CodeCombat

CodeCombat

Learn to code by playing a game

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Security Type
Preferred Stock
Categories
Other
Min Investment
$500
Location
San Francisco, CA
Offering Date
June 30, 2020
Expected Close Date
September 28, 2020
Target Raise
$478.00K-$1.34M
Deal Notes

Round type: Series A Round size: US $1,335,000 Minimum investment: US $500 Target Minimum: US $478,000 Raised to date: US $308,226 US $8,227 (under Reg CF only) Security Type: Preferred Equity Share price: US $1.71 Pre-Money valuation: US $25,000,000 Option pool: 2.04% Liquidation preference: 1.0x

Valuation
$25,000,000

Company Description

Learn to code by playing a gameThe Challenge of Coding EducationCoding is the #1 job skill, and 90% of parents want their kids to learn it. Yet schools are struggling to scale up computer science quickly enough. Schools must teach:Engagingly: how do you get all kids excited about coding, when most don’t think coding is for them? Of AP CS test takers, only 29% are female, 22% are students of color.Effectively: how can you teach real code to young students, when even in college, traditional instruction leaves 32% of students failing Intro to CS courses?Scalably: how can you find CS teachers to teach every student, when teachers who know coding will leave to work as software engineers at nearly twice the salary?Online: how can you deploy distance-learning-compatible curriculum during COVID-19, which closed schools for 1.6 of 1.7 billion students worldwide?The SolutionTo solve these curriculum challenges, schools turn to CodeCombat, a coding game that uses real code and personalized learning to let any teacher teach computer science, offline or online. Our custom code engine lets learners type real Python and JavaScript with simple error messages and a smooth learning curve. The game-based learning format is so much fun that kids want to play it, with 170K monthly active learners playing at home. And our comprehensive curriculum lets schools quickly deploy world-class computer science courses.TractionStrong demand had already led to over $2M bookings in 2019. Then, in 2020, COVID-19 accelerated everything, creating $4.3M in new B2B sales pipeline and increasing B2C revenue 75% in two months. To serve this surge in B2C demand, we’re launching our new online classes product, hiring pro coding teachers to teach live coding lessons. On the B2B side, after two years of development, we’re fully launching Ozaria, our next-gen schools product, which is perfect for distance learning.

Key Deal Facts

$2M revenue in 2019, with 75% B2C growth in 2 months from COVID-19 (unaudited)
Series-A-stage company backed by a16z, YC, Hone Capital, and other top investors
Used in over 25,000 US schools, CodeCombat has helped more than 19.8 million people learn to code in Python and JavaScript
99% of educators report their students enjoy learning how to code with CodeCombat
Seasoned edtech founding team previously created Skritter, in 2020 named "the best app available for learning to write in Chinese" by MakeUseOf.com

Management Team / Advisory Board Bios

Nick Winter
CEO
Nick is CodeCombat's CEO and cofounder. He previously was CTO and cofounder of Skritter, the #1 app for foreigners learning to write Chinese characters; he now sits on Skritter's board. A graduate of Oberlin College with highest honors and a triple major in Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, and East Asian Studies, Nick brings together his passions for technology, optimization, and language learning to teach the next generation how to be native speakers of code. Nick is also the author of The Motivation Hacker, a book about achieving extreme productivity.

Matt Lott
CTO
Matt is CodeCombat's CTO and cofounder. Previously, he was CTO and cofounder of Funnel, a microblogging app for DIY enthusiasts and amateur artists. A veteran of the game industry, Matt brings extensive technology expertise from his time at Microsoft on the Xbox team and his master's degree in Computer Science from Texas A&M University. Matt applies his 17 years of engineering and entrepreneurial experience to creating high-performing engineering teams.

Bill Wang
China GM
Bill is CodeCombat’s China General Manager. An enthusiastic STEAM advocate with a passion for education, he started his career as a high school teacher. After grad school at Tsinghua University (#1 in China), he spent a decade serving in executive and leadership roles at prestigious global companies such as Google, P&G, and McKinsey. He then helped launch a few Silicon-Valley-based tech startups in China, including as the China GM of xAd, which he grew from zero to the largest overseas business with 30+ FTE in the first year. Under Bill’s leadership, CodeCombat China attracted 100+ paid partners across the country in the first 18 months.

Deal Notes

Round type: Series A Round size: US $1,335,000 Minimum investment: US $500 Target Minimum: US $478,000 Raised to date: US $308,226 US $8,227 (under Reg CF only) Security Type: Preferred Equity Share price: US $1.71 Pre-Money valuation: US $25,000,000 Option pool: 2.04% Liquidation preference: 1.0x

Amount Raised : $1,214,168
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Security Description

Preferred securities are a type of investment that generally offers some sort of preferred treatment through a dividend or preferred treatment in a liquidation.

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