To upskill teachers in 10+ countries, US $2.8 M secured by Singapore’s Doyobi

Monk’s Hill Ventures sponsored a US $2.8 million pre-Series A financing round for Doyobi, a Singapore-based provider of STEM teaching tools and teacher professional development to schools.

Tres Monos Capital, Novus Paradigm Capital, and XA Network are among the other investors.

The round was also co-invested in by Carousell CEO Quek Siu Rui, Glints co-founders Oswald Yeo and Seah Ying Cong, and Head of Grab Financial Group Reuben Lai.

Doyobi plans to utilise the funds to create new cohort-based courses geared at teacher upskilling. It will also provide new materials to assist teachers in delivering STEM and 21st-century skills in the classroom, such as creative and critical thinking.

The money will also be used to build ‘Instructors As Humans,’ an online community where instructors may find peer support and opportunities for professional development.

In addition, Doyobi intends to create the STEM School Leader Fellowship. Its goal is to help school leaders, such as principals and department heads, understand how to successfully use STEM principles in the classroom and to help students acquire the skills and attitudes needed for additional career options as innovators, entrepreneurs, and changemakers.

Doyobi is a spin-off from Singapore’s Saturday Kids coding school, which was founded in 2020.

John Tan, the company’s CEO, and co-founder noticed a disconnect between what is taught in schools and what students need to know in order to be prepared for future work.

“Curiosity, imagination, and empathy are just as important as literacy and numeracy skills. We believe teachers are integral to transforming the classroom experience,” he said.

Doyobi’s guided courses, which include videos, quizzes, and projects, allow instructors and school administrators to combine STEM and 21st century-related topics in a fun and engaging way.

Doyobi claims to have onboarded almost 2,000 teachers from over 10 countries to use its virtual learning environment since its beginnings.

Its partners include Leap Surabaya, Codercademy, and private institutions including HighScope Indonesia, Mutiara Harapan Islamic School, and Stella Gracia School.

While Indonesia and the Philippines are Doyobi’s most important markets, the firm claims that African educational institutions are also embracing the Doyobi curriculum.