Precursor Ventures

Nectir AI develops a versatile platform that provides educators with customizable, FERPA-compliant AI Assistants integrated into Learning Management Systems (LMS). This technology offers students personalized support around the clock, helping to alleviate faculty and staff workloads while fostering measurable improvements in student outcomes. Additionally, Nectir's platform promotes collaborative learning by connecting students enrolled in the same classes, enhancing engagement and communication among the student body and faculty. This dual focus on personalized assistance and collaborative tools aims to enrich the educational experience and facilitate better connections within academic communities.

The New Club empowers and elevates women in engineering and connect them with the community and careers to excel.

SmartPass helps teachers and principals coordinate student movement throughout the school day. School schedules are more dynamic than ever. Rotating classes, advisory periods, pull-out interventions, and counseling sessions are just a few examples of managing traffic and teacher capacity. SmartPass unlocks communication across classrooms, increases safety, and integrates directly with SIS platforms to ensure students and teachers can focus on learning instead of logistics.

Pollen provides business upskilling, mentorship, community, and tools for independents to grow their businesses.

Campus is an accredited online community college that focuses on providing accessible educational opportunities to students across the country. It offers a range of live online and in-person associate degrees and certificate programs, emphasizing student success and support. By leveraging an online educational platform, Campus aims to facilitate a flexible learning environment that meets the diverse needs of its student population.

Terra.do Inc. is an online platform dedicated to educating individuals about climate change and facilitating their transition to climate-related careers. Founded in 2020, the company operates from Bengaluru, India, with an additional office in Stanford, California. Terra.do collaborates with climate experts to provide a comprehensive overview of the climate landscape through its online programs. These programs cover a range of topics, including the scientific aspects of climate change, its global impacts, environmental finance, and strategies for mitigation. Participants have the opportunity to engage in practical climate projects, allowing them to apply their skills in real-world contexts and advance their professional journeys in the climate sector.

Developer of bible study platform designed to reimagine texts for modern times. The company's platform integrates comics, groups, and gamification using new living translations of the scriptures, enabling users to get visualizations of the stories within the pages.

Ribbon Education, founded in 2021 in Brooklyn, New York by Joe Burgess and Lisa Jiang, develops a teacher-student relationship management platform aimed at enhancing the educational experience. This platform is designed to help teachers gain insights into their students, improve educational outcomes, and streamline administrative tasks. By focusing on scaling student support for online programs, Ribbon Education enables educational institutions to reduce teacher workloads and enhance student retention. The company addresses the challenges of online education, making it more affordable and effective for adult learners while ultimately striving to improve the overall quality of education.

Praxis Labs, Inc. specializes in developing virtual reality-based software aimed at enhancing diversity and inclusion training in the workplace. The company combines research-backed curriculum with advanced VR technology to create immersive training modules that address unconscious bias. Its offerings include designing educational content, producing high-quality training materials, and providing measurable metrics to assess improvements in understanding and empathy regarding implicit bias. Established in 2019 and headquartered in Stanford, California, Praxis Labs focuses on embedding equity and inclusion throughout the employee lifecycle, ultimately striving to improve workplace culture and outcomes.

Tribe XR is a software company that makes it easy for anyone to learn real-world skills in VR and AR. The company harnesses VR and AR to enable people to learn real-world skills. Learning by doing is scientifically proven to cement knowledge better than watching videos, reading, or sitting in class. Their first vertical is Music production and DJing. The company's virtual mentor explains the basics of DJing, teaches techniques on realistically-rendered virtual decks, and then leaves users free to practice and perform to the world. Well-known DJs, such as Kryoman, provide masterclasses. Tribe VR's learning program is being developed in partnership with industry experts, electronic music schools, and Top DJs. Beyond music, Tribe VR is developing the self-serve immersive learning platform and toolset, enabling any organization or individual to create and broadcast VR and AR lessons, and monetize through their platform.

