Rising Academy Network
Rising Academy Network is a B Corp-certified education organization headquartered in Sierra Leone that partners with African governments to improve public schools through structured curriculum, teacher coaching, and AI-powered tools (Rori, Tari, LearnLens), serving 400,000+ students across 1,400 schools in six countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersKenema, Sierra Leone
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Rising Academy Network does
Rising Academy Network is a Sierra Leone-headquartered, B Corp-certified education organization founded in 2014 that partners with African ministries of education to improve public school systems through structured curriculum, ongoing teacher coaching, and AI-enabled digital tools. Operating under the legal entity Rising International Education and Learning Limited, the organization supports more than 400,000 students across roughly 1,400 public schools in at least six country partnerships (Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, Rwanda, The Gambia, and Kenya), with anchor MoU relationships at both national and municipal levels (e.g., Rwanda MINEDUC, City of Kigali, Ghana GEOP, Liberia LEAP). It also operates a small private school network in Ghana and licenses its tools to other organizations globally. The company is led by CEO Stephanie Dobrowolski (appointed September 2024) alongside Co-Founder and Executive Chairman Paul Skidmore, with CTO Shabnam Aggarwal overseeing technology and country managing directors running in-country operations.
The product portfolio spans AI-powered and structured-pedagogy offerings. Rori is a generative-AI math tutor delivered via WhatsApp and powered by Anthropic's Claude, proven in RCT evaluation to double math outcomes when used regularly. Tari is an NLP-based AI teacher's assistant that provides on-demand lesson preparation and resources through WhatsApp. LearnLens combines computer vision and OCR to auto-grade handwritten student assessments, cutting teacher marking time by up to 70%. RisingFaster (FasterReading and FasterMath) is a remedial literacy/numeracy program designed for government-scale delivery at costs as low as $5 per student per year, with a 36% improvement in foundational reading (0.28 SD) shown in a Liberia RCT. Rising SIS is a mobile, offline-capable student information system, Rising On Air distributes audio lessons via IVR and radio across 25+ countries, and Bambai is a mobile app for accessing these services. The WhatsApp-first, offline-capable architecture is purpose-built for low-connectivity African school environments and has produced one of the strongest published evidence bases in global education — seven RCTs showing students in Rising-supported schools learn 2.4x faster than peers.
The business model rests on three revenue legs. The primary leg is multi-year government partnership contracts (managed services) where ministries of education pay per-capita or outcomes-based fees for Rising to operate and improve public schools; examples include Sierra Leone SLEIC, Liberia LEAP (now with direct government budget line funding), Ghana GEOP (170 schools), and Rwanda Elimu-Soko and LIFT. The second leg is private school tuition from Rising's Ghana schools (Kasoa, Kokrobite, Ayigbe Town, Oblogo locations), structured as recurring subscription revenue. The third leg is tool and curriculum licensing of the branded product suite to other schools, governments, and NGOs globally. The company's funding base includes a $4.25M Series A (October 2022) led by Klett Kita & Schule (part of Klett Group) alongside UBS Optimus Foundation, King Philanthropies, Dovetail Impact, and Solon Capital, with additional grant support from a broader base of impact foundations. Pricing is not publicly disclosed beyond the per-capita floor for the RisingFaster program, and contracts are negotiated bilaterally per partnership.
Rising Academy Network firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rising Academy Network
- Legal name
- Rising International Education and Learning Limited
- Website
- https://risingacademies.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Rising Academy Network is a B Corp-certified education organization headquartered in Sierra Leone that partners with African governments to improve public schools through structured curriculum, teacher coaching, and AI-powered tools (Rori, Tari, LearnLens), serving 400,000+ students across 1,400 schools in six countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rising Academy Network industry classification
Industry- Product category
- K-12 Education Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Instructional Delivery & Pedagogy (School-Led) (EDAJAFAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Learning Management Systems (LMS) & Digital Classrooms (EDAJAMAA), Accelerated Learning & Grade Advancement Programs (EDAJAGAE), Teacher Training, Professional Development & Education Leadership (BPADAKAC)
Keywords
Where Rising Academy Network is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kenema
- HQ country
- Sierra Leone
Offices4 records
Markets served
Rising Academy Network business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Government Partnership Contracts: Rising partners with governments (Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, Rwanda) to improve public school systems. The organization receives per capita grants or contract payments to manage and improve schools, with accountability for learning outcomes. This is the primary revenue stream supporting over 400,000 students across 1,400 public schools.
- Private School Operations: Rising operates its own network of private schools (primarily in Sierra Leone and Ghana) that charge tuition fees. These schools use advanced teaching methods, excellent curriculum, rigorous teacher training, and technology including tablets and AI chatbots.
- Tool Licensing: Rising licenses its proven tools and programs (RisingFaster, Rori, Tari, LearnLens, Rising SIS, curriculum materials) to other schools, governments, and organizations. Contact: [email protected]
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Government/Scale Pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Rising Academy Network product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rising Academy Network improves teaching and learning at scale in African public school systems through MoU-based partnerships with ministries of education, delivering structured curriculum, ongoing teacher coaching, AI-powered digital tools (Rori, Tari, LearnLens, Rising SIS), and foundational literacy and numeracy programs (RisingFaster). It also operates private schools in Ghana and licenses its tools and curriculum materials to other schools, governments, and NGOs.
