Nearpod Acquires Flocabulary to Lead the New Category of Student Engagement Platforms

Nearpod, the most comprehensive Student Engagement Platform for K-12 teachers, announced today that it has acquired Flocabulary, the leading video and student creativity platform that uses educational hip-hop to engage students and increase achievement. With Flocabulary, Nearpod is deepening its commitment to bringing culturally-relevant and media-rich content into the classroom. Together, Nearpod and Flocabulary are loved and used by teachers in 97 of the 100 largest US districts.

This partnership comes at a time when student engagement is cited as a top priority by 91% of superintendents. However, Gallup surveys find student engagement drops as they move through school. By 11th grade, only 32% of students feel engaged in the classroom. This lack of student engagement has also been linked to challenges such as chronic absenteeism and poor academic performance. 

The combined solutions from Nearpod and Flocabulary will help schools and districts teach in the midst of this student engagement crisis. Research shows that engagement and achievement increase when students’ interests and voices are respected and reflected in the classroom. Flocabulary’s culturally-relevant, media-rich content captures student interest and inspires creativity. Nearpod elevates student voice by providing a variety of ways for all students to learn and demonstrate their understanding. Combined, Nearpod and Flocabulary create the most comprehensive Student Engagement Platform that leverages creativity, culture, interactivity, and media.

“Creating awesome lesson plans is hard work and doing it with music is a hundred times harder,” said Nearpod CEO and co-founder Guido Kovalskys. “But in a world where student engagement is the biggest challenge faced by teachers, we are convinced that the future of educational content is much closer to Flocabulary’s unique combination of hip-hop and educational rigor than to a textbook, regardless of being print or digital.” 

“Equipping teachers with the resources they need to facilitate contemporary and challenging classroom experiences is a top priority for Broward County,” said Dan Gohl, Chief Academic Officer of Broward County Public Schools, the sixth largest school district in the country. “The combination of Nearpod and Flocabulary, both used by educators in Broward, signals the creation of a new category of learning tools aligned with both the needs of the modern classroom -- and the aspirations of today’s learners.” 

“Flocabulary has always been defined by our mission of bringing joy and creativity to classrooms. We are thrilled to join forces with Nearpod, which will significantly accelerate our ability to support teachers and help students engage with the rigorous academic content they need to be successful in the classroom and beyond,” says Flocabulary co-founder and CEO Alex Rappaport.

Founded in 2004 by teachers and musicians passionate about the transformative potential of hip-hop in the classroom, Flocabulary has evolved into an iconic resource for U.S teachers -- and students. Following the acquisition, Nearpod will have a combined team of 200 employees headquartered in Miami, FL. As part of Nearpod, Flocabulary’s team of 60 will continue to operate out of their Brooklyn, NY office to grow and support the strong Flocabulary brand, as well as create culturally-relevant content using formats and genres that students relate to and that boost student engagement while being aligned to academic standards. 

Nearpod will continue to invest in collaborations with respected content partners such as Common Sense Education, Newsela, PhET, iCivics, Desmos, and Education.com as well as enterprise platforms such as Google Classroom and Canvas.

“Legacy textbook companies have failed to meet the needs of today’s classrooms,” says Nikitas Koutoupes, Managing Director at Insight Partners. “With close attention to creating innovative learning experiences that are relevant and fun, Nearpod is filling the void left behind by publishers. We’re excited to see Nearpod create the new category of student engagement platforms to respond to the needs of teachers, and the priorities of district leaders.” 

Stifel Venture Bank, a division of Stifel Bank, acted as the exclusive financial partner for this transaction.

About Nearpod

Nearpod, recently named EdTech Digest’s Company of the Year, is the most comprehensive Student Engagement Platform for K-12 teachers. Nearpod works with any classroom technology from tablets and smartphones to laptops and Chromebooks to help engage students with activities such as Virtual Reality, PhET and Desmos and with more than 7,000 ready-to-run lessons created in partnership with leading brands like Common Sense Education and the Pulitzer Center. Beyond classroom instruction, the company revitalizes teacher development through Teacher Professional Learning content that cultivates classroom-changing strategies for educators. Nearpod is backed by Insight Partners, Reach Capital, GSV Acceleration Fund, Storm Ventures, the Stanford-StartX Fund,  Krillion Ventures, The Knight Foundation, Miami Angels, Scott Cook and his wife, Signe Ostby, and Marc Benioff. The company was founded in 2012 by Guido Kovalskys, Felipe Sommer and Emiliano Abramzon. To learn more, visit: nearpod.com.

About Flocabulary

Flocabulary is a learning platform that helps students thrive by bringing the K-12 curriculum to life. Founded in 2004 by Alex Rappaport and Blake Harrison, the company’s rappers, artists, and educators develop videos and activities that are captivating, relevant, and research-based. By engaging students in rigorous academic content, Flocabulary supports teachers in their daily instruction and helps students master standards, build vocabulary, and develop 21st-century skills. For more information about Flocabulary, visit: flocabulary.com.

Contact Information

Rachel Stoczko

Nearpod

VSC for Nearpod

nearpod@vscconssulting.com