IRIS Connect
IRIS Connect operates a cloud-based video professional development platform serving schools, multi-academy trusts, and initial teacher training providers in 50+ countries. Founded in 2007, it monetises via annual subscription licences, proprietary recording hardware, and consultancy services across 2,500+ organisations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersHove, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What IRIS Connect does
IRIS Connect is a UK-based software company founded in 2007 at the University of Sussex that operates a cloud-based video professional development platform for educators. The platform enables teachers to securely record classroom lessons via proprietary hardware (Discovery Kit) or iOS/Android mobile devices (Record App), upload encrypted video to private cloud accounts, and share recordings with coaches and peers for asynchronous reflection and feedback. The platform integrates adaptive coaching workflows (Pathways), AI-generated lesson analysis (AI Insights, launched 2024) grounded in research frameworks such as Rosenshine's Principles and EEF mechanisms, and a library of teaching strategies via a WalkThrus integration. Ancillary capabilities include live remote in-ear coaching, anonymisation filters for safeguarding, LTI LMS integration, and a video-conferencing tool (Rooms). The company's primary customer segments are UK and international schools, multi-academy trusts (MATs), initial teacher training (ITT) providers, and higher/further education institutions across 50+ countries.
The business model is anchored on annual subscription licences sold via a direct consultative enterprise sales motion with bespoke pricing by organisation type and size — UK guide prices range from £992/year for a small primary school to £2,333/year for a large secondary school, with multi-year discounts and MAT/ITT bespoke tiers. Secondary revenue streams include one-time hardware sales (Discovery Kit, Starter Kit) and professional development consultancy services. Distribution combines four regional offices (UK, Ireland, US, New Zealand) with an approved international partner network and an inside sales/telesales team handling inbound enquiries. The company also operates iConnect as a wholly-owned sub-brand for non-education markets (corporate, healthcare). Customers include named organisations such as Teach First, University of Auckland, VIA University College (Denmark), Maltby Learning Trust, Windsor Academy Trust, and Hales Valley Trust.
IRIS Connect has 51-100 employees (with 30+ dedicated to the core product), is privately held and founder-led by Andrew Newell (Managing Director), and has grown organically since 2007 without disclosed venture capital funding. Its competitive positioning relies on longitudinal research validation (Mathematica RCT, EEF evaluations, University of Sussex origin), safeguarding-grade security (Cyber Essentials Plus, GDPR), and a 17-year dataset of 2,500+ organisations and over 1 million reflections. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.
IRIS Connect firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- IRIS Connect
- Legal name
- IRIS Connect Ltd
- Website
- https://irisconnect.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- IRIS Connect operates a cloud-based video professional development platform serving schools, multi-academy trusts, and initial teacher training providers in 50+ countries. Founded in 2007, it monetises via annual subscription licences, proprietary recording hardware, and consultancy services across 2,500+ organisations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
IRIS Connect industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Teacher Professional Development Software
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (6117), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Lecture Capture, Live Streaming & Class Recording (EDAFABAD)
Keywords
Where IRIS Connect is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hove
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
IRIS Connect business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Software Platform Subscription: Annual subscription licensing for the IRIS Connect platform including video tools, Pathways, AI Insights, and technique guides. Priced by organisation type and size (Small Primary, Large Secondary, MAT, ITT) with discounts for multi-year commitments.
- Hardware Sales: Sale of recording equipment including Discovery Kit and Starter Kit camera systems, or use of own devices with the IRIS Connect Record App.
- Professional Development Consultancy: Tailored onboarding, onsite/virtual training sessions, termly check-ins with metric reports, and facilitated PD sessions provided as add-on services.
- WalkThrus Integration: Additional subscription for WalkThrus library of 150+ teaching strategies, available with 15% discount for existing IRIS Connect customers or bundled pricing for new customers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Small Primary School |
| Subscription | Annual | Large Secondary School |
| Subscription | Annual | Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) |
| Subscription | Annual | Initial Teacher Training (ITT) |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Equipment Options |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
IRIS Connect product offering
Product offeringCore offering
IRIS Connect sells a cloud-based professional learning platform that enables teachers to securely record classroom lessons, reflect on their practice, and engage in evidence-based instructional coaching. The platform combines video capture tools (Discovery Kit hardware and the Record App), AI-powered lesson analysis (AI Insights), adaptive coaching frameworks (Pathways), and a curated library of teaching strategies (WalkThrus integration), with bespoke pricing for schools, multi-academy trusts, and ITT providers.
