, HR technology buyers, and specialized edtech founders. This narrow focus gives the firm visibility into early-stage companies that broader tech funds might not see until later rounds.

What investment stages does EduCapital typically target?

EduCapital invests from late seed to Series B, with a maximum check size of €10 million per company. The firm does not operate an accelerator or an early-stage seed program, and it has not publicly announced a growth-stage vehicle for larger Series C+ rounds.

Does EduCapital participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?

EduCapital's public materials describe direct investments in startups. The firm has not disclosed a separate fund-of-funds program or co-investment vehicle for backing external GPs. Its activity appears to be entirely direct venture capital.

Which markets and geographies does EduCapital cover?

The firm invests across Europe. Its portfolio includes companies based in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine. EduCapital has not disclosed a dedicated instrument for investments outside the European continent.

How does EduCapital measure the impact of its portfolio companies?

EduCapital uses an internal impact framework built on three axes: Reach (number of learners and workers served), Inclusion (access for all, anti-discrimination), and Outcome (improved learning efficacy and workplace fulfillment). The firm applies this lens across its entire portfolio rather than carving out a separate impact fund.

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