New funding to help Kano offer coding kits to North American kids
Education technology start-up Kano has raised $28m in its latest investment round, enabling the London-based firm to make its coding teaching kits available in thousands of outlets across North America. The kits help children learn computer coding for use with applications like Pong, Snake and Minecraft. Funding was led by Thames Trust and Breyer Capital. CEO Alex Klein said Kano is helping young people to "make their own technology".

EdTech hardware startup Kano has raised $28m (£21m) in a Series B round led by Thames Trust and Breyer Capital.

Index Ventures, the Stanford Engineering Venture Fund, LocalGlobe, Marc Benioff, John Makinson, Collaborative Fund, Triple Point Capital and Barclays also participated in the round, which includes both debt and equity funding.

The London-based company was co-founded by Saul Klein, his cousin Alex Klein and Yonatan Raz-Fridman.

Kano has created computer coding kits to help children learn to code projects such as Pong, Snake and Minecraft.

Alex Klein, the CEO, commented on the news: “We believe the time has come for a new kind of computing, premised on people’s need to understand and shape the world around them – not just swipe, tap, and wait for the latest similar-looking screen.

“The next generation is rising and ready to make their own technology,” he added.

Alongside the funding, Kano said its coding kits will be available in over 4,500 shelves across North America.

“Kano has grown into a category leader, with hardware and software that prepares all ages for the future,” commented Jim Breyer, founder and CEO of Breyer Capital. “The financing, expansion into mass retail, and new products will expose the unique Kano experience to millions more.”

Kano previously landed $15m in Series A funding and raised $1M on Kickstarter in 2013.

The startup’s Seed round drew participation from Index Ventures, James Higa, Troy Carter and Shana Fisher.

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