Product overview
Rising Academy Network operates as a multi-product education technology platform offering AI-powered tools, remedial learning programs, and school management systems. The core offerings include: Rori AI Math Tutor (generative AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot proven to double math outcomes), Tari AI Teacher's Assistant (NLP-based teacher support tool), and LearnLens (computer vision-powered auto-grading solution). Supporting programs include RisingFaster (foundational literacy and numeracy remedial curriculum with FasterReading and FasterMath components), Rising SIS (student information system), and Rising On Air (distance learning via IVR/radio reaching 25+ countries). The platform serves 400,000+ students across 1,400+ schools in West and East Africa through government partnerships and direct school operations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- RisingFaster: Foundational literacy and numeracy remedial program consisting of FasterReading and FasterMath components.
- Rori
- Tari
- LearnLens
- Rising SIS
- Bambai
Products and services
- Rori AI Math Tutor AI-powered generative virtual math tutor for upper primary and JHS students, powered by Anthropic Claude. Delivers bite-sized lessons, practical exercises, and personalized feedback through WhatsApp. Proven in research to double math outcomes for regular users.
- Tari AI Teacher's Assistant AI-powered teacher's assistant delivered via WhatsApp that helps educators meet their potential by providing on-demand assistance, resources, and knowledge to prepare for lessons more effectively.
- LearnLens Auto-Grading AI-powered auto-grading solution using computer vision and OCR technologies. Teachers snap a photo of completed tests via WhatsApp and LearnLens grades, levels, and analyzes results, cutting grading time by up to 70%.
- Rising SIS Mobile-friendly, offline-capable Student Information System for school leaders, teachers, and administrators. Digitizes attendance, fee tracking, lesson records, marks, and report cards with actionable insights on student attendance and performance.
- RisingFaster (Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Program) Foundational literacy and numeracy remedial program using structured pedagogy. Includes FasterReading and FasterMath components that have delivered significant cost-effective learning gains in randomized controlled trials. Designed for delivery at government scale.
- Rising On Air (Distance Learning Platform) Free distance learning platform providing educational content via Interactive Voice Response (IVR), radio, and podcasts. Delivers content to over 25 countries and is designed for areas with limited internet connectivity.
- Grade-Level Curriculum Materials High-quality, licenseable curriculum materials for ECE 1-2 and Primary G1-6 in English and Math, built using Science of Learning principles and aligned with country-specific standards. Available to schools, governments, and organizations.
- Rising Academy Ghana Private Schools Private K-12 schools operated by Rising in Ghana that use structured curriculum, advanced teaching methods, technology integration (tablets and AI chatbots), and FasterReading/FasterMath programs; tuition-based enrollment.
Quantifiable outcome
- Students learn 2.4x faster each year than peers in comparable schools (7 RCTs)
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Rising Academy Network
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Rising Academy Network technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
AI capability9 records
Feature5 records
Rising Academy Network partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- City of KigalicoreLandmark MoU signed with City of Kigali in October 2025 for partnership to boost literacy, numeracy, and inclusion in primary education.
- The Gambia Ministry of EducationminorRori pilot begins in The Gambia as part of expansion into new markets.
- Rwanda LIFT ProgramcoreRising secures lead role in Rwanda's LIFT program to boost literacy, numeracy, and inclusion in primary education.
- Kenya Education PartnersminorRori Math Tutor pilot launched in Kenya in July 2025.
- AnthropiccoreRising partners with Anthropic, whose advanced AI model Claude powers Rori and Tari - two of Rising's most exciting AI-powered education tools. This partnership enables WhatsApp-based AI tutoring and teacher assistance.
- Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) Sierra LeonecoreGovernment partner through multi-year MoU to improve public school system quality. New multi-year partnership agreement signed January 2025.
- Ministry of Education LiberiacoreGovernment partner for Partnership Schools for Liberia (PSL/LEAP) program. Ministry committed direct financial support in 2024 Education Budget signed by President Boakai.
- Ministry of Education GhanacoreGovernment partner selected Rising as provider for GEOP partnership supporting 170 public schools for out-of-school children.
- Ministry of Education Rwanda (MINEDUC)coreGovernment partner for Elimu-Soko partnership (RisingFaster program). New MoU signed November 2024 to extend to 120 schools and 60,000 students.
- Freetown City Council (FCC) Sierra LeonecoreLong-standing partnership with Freetown City Council for school leadership and FasterMath program, evaluated through RCT demonstrating 0.22 SD improvement in math outcomes.
- University of OxfordcoreOxford researchers conducted evaluations of Rising's schools, Liberia LEAP program, and early evaluation of Rori AI tutor showing markedly higher scores (effect size 0.36 SD).
