SEL Platform Gets Funding to Expand Nationwide
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 01/07/21
A
company that produces a tech-powered social-emotional learning
solution will be expanding its distribution, after a thousand
students have used it in Minnesota. EmpowerU
has received $1 million in seed funding to take its program
nationwide, for licensing by middle schools, high schools and
colleges.
Participating
students receive daily online lessons and one-on-one motivational
coaching as nudges for improving their emotional wellbeing,
attendance and grades.
Use
of the semester-long online program takes about 20 to 30 minutes each
day. According to the company, that "daily blend" of
support can decrease the need for more costly interventions. The
approach is aligned with CASEL
and national health and wellness standards, enabling students who
finish all six units of the course to be eligible to receive a
semester wellness credit from participating schools.
The
new round of funding was led by Capita3,
a Twin Cities venture firm with a focus on women-led organizations.
EmpowerU was co-founded by Katie Dorn, a former K-12 school counselor
and therapist, and Abby Master, a social cognition coach with a
master's degree in communication sciences and disorders.
Additional
investors included ECMC
Foundation
and GreatNorth
Labs.
"I
know how desperate educators are for cost-effective tools that
actually help students overcome struggle," said Dorn, in a press
release. "Although most students are unable to control their
barriers, EmpowerU helps them navigate obstacles and come out the
other side stronger. Students build hope that despite their difficult
circumstances, they can feel better and thrive, today and in the
future."
About the Author
Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.