Product overview
IRIS Connect is a unified professional learning platform for teacher development, combining video technology, AI-powered analysis, and adaptive coaching frameworks. The core platform centers on secure video recording and reflection, with key modules including AI Insights (for automated lesson analysis), Pathways (adaptive coaching workflows), Teaching Techniques (evidence-based strategy library), and WalkThrus integration (150+ teaching strategies). The Discovery Kit hardware and Record App enable classroom video capture, while PD Consultancy and Rooms video conferencing add service and collaboration capabilities. UnityPD represents the latest unified product suite combining all components. The platform supports schools, multi-academy trusts, ITT providers, and higher education institutions across 50+ countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- IRIS Connect Platform Cloud-based professional learning platform enabling secure video recording, AI-powered lesson analysis, adaptive coaching Pathways, collaborative PD spaces, and permission-based sharing for schools, MATs, ITT providers, and HE/FE institutions.
- Discovery Kit Portable classroom video recording system available in portable kit format or as app-based recording using iOS/Android devices, supporting single or dual view configurations with secure automatic upload to user accounts.
- Record App Mobile application for iOS and Android that securely captures, encrypts, and uploads classroom recordings directly to user accounts, then automatically removes files locally for data protection.
- PD Consultancy Professional development consultancy offering tailored onboarding, unlimited webinars, termly check-ins with metric reports, customised content, on-site training, and senior consultancy options for subscribing organisations.
- UnityPD Unified professional development solution combining evidence-based theory, technique development, and practice transfer support across teachers' career stages, integrating WalkThrus and IRIS Connect tools into a single offering.
- iConnect Separate brand within IRIS Connect Ltd delivering the same video-based training platform adapted for corporate and healthcare training and professional development.
Quantifiable outcome
- +20% KS2 reading and writing improvement at Woodside Primary (2019-2023)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use IRIS Connect
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
IRIS Connect technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
AI capability3 records
Feature7 records
IRIS Connect partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- WalkThruscoreSeamless integration of WalkThrus' 150+ evidence-based teaching strategies directly within IRIS Connect platform. Customers of both products can access strategies within coaching pathways and AI Insights. Joint go-to-market with 15% discount for customers of either platform.
- Teach FirstcoreNational pilot programme where Teach First used IRIS Connect to support trainee teachers over distance using video observations. One of the world's leading ITT providers partnering on distance learning solutions.
- Education Endowment Foundation (EEF)coreCollaborated on Film Club programme development and EEF evaluation of IRIS Connect impact. IRIS Connect platform used in EEF's evidence review on remote professional development and evaluation of collective video reflection.
- University of AucklandminorITE Programme Director Megan Clune provides thought leadership and case study on using video for teacher reflection and development.
- Washington STEMminor17 schools in 5 school districts of Washington State participated in STEM-PD project integrating IRIS Connect technology into professional development plans.
- Mathematica Policy ResearchcoreConducted independent RCT study ($16 million, US Dept of Education) evaluating IRIS Connect's impact on student achievement through video-based teacher coaching. Study included 100 schools, 353 teachers, 8,906 students.
- British CouncilminorCollaborated on educational projects enabling effective blended teacher professional learning in 30+ countries including South Africa, Egypt, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Western Balkans, Baltics, and South Caucasus.
- European Commission (Erasmus Plus)minorPartner in Knowledge Alliances with leading European universities through Erasmus Plus Programme. Co-created open source teacher professional development materials via ITELab and ViSuAL channels.
- Education Development TrustminorIRIS Connect supports ECTs and their mentors working through the 8 standards of the Early Career Framework in partnership with Education Development Trust.
- Chartered College of TeachingcoreOfficial CPD Partner status, providing professional development resources and programmes aligned to the Chartered College's standards and framework for teachers.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
IRIS Connect competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
IRIS Connect social profiles
Digital presenceIRIS Connect compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
IRIS Connect financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
IRIS Connect leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
IRIS Connect subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
IRIS Connect funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
IRIS Connect M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about IRIS Connect
What does IRIS Connect do?
IRIS Connect sells a cloud-based professional learning platform that enables teachers to securely record classroom lessons, reflect on their practice, and engage in evidence-based instructional coaching. The platform combines video capture tools (Discovery Kit hardware and the Record App), AI-powered lesson analysis (AI Insights), adaptive coaching frameworks (Pathways), and a curated library of teaching strategies (WalkThrus integration), with bespoke pricing for schools, multi-academy trusts, and ITT providers.
Is IRIS Connect a public or private company?
IRIS Connect is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was IRIS Connect founded?
IRIS Connect was founded in 2007. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is IRIS Connect based?
IRIS Connect is headquartered in Hove, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does IRIS Connect make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Software Platform Subscription is the primary driver. The others are hardware Sales, professional Development Consultancy and walkThrus Integration.
Does IRIS Connect have an API?
No public API is recorded for IRIS Connect.
What industry is IRIS Connect in?
IRIS Connect's product category is Teacher Professional Development Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAFABAD, Lecture Capture, Live Streaming & Class Recording. Its NAICS code is 61171 and its SIC code is 8200.