Gaia Learning raises £400k to scale SEND platform Bloom
What's the deal? UK edtech Gaia LearningDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has raised £400,000 in an early-stage equity round from GC AngelsDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, Nesta Impact InvestmentsDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and a syndicate of angel investors. The North West-based company runs an online platform for neurodivergent children who cannot access mainstream education.
What's the endgame? The money will fund Bloom, a special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) infrastructure platform that helps schools and providers deliver, track, and evidence support for children with additional needs. The long-term aim is for Bloom to become the central system schools use to coordinate SEND provision.
Why now? Gaia Learning is rolling out Bloom, with pilots already underway in Northern Ireland and more school trials due to start in September. Founded in 2019, the company supports children unable to attend mainstream school due to autism, ADHD, anxiety, school avoidance, and mental health challenges.
The round follows £550,000 raised in 2024, led by Nesta Impact InvestmentsDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → alongside GC Angels. Since then, Gaia Learning has grown its team to 24 staff and partnered with Pearson Edexcel.
What they're saying: "Our first funding round really helped us to get this idea off the ground," said chief executive officer Kate Heath. "This latest funding round will help us to build on this success."
Marc Shirman, head of equity investment at GC Angels, said the company's founders "exemplify the innovation and talent we have here in the North of England."
The signal: The raise reflects continued investor interest in specialist education technology aimed at underserved learners, with backers pairing commercial capital and impact funding to target SEND provision — a persistent gap in UK schools.
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