An ed-tech startup from South Africa called The Invigilator has raised ZAR195 million (US$11 million) to expand globally. The company has created AI-powered, anti-cheating software for online tests.
Using a student’s smartphone to track their behavior during an exam and artificial intelligence (AI) to identify questionable behavior, The Invigilator, which was founded in 2020, assists educational institutions in keeping an eye on students during remote exams and assessments.
In addition to its cost-effective strategy and ability to operate in low-bandwidth settings, it recently introduced a new feature that is intended to identify instances in which students have used artificial intelligence (AI) to write assignments or tests. Currently, more than 100 institutions use the Invigilator.
Now that it has raised ZAR195 million (US$11 million), the startup intends to use the money to expand its AI-powered products globally. Leading the round were investment professionals from Nashville, Zurich, and Cape Town, as well as Kaltroco, a private investment firm with headquarters in Jersey, Channel Islands.
“We always knew we were building something special, and the fact that South African technology is creating global awareness is fantastic to see,” said The Invigilator co-founder and CEO Nicholas Riemer.
“This investment gives us the ability to ramp up AI development, allowing greater access to education while maintaining assessment credibility. The creation of our live AI monitoring technology means The Invigilator is moving to constant assessment monitoring through AI.”
