Data Dive
October surge in job disruptions due to extreme weather (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey): October’s exceptionally weak U.S. Jobs Report was among the strangest in recent memory, due in part to extreme weather. The number of people saying they had a job but could not work due to bad weather was easily a record high, more than double the previous record.
This week’s featured startup
MyCareerCloset (April Briggs, Advisor): MyCareerCloset offers a complete solution for career transition, providing learners with professional styling, outfit rentals, educational resources, and events. This lasting asset empowers organizations to support students and veterans as they begin their professional journeys with confidence and style.
Investment
SocialCrowd Raises $2.5M in Funding (Afrotech): SocialCrowd allows workers to track their goals and receive reminders for remaining tasks. Founder Raphael Akinsipe describes the company as the “Fitbit for work.”
Craftt closed $2M seed to offer universal benefits with future of work decentralized platform (PR Newswire): For people transitioning to flexible careers, the platform will empower a seamless and connected workforce with earnings, healthcare, insurance, rewards, and work-life support: all subsidized through network economics.
Emerges launches €73M Fund II (Tech.eu): As Europe’s only future of work and learning specialist early-stage fund, Emerge was founded to democratise access to opportunity. The company is focused on education and the future of workplace learning.
Swedish AI tech Sana raises $55M at $500M valuation to redefine workplace training with AI (Tech Funding News): Companies struggle to deliver trainings that are relevant and engaging for employees. Sana personalizes workplace training by analysing user data to tailor learning experiences in real-time.
Lingo Education Tech Company Raises $2.25 Million Seed (Pulse 2.0): LINGO aims to bridge the gap between traditional education and industry readiness by delivering accessible STEM tools that empower learners to seize real-world opportunities.
FullyRamped raises $2.3M to train sales reps faster with AI role play (GlobeNewswire): The platform allows reps to practice pitches and objection handling with various personas without burning real leads. It offers infinite opportunities, without the constraints of manager or teammate availability.
Stema raises EUR 16M to automate STEM recruitment and foster innovation (Tech.eu): By focusing on career paths vs. individual job openings, Stema helps companies pinpoint the engineers best suited for each role, ensuring a stronger fit and fostering creativity and innovation.
American Student Assistance Invests $2.5 Million in Springpod (Citybiz): Springpod partners with universities and employers to provide students with free access to online work-based learning experiences, helping them explore and prepare for future careers.
Paris-based Mendo raises €3.5 million to accelerate adoption of GenAI in companies (EU-Startups): It’s a SaaS solution that trains employees to make optimal use of software, especially for the adoption of generative AI in the workplace.
Suraasa raises $6 million to enhance teacher workforce development (CNBCTV18): By understanding the specific skill requirements in different parts of the world, Suraasa aims to train teachers who can mobilise to countries experiencing high demand for educators.
Revyze, a TikTok for education startup, closes seed round of €5.5 million (TechCrunch): “The app that lets you understand in 2 minutes what you didn’t understand in 2 hours of class,” Revyze democratizes access to high-quality education by gamifying test prep.
Buddy AI is using AI and gaming to help children learn English as a second language (TechCrunch): Buddy.ai is an animated, multimodal, conversational character tutor, working with more than 22 million students annually.
Kiwi scaleup Crimson Education swots up on NZ$67 million Series D (Startup Daily): They position themselves as a critical partner in a child’s education: from academic tutoring, to high school, extracurricular development, university candidacy building, to providing access to careers, research, and leadership opportunities.
Zinc raises $25.5 mn in seed round led by Nexus Venture Partners (BW Disrupt): Zinc’s core mission is to help families build what it calls “edu-wealth” – a financial foundation tailored specifically to meet the rising costs of overseas education.
Resources
Skills Outlook: Skills Map United States (Pearson): The Skills Map of the US is an analysis of how three factors are reshaping employment: automation, AI, and an aging population.
Events
AI in L&D: How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming Learning and Development (Sparkwise): Hear from leaders at Ericsson and McKinsey about what it takes to become a skills-based organization, and how to navigate the complex transformation.
Opportunities
Salesforce Unveils AgentForce Accelerator to Boost Nonprofit Impact (NonProfit PRO): Building AI solutions can be out of reach for many nonprofits. Salesforce is bridging this gap by supporting them with technology, funding, and pro bono expertise to help them develop AI-powered agent solutions (including $2M in grants).
PEN Ventures: A skilled startup accelerator for entrepreneurs going global (KED Global): For startups to secure funding, they often need to show a determination to go global. PEN supports startups to expand their reach internationally.
In the news
Community college enrollment is crucial for economic recovery (Boston Globe): Most students in these two-year programs take six years or more to graduate. Ensuring affordability and providing wraparound support services can help more students graduate and secure jobs.
The weird world of future work revealed (SmartCompany): Brain reading headphones, longevity tests and digital twins: some of the workplace innovations that are closer to reality than we realize.
Tulsa’s $10,000 Remote Worker Incentive Boosts City’s Economy and Retention (ABC 33/40): The program breaks even after about 1.5 years; but 75% of the workers have remained in Tulsa since it began five years ago.
Five States Join Ambitious Nationwide Effort to Tear the Paper Ceiling and Accelerate Opportunity for Workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs) (PR Newswire): It’s the inaugural cohort of the STARs Public Sector Hub, an Opportunity@Work initiative to make 400,000 public-sector jobs available to people “Skilled Through Alternative Means” by 2025.
One Company A/B Tested Hybrid Work. Here’s What They Found (Harvard Business Review): Trip.com is one of the world’s largest online travel companies, with 40,000 employees. The results were clear: compared to in-office, hybrid work increased employee productivity, improved job satisfaction, lowered attrition & saved millions of dollars.
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