Gizmo, an interactive study platform, has raised £16 million in Series A funding led by Shine Capital, with participation from Ada Ventures, Seek Investments, GSV, and NFX. It is used by more than 13 million learners across 120+ countries and transforms study materials into interactive learning experiences. The funding will be used to expand Gizmo's engineering and AI team to support growth in the US college market and accelerate product expansion.
With billions of students globally now learning on smartphones, the experience of studying for 16- to 21-year-olds preparing for high-stakes exams has remained largely unchanged. Gizmo applies personalisation, instant feedback, social connection, and variable rewards to studying by turning passive content into personalised, active learning experiences. Students upload notes, documents, or web links, and the platform generates customised study materials including interactive flashcards, adaptive quizzes, and gamified challenges. Social features allow users to study together, compete on leaderboards, and hold each other accountable.
The platform is used by high school students preparing for GCSEs in the United Kingdom, US university students, and professionals in the Philippines upskilling in competitive industries. Gizmo was founded in 2021 by University of Cambridge graduates Petros Christodoulou, Robin Jack, and Paul Evangelou, combining expertise in education, computer science and AI engineering.
Ethan Daly, General Partner at Shine Capital, said Gizmo has achieved “organic, student-driven engagement at massive scale” with 13 million users choosing the platform to transform dense subjects into interactive and personalised experiences. Pete Flint, General Partner at NFX, said Gizmo is “an AI-native product that removes friction from learning while creating network effects as more students contribute to and learn from the platform.
We're not fighting for less screen time — we're fighting for better screen time. People aren't addicted to their phones; they're addicted to progress, novelty, social connection, and reward. Gizmo redirects that energy toward something that builds their future. With this funding, we're doubling down on making learning the most engaging and rewarding thing on your phone.
Gizmo has cracked something that's eluded consumer learning for years: organic, student-driven engagement at massive scale. Thirteen million users have chosen Gizmo to transform dense subjects into interactive, personalized, and high-reward experiences, driving real outcomes in a way students love. We see Gizmo as the defining learning platform for the next generation of students and lifelong learners, and we're thrilled to be backing Petros, Robin, and Paul as they scale it globally.
We believed in Gizmo's potential early, because it was built on a combination of deep technical expertise, sharp product instinct, and commitment to innovation. The team has built an AI-native product that removes friction from learning while creating network effects as more students contribute to and learn from the platform. Petros, Robin, and Paul are focused on making sure people benefit from AI and achieve their potential, and we're excited to continue supporting them as they expand.