- J-PAL (Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab)coreJ-PAL researchers participated in early evaluation of Rori AI tutor alongside Oxford University, finding promising results for math outcomes.
- IDinsightcoreConducted impact evaluation of FasterReading program in Liberia (36% improvement in reading skills, 0.28 SD) and remote learning during COVID study.
- Education Outcomes Fund (EOF)coreFlagship outcomes-funded program SLEIC in Sierra Leone evaluated by Oxford Policy Management, with Rising's schools showing best-in-class results (0.38 SD math, 0.29 SD English).
- Elimu-Soko PartnershipcoreDalberg/Hempel Foundation partnership in Rwanda where Rising was selected to strengthen teacher professional development and student learning outcomes in foundational literacy and numeracy.
- Keeping Children SafeminorRising joined the Keeping Children Safe global network, reinforcing commitment to safeguarding children in its network of over 900 schools.
- Global Schools ForumminorMember of Global Schools Forum network of education organizations.
- Oxford Policy ManagementcoreExternal evaluator for SLEIC program in Sierra Leone, finding Rising students significantly outperformed comparison schools.
- Centre for Global DevelopmentcorePartnered with Rising on Liberia LEAP RCT evaluation and COVID-19 phone-based learning study in Sierra Leone.
- EdTech HubminorResearch partner in EdTech evidence base.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Rising Academy Network competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bridge International Academies: Operates affordable private schools across Africa in partnership with governments and parents. Closely comparable to Rising's model of working with low-income families and government systems to deliver improved learning outcomes at scale.
- Eneza Education: Mobile/SMS-based learning platform serving millions of students across Sub-Saharan Africa. Directly comparable to Rising in target customer (low-income African learners), delivery modality (mobile-first), and subject focus (math, literacy).
- EIDU: Berlin-based social enterprise working with the Kenyan government to digitize curriculum and lesson delivery in public primary schools. Directly comparable to Rising in government-partnered EdTech delivery at scale in Africa.
- M-Shule: AI-powered adaptive learning platform operating in Kenya and Tanzania via SMS/WhatsApp. Directly comparable to Rising in AI tutoring, mobile-first delivery, and African public-school partnerships.
- Omega Schools (now part of Rising): Ghana-based private low-cost school network acquired by Rising in 2020. Historically a comparable low-cost private school operator serving Ghanaian families.
Emerging players
- Kukua: African EdTech social enterprise focused on literacy and numeracy via mobile games and digital content. Comparable to Rising in subject focus and African low-resource context, though narrower in school-system integration.
- uLesson: Nigerian EdTech delivering video lessons, quizzes, and curriculum-aligned content across West Africa. Comparable to Rising in African geography and K-12 subject coverage, though primarily consumer-facing rather than government-integrated.
Broad incumbents
- Khan Academy: Global free online learning platform already partnered with Rising and offering free master content for primary/secondary subjects. Comparable in subject focus and free-access delivery, though operates at much larger global scale without Rising's government integration.
- NewGlobe: Large-scale education provider operating government school improvement programs across Africa and India (e.g., Bridge Schools in Nigeria). Comparable in government partnerships at scale and structured pedagogy approach, though much larger and broader in scope.
Others
- Edmodo (now part of NetDragon): Education platform offering LMS and classroom collaboration tools, now part of NetDragon's global EdTech portfolio. Comparable to Rising SIS and digital classroom features, though focused on higher-income markets and teacher collaboration rather than African public school delivery.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses6 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Rising Academy Network social profiles
Digital presenceRising Academy Network compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Rising Academy Network financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rising Academy Network leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Rising Academy Network subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Rising Academy Network funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rising Academy Network 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 Rising Academy Network
What does Rising Academy Network do?
Rising Academy Network improves teaching and learning at scale in African public school systems through MoU-based partnerships with ministries of education, delivering structured curriculum, ongoing teacher coaching, AI-powered digital tools (Rori, Tari, LearnLens, Rising SIS), and foundational literacy and numeracy programs (RisingFaster). It also operates private schools in Ghana and licenses its tools and curriculum materials to other schools, governments, and NGOs.
Is Rising Academy Network a public or private company?
Rising Academy Network is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Rising Academy Network founded?
Rising Academy Network was founded in 2014. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Rising Academy Network based?
Rising Academy Network is headquartered in Kenema, Sierra Leone.
How does Rising Academy Network make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Government Partnership Contracts are the primary driver. The others are private School Operations and tool Licensing.
Who are Rising Academy Network's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bridge International Academies, Eneza Education, EIDU, M-Shule and Omega Schools (now part of Rising). Emerging players are Kukua and uLesson. Broad incumbents are Khan Academy and NewGlobe. Edmodo (now part of NetDragon) is listed as an others.
Does Rising Academy Network have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rising Academy Network.
What industry is Rising Academy Network in?
Rising Academy Network's product category is K-12 Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAFAB, Instructional Delivery & Pedagogy (School-Led), with a secondary code of EDAJAMAA, Learning Management Systems (LMS) & Digital Classrooms. Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.