Netchemia gets $6.5M for its teacher evaluation & recruitment software

It’s become far easier for ed-tech startups to sell software to schools.

With this shift, a number of new companies have experienced rapid adoption in K-12 school districts. Netchemia, a startup providing talent management tools, claims more than 1,100 K-12 school districts and institutions in 42 states use its services.

The Kansas-based company says it makes easier to recruit, hire, and retain the best teachers and administrators. Today, Mainsail Partners invested $6.5 million to fuel revenue growth by expanding its sales and marketing efforts.

Mainsail Partners’ Jason Payne said by phone that the firm sees a major opportunity in “teacher evaluation and performance” software. Payne has kept an eye on the company for three-and-a-half years, and believes it’s reached an “inflection point” in which it makes sense to invest.

Mainsail specifically invests in bootstrapped companies, meaning they have not taken external funding. This is Netchemia’s first institutional round.

“Developing the best teachers and school leaders is fundamental to improved schools and high student achievement,” said Netchemia CEO Carlos Antequera. “It is a key part of our current national discussion over education.”