Ascent Autism is dedicated to supporting individuals with autism by enhancing their social skills and fostering meaningful relationships with peers. The organization has developed an innovative, evidence-based program focused on social skills and emotional growth tailored for those with autism. Through its SaaS-driven education platform, Ascent Autism offers weekly video meetings led by trained moderators, along with monthly one-on-one meetings for parents. This approach encourages families to connect and engage with one another, providing a supportive environment for socialization, learning, and enjoyment. By facilitating interactions among families, Ascent Autism aims to create a community that promotes growth and understanding within the autism spectrum.

On Deck is a platform designed to support ambitious individuals globally by providing fellowship programs that accelerate career development and entrepreneurial ideas. The company fosters a collaborative community and offers action-oriented programming to help founders and aspiring entrepreneurs navigate the early stages of starting a business. By creating an environment conducive to growth, On Deck equips participants with essential guidance and resources, enabling them to refine their ideas and establish meaningful connections. Through its focus on personal and professional development, On Deck aims to empower individuals to achieve their goals more efficiently.

We are in a moment in history where entrepreneurs have disproportionate influence on everything from the social problems they work on to what they consume, practice, believe, and desire. As Jack Dorsey, founder of Twitter and Square, recently declared on the cover of Forbes, "the most efficient means to spread an idea today is corporate structure." Moreover, according to the Kauffman Foundation, 54% of millennials have started an organization or have the desire to start one. Given all of this, we believe the future of our world depends largely on the ventures the next generation creates. To create an institution for this context, we've created Praxis as a venture group, structured as a non-profit, that focuses on equipping and resourcing a growing portfolio of faith-motivated entrepreneurs who have committed their lives to cultural and social impact, renewing the spirit of their age one organization at a time. Praxis was conceived in 2010 by Dave Blanchard, then a Principal Designer at IDEO and Josh Kwan, the Director of International Giving for the David Weekley Family Foundation, and developed in collaboration with Q, a learning community that mobilizes Christians to advance the common good in society. Each year, Praxis welcomes 12 businesses and 12 nonprofits into their two Accelerator programs, where they provide the top-decision makers in these organizations with the knowledge, network, and personal discipleship necessary to build sustainable, high-impact organizations. In summer of 2014, they'll also launch Praxis Academy, a summer program focused on training Christ-following undergraduates at the intersection of faith, startups, and culture. Academy graduates will have a chance to apply for their Future Founders program, where they'll have an unique opportunity to do a summer apprenticeship with their Accelerator alumni.

Praxis Labs, Inc. specializes in developing virtual reality-based software aimed at enhancing diversity and inclusion training in the workplace. The company combines research-backed curriculum with advanced VR technology to create immersive training modules that address unconscious bias. Its offerings include designing educational content, producing high-quality training materials, and providing measurable metrics to assess improvements in understanding and empathy regarding implicit bias. Established in 2019 and headquartered in Stanford, California, Praxis Labs focuses on embedding equity and inclusion throughout the employee lifecycle, ultimately striving to improve workplace culture and outcomes.

Encantos is an award-winning online platform connecting kids with the world's best storyteachers to teach them 21st century skills. Encantos has received numerous industry awards and accolades from the AP, ASU GSV, CNN, Common Sense Media, Forbes, Kidscreen, Kirkus Reviews, NBC News, The New York Times, NPR, Parents Magazine, Publishers Weekly, Romper, School Library Journal, Univision and USA Today.

LOOM is a wellbeing platform dedicated to empowering women through comprehensive education on reproductive and sexual health. Founded in 2016 by Erica Chidi and Quinn Lundberg, and based in Los Angeles, LOOM offers classes and events that cover a wide range of topics, from menstruation to parenting. The platform aims to provide women with the necessary knowledge and resources to thrive in their bodies at every stage of life, fostering an environment of inclusivity, empathy, and scientific understanding. By focusing on these critical areas, LOOM seeks to enhance the health education landscape for women, guiding them through the complexities of their reproductive journeys.

Patio is a private community platform tailored for college students, facilitating connections based on shared interests. With over 100,000 verified users, the application allows students with college email IDs to create accounts and join public or private groups. This environment promotes interaction among students, enabling them to discover social opportunities and engage in meaningful conversations through private messaging. By providing a safe and welcoming space for communication, Patio helps students, including incoming freshmen, navigate their campus life and build a sense of community.

