Zen Educate
Zen Educate is a UK digital marketplace connecting 2,000+ schools with 13,000+ vetted supply teachers and teaching assistants via web and mobile platforms, replacing traditional agencies with lower transaction fees and Crown Commercial Service framework procurement access.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Zen Educate does
Zen Educate is a UK-based digital marketplace that connects schools directly with supply teachers, teaching assistants, cover supervisors, and support staff, displacing traditional recruitment agencies that historically charge 35-38% of placement cost. Founded in 2016 (with one source citing 2017) and headquartered in London, the company operates a self-serve web platform and mobile applications on iOS and Android, enabling schools to post requirements, browse vetted candidates by proximity and skills, and complete bookings online. Teachers and teaching assistants can sign up, complete document submission, and receive approval in under 24 hours, replacing the manual morning phone-call workflow that has historically dominated UK supply cover. The company holds a distinctive position as the only tech-enabled supplier listed on the Crown Commercial Service framework, providing a verified procurement route for UK public sector schools.
The platform serves two primary customer segments: UK schools (primary, secondary, SEN, nursery, and pupil referral units) seeking temporary and permanent staff, and qualified educators seeking flexible work. Zen Educate generates revenue through a transaction or commission-based fee model on placements, with pricing not publicly disclosed but materially lower than traditional agency rates. Distribution combines self-serve digital sign-up, the Crown Commercial Service framework, and a 13-office regional footprint across England and Wales. The company reports serving 2,000+ schools daily with 13,000+ registered teachers and teaching assistants, and claims to have saved UK schools £50m in the past year.
As of January 2026, Zen Educate reported £13 million in revenue and has raised over $70 million cumulatively, including a £19.3M Series A extension in October 2022 (Brighteye Ventures and Adjuvo) and a $37M Series B in May 2024 (Round2 Capital). The company is pursuing a roll-up strategy, having acquired Aquinas Education in May 2024 and AK Teaching in January 2026, and has signaled intent to enter the US market and develop adjacent SaaS products for the education sector. It achieved B Corporation certification in April 2026.
Zen Educate firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Zen Educate
- Legal name
- Zen Educate Limited
- Website
- https://zeneducate.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Zen Educate is a UK digital marketplace connecting 2,000+ schools with 13,000+ vetted supply teachers and teaching assistants via web and mobile platforms, replacing traditional agencies with lower transaction fees and Crown Commercial Service framework procurement access.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Zen Educate industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Education Staffing Marketplace
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Special Education Staffing & Contracted Providers (Paras, Therapists, Specialists) (EDAJAKAL)
Keywords
Where Zen Educate is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices14 records
Markets served
Zen Educate business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Commission/transaction fee on teacher placements: Zen Educate acts as a digital marketplace connecting schools directly with teachers and teaching assistants, charging lower fees than traditional agencies which typically charge 35-38% of cost. The company saves UK schools £50m by cutting out hefty agency fees, suggesting a transaction-based or commission-based revenue model at a significantly lower take rate than traditional agencies.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Platform fee for schools to access teacher and TA marketplace |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Zen Educate product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Zen Educate operates a digital marketplace platform connecting UK schools directly with supply teachers, teaching assistants, cover supervisors, and support staff. Schools post roles and browse vetted candidates online or via the Zen Educate mobile app (iOS/Android), eliminating traditional recruitment agency middlemen. The platform charges lower transaction-based fees than the typical 35-38% charged by traditional agencies and is the only tech-enabled supplier listed on the Crown Commercial Service framework.
Product overview
Zen Educate operates as a single unified digital platform for education staffing, consisting of the core web platform, a mobile application (iOS/Android), and a schools portal. The platform connects schools directly with teachers and teaching assistants, offering job listings across various roles (Teachers, Teaching Assistants, Cover Supervisors, Invigilators, SEN specialists) in Primary, Secondary, Nursery, and SEN Schools. The platform's key value proposition is eliminating traditional agency middlemen to reduce costs for schools while offering better rates to educators. The platform serves over 2,000 UK schools with 13,000+ registered teachers and teaching assistants.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Zen Educate Platform
Quantifiable outcome
- UK schools saved £50m by using Zen Educate compared to traditional supply teaching agencies.
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Zen Educate
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Zen Educate technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Zen Educate partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- AK TeachingcoreZen Educate acquired AK Teaching, a Sunderland-based education recruitment firm with offices across the North and Midlands, retaining AK's senior management team including founder Anthony Kirtley. Zen Educate provides investment and infrastructure support, with the acquisition strengthening Zen's presence in the North of England and aligning with its UK and international expansion strategy.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Zen Educate competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Protocol Education: UK-based education recruitment agency supplying teachers, TAs, and support staff to primary, secondary, and SEN schools. Direct competitor with similar customer base and service offering.
- Teaching Personnel: One of the largest UK supply teaching and education recruitment agencies. Direct competitor in the same K-12 staffing category, serving schools with temporary and permanent teacher placements.
- Simply Education: UK supply teaching agency providing daily, short-term, long-term, and permanent teacher placements. Directly competes with Zen in the supply teacher marketplace category.
- Step Teachers: UK-based education recruitment agency placing teachers and support staff in primary, secondary, and SEN schools. Operates in the same K-12 staffing niche as Zen Educate.
- Engage Education: UK education recruitment specialist focused on supply teachers, TAs, and support staff across primary and secondary schools. Direct marketplace/agency competitor to Zen.
- TeacherActive: UK-based education recruitment agency supplying teachers and support staff nationwide. Directly comparable supply teaching service with overlapping school customers.
- Milk Education: UK education recruitment agency providing supply teachers, cover supervisors, and teaching assistants to schools. Comparable niche and customer base to Zen Educate.
- Aspire People: UK education recruitment specialist covering primary, secondary, SEN, and nursery staffing. Operates in the same supply teaching and education staffing category as Zen.
Broad incumbents
- Reed Education: Education division of Reed, one of the UK's largest recruitment groups. Competes with Zen in UK education staffing but as part of a much broader recruitment portfolio across multiple sectors.
- Hays Education: UK arm of global recruiter Hays, with a dedicated Education division placing teachers and education support staff. Larger, broader portfolio player with overlapping UK education staffing services.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Zen Educate social profiles
Digital presenceZen Educate compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Zen Educate financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Zen Educate leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Zen Educate subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Zen Educate funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Zen Educate M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Zen Educate
What does Zen Educate do?
Zen Educate operates a digital marketplace platform connecting UK schools directly with supply teachers, teaching assistants, cover supervisors, and support staff. Schools post roles and browse vetted candidates online or via the Zen Educate mobile app (iOS/Android), eliminating traditional recruitment agency middlemen. The platform charges lower transaction-based fees than the typical 35-38% charged by traditional agencies and is the only tech-enabled supplier listed on the Crown Commercial Service framework.
Is Zen Educate a public or private company?
Zen Educate is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Zen Educate founded?
Zen Educate was founded in 2016. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Zen Educate based?
Zen Educate is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Zen Educate make money?
One revenue line is on record: commission/transaction fee on teacher placements.
Who are Zen Educate's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Protocol Education, Teaching Personnel, Simply Education, Step Teachers, Engage Education, TeacherActive, Milk Education and Aspire People. Broad incumbents are Reed Education and Hays Education.
Does Zen Educate have an API?
No public API is recorded for Zen Educate.
What industry is Zen Educate in?
Zen Educate's product category is Education Staffing Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAKAL, Special Education Staffing & Contracted Providers (Paras, Therapists, Specialists). Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.