Renaissance acquiring Miami based edtech startup Nearpod

Nearpod, the Miami-based edtech company, is in the final stages to be acquired by Renaissance Holding Corp., an education technology group. Although the deal hasn’t closed yet, Todd Brekhus, Chief Product Officer at Renaissance, said, “We have a definitive agreement signed by both parties.” Renaissance hasn’t disclosed the price of the acquisition even after the deal has reached the final stages.

Nearpod offers an edtech platform for K-12 teachers to use in the classroom to create interactive slides, videos, quizzes, questions, and many other activities. Students can use their own devices to learn in real-time or opt for a “student-paced” learning mode. The company was founded in 2012 by three Argentinian entrepreneurs. Later in 2020, when the pandemic approached, Pep Carrera bought the company. According to Crunchbase, the company has raised more than $30 million in venture capital.

Brekhus, who is a former edtech founder himself,Renaissance, revealed he had eyes on Nearpod for a while, “We were looking to connect more with lesson delivery, and teacher engagement in the classroom and Nearpod has done that in an exceptional way.”

Carrera and the entire team will be working as usual but will be reporting to Chris Bauleke, CEO of Renaissance. “We are looking to continue on our mission and combine our mission with Renaissance,” Carrera said.While the pandemic has taken down several businesses, Nearpod had seen explosive growth in 2020. Nearpod is being used in all 50 states and more than 1,800 school districts.