Rebel Girls is a global empowerment brand focused on inspiring confidence and ambition in girls through diverse content, experiences, products, and community engagement. Originating from a best-selling children’s book series, the brand highlights the stories of extraordinary women from various backgrounds and fields. With a community of nearly 20 million self-identified Rebel Girls across more than 100 countries, Rebel Girls connects with Generation Alpha through its books, award-winning podcasts, events, and merchandise. The launch of the Dream On app in 2021 aimed to enhance sleep routines by offering empowering stories in a screen-free audio format. Additionally, the brand has celebrated cultural milestones, such as the "Celebrate Black Girl Magic" initiative, which includes themed books and events. To date, Rebel Girls has sold 7 million books in 51 languages and achieved 14 million podcast downloads, solidifying its role as a significant influence in children's empowerment and education.

Campus is an accredited online community college that focuses on providing accessible educational opportunities to students across the country. It offers a range of live online and in-person associate degrees and certificate programs, emphasizing student success and support. By leveraging an online educational platform, Campus aims to facilitate a flexible learning environment that meets the diverse needs of its student population.

Monti Kids, Inc., founded in 2014 and based in Orinda, California, specializes in producing educational toys designed for children from birth to age three. The company focuses on promoting cognitive, physical, linguistic, social, and emotional development through its Montessori-based curriculum. Monti Kids provides a subscription service that delivers a new set of educational wooden toys and accompanying online guidance every three months, empowering parents to engage with their children during these critical developmental years. The offerings include instructional videos that help parents effectively introduce each toy, maximizing the learning experience.

Homeroom is an all encompassing after school enrichment platform that allows school organizers, parents and vendors to organize, book and manage classes happening on their school site. From simplified registration, to tools that support your management all season long, Homeroom is the administrative assistant you've always dreamed of.

Littlefund, Inc. is a San Francisco-based company founded in 2015 that develops a mobile application aimed at promoting financial literacy among children. The application serves as a smart savings and gift tool, allowing parents to facilitate and enhance their children's understanding of financial concepts. By providing an easy-to-use platform, Littlefund enables parents to teach their children valuable financial skills, fostering a foundation for their future financial wellness. As of September 2020, Littlefund operates as a subsidiary of U-Nest Advisers, LLC.

Edmit is an educational technology company focused on enhancing transparency in higher education costs and value. The platform offers personalized data concerning scholarships, financial aid, employment outcomes, and student debt. By providing this comprehensive information, Edmit helps college-bound students and their families assess the overall costs and affordability of various colleges, enabling them to make informed decisions regarding their educational investments.

Lacquerbar is a nail beauty brand focused on empowering nail technicians through education and career development. The company offers both online and offline beauty school programs designed to facilitate learning and foster a sense of community among participants. In addition to educational offerings, Lacquerbar engages its audience through podcasts that promote discussion and connection within the industry. By providing these resources, Lacquerbar aims to support individuals in building successful careers in the nail industry.

SV Academy, founded in 2017, is an online educational platform that aims to democratize access to careers in sales and customer success for individuals from underrepresented backgrounds. The organization connects over 400 SaaS employers with a community of rigorously trained talent, offering services such as skill-building, mentorship, job placement assistance, and ongoing support after employment. With a focus on preparing graduates with the necessary skills and confidence, SV Academy provides weekly coaching and mentoring sessions led by experienced business development executives. The effectiveness of its program is reflected in the fact that 60% of graduates receive promotions within their first year. Recognized for its innovative approach to education, SV Academy is supported by several prominent investors and continues to foster a strong network for alumni through various events and coaching opportunities.

PandaTree, Inc. is a language learning platform based in Palo Alto, California, founded in 2014. The company specializes in providing children with the opportunity to learn Mandarin and Spanish through engaging content, including videos, word games, and live, one-on-one video sessions with carefully selected native-speaking tutors. Its offerings are designed to make language learning enjoyable and effective for kids, promoting interactive conversation practice. PandaTree aims to establish itself as a leading and trusted source of online language education for children globally.