Smart Symbols Raises 550,000 Euros in Capital. The Tech Company Aims to Conquer the European Market and Modernize Education .
The Belgian tech company Smart Symbols receives 550,000 euros in capital from imec.istart and Shaping Impact Group. With this amount, the team wants to expand its digital platform for teachers to several European countries.
“Across Europe, teachers are struggling with full classrooms and outdated resources,” says Peter Minne, co-founder of Smart Symbols. “With Smart Symbols, we want to support them and create more room for individual attention. Thanks to this capital round, we can launch our platform in new countries and continue building child-centered education.”
Child-Centered Monitoring
Smart Symbols was founded in 2020 by David and Peter Minne. The platform helps teachers in preschool and primary education to digitally monitor children’s activities and progress. In this way, the company aims to reduce administrative burden and create space for individual guidance.
Central to the platform is a digital choice board where children indicate activities. This data is automatically recorded and compiled into reports. As a result, teachers quickly gain insight into the behavior, engagement, and potential issues of each child. Through symbols, the system is also usable for non-native speaking families.
In addition to the choice board, Smart Symbols includes a planning module, evaluation tools, and support for various curricula and languages. In Flanders, more than 200 schools use the system.
Plans for Expansion in Europe
With the new investment, Smart Symbols is focusing on international growth. The company wants to roll out its platform in countries including the Netherlands, Finland, Portugal, Spain, Bulgaria, the United Kingdom, and Greece. The investment comes from the SI3 fund of Shaping Impact Group and from the acceleration program imec.istart, which previously guided Smart Symbols.
According to Shaping Impact Group, the platform offers a scalable solution to more quickly identify socio-emotional needs and reduce workload for teachers. Both investors see potential in Smart Symbols to contribute to a more child-centered approach to education in various European contexts.