Hero
Hero is a cloud-based, all-in-one school management system serving more than 1,000 primary schools across New Zealand, Australia and South East Asia. It consolidates learning portfolios, real-time reporting, school administration, family engagement, and curriculum-aligned planning into one platform with ST4S certification and NSW DoE AMPS approval.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersChristchurch, New Zealand
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Hero does
Hero, operated by Linc-Technologies Limited in New Zealand and Hero Software for Schools PTY Limited in Australia, is a cloud-based school management system purpose-built for primary / elementary schools (Year 0–8 / K-6). Founded in 2015 by former principal Paul Sibson and former teacher Aimie Sibson, Hero consolidates a learning portfolio, real-time reporting, school administration, and family engagement into a single platform accessible via web and native iOS/Android apps. The product is deployed on Microsoft Azure and AWS infrastructure with data replicated across three servers in Australia, holds the ST4S privacy and security badge, and is GDPR and NZ Privacy Act 2020 compliant. Core modules include the Learning Portfolio, Insights/Analytics, the School Administration Toolkit, Hero Finance Kit (NSW DoE AMPS approved), Medical Management, Curriculum Toolkit (pre-loaded NZ Te Mātaiaho and NSW K-6 syllabuses), Progress Rates, Data Walls and Triangulation, Digital Badging, and the Comet AI Sidekick for lesson planning. Approved API integrations span Te Rito (NZ Ministry of Education), Xero, Accessit Library, Hail, Kindo, VisTab, AUTO-OPS, Wonde, EdPotential, SafetyNest, and Google Workspace SSO.
Hero generates revenue through annual school subscriptions paid in advance, with a Subscription Period running from 1 February to 31 January the following year; pricing is individually quoted per school based on size, modules, and context, and additional fees may apply for on-site attendance, customisations, leadership/pedagogical consultation, and post-termination data extraction. Hero employs a hybrid go-to-market combining product-led growth (online and in-person demonstrations, app-store distribution, word-of-mouth referrals among principals) with enterprise field sales led by Education Consultants who are themselves former principals and teachers, supplemented by a dedicated Head of NSW for Australian expansion. The company serves more than 1,000 schools across New Zealand, Australia and South East Asia with 26 employees, and has accumulated more than 10 million learning posts on the platform.
Hero firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hero
- Legal name
- Linc-Technologies Limited
- Website
- https://our-hero.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Hero is a cloud-based, all-in-one school management system serving more than 1,000 primary schools across New Zealand, Australia and South East Asia. It consolidates learning portfolios, real-time reporting, school administration, family engagement, and curriculum-aligned planning into one platform with ST4S certification and NSW DoE AMPS approval.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hero industry classification
Industry- Product category
- K-12 School Management Software
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Special Education (IEP/504) & Student Support Case Management (EDAFAEAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Behavior, Discipline, PBIS/MTSS & Intervention Tracking (EDAFAEAJ), Behavioral Intervention & PBIS Supports (Tiered, Gen Ed) (EDAJAGAL)
Keywords
Where Hero is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Christchurch
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices2 records
Markets served
Hero business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Annual School Subscription: Hero generates revenue through annual school subscriptions paid in advance for each Subscription Period (1 February – 31 January). Pricing is customised to each school's needs and context. The Subscription Price covers the Application and associated Services including support, information sharing, viewing, and back office services. Additional fees may apply for on-site attendance, customisations, enhancements, leadership/pedagogical consultation, and data extraction beyond the standard 30-day post-termination window.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Annual subscription tailored to each school's needs |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Hero product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hero provides a cloud-based, all-in-one school management system for primary/elementary schools that combines learning portfolios, real-time reporting, school administration, finance and billing, communications, and parent engagement into a single subscription platform accessible via web and mobile apps. It serves school leaders, teachers, students, families, and administrators with curriculum-aligned planning (NZ Te Mātaiaho, NSW K-6), AI-assisted planning tools, and approved third-party integrations. The platform replaces separate student management systems, digital portfolio apps, school communications apps, and online payments apps for over 1,000 schools across New Zealand, Australia, and South East Asia.
Product overview
Hero is a complete school management system delivered as a unified all-in-one platform combining multiple modules. The core Hero platform integrates learning portfolios, real-time reporting, and school administration into a single intuitive system. Key modules include the Hero App (mobile access), Finance Kit (financial administration), Medical Management Toolset, Curriculum Toolkit (pre-loaded NZ and NSW syllabus content), Progress Rates and Data Walls (data analysis tools), Digital Badging, Comet AI Sidekick (generative AI planning assistant), Learning Portfolio functionality, and Community Feed. The platform serves over 1,000 schools across NZ, Australia, and South East Asia, and has received NSW DoE AMPS approval for its Finance Kit.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Comet: AI-powered tool for education that safeguards student data, enhances pedagogical practices, and supports lesson planning.
- Hero Finance Kit
- Hero App
Products and services
- Hero School Management Platform Cloud-based, all-in-one school management system that brings together learning portfolios, real-time reporting, school administration, communications, and finance into one subscription platform for primary/elementary schools.
- Hero Mobile App Mobile application available on Apple App Store and Google Play Store giving families, teachers, and students access to Hero from anywhere, including learning updates, reports, notices, permissions, bookings, absences, and payments.
- Hero Finance Kit
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% caregiver compliance on Hero app at Boggabri Public School (a small regional school with disadvantaged families)
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Hero
Customer profileNamed customers26 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Hero technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration12 records
AI capability7 records
Feature10 records
Hero partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Te RitocoreTe Rito is a secure, Ministry of Education cloud-based service for NZ schools that connects and shares data between Student Management Systems and education systems. Hero has an approved API integration with Te Rito, enabling automatic data exchange including learner data (NSN, demographics, enrolment), contact information, staff data, and group data. This is a foundational integration for NZ schools required to report to the Ministry.
- Microsoft Azure & AWScoreHero's cloud infrastructure is hosted on Microsoft Azure and AWS (Amazon Web Services) servers located in Australia. All personal information is securely stored on these platforms with data replicated across three separate servers for high availability. This infrastructure partnership ensures platform reliability, security, and scalability.
- NSW Department of Education (EdBuy)coreHero is an approved provider on the NSW Department of Education's EdBuy platform, enabling NSW public schools to procure Hero through official government procurement channels. Hero Finance Kit is also AMPS (Administration Marketplace Panel for Schools) approved.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Hero competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Toddle: Curriculum-aligned planning, assessment, and portfolio platform for primary schools. Toddle overlaps with Hero's Curriculum Toolkit and Learning Portfolio modules, particularly for schools adopting IB or inquiry-based pedagogies.
- ClassDojo: Consumer-grade classroom communication and portfolio app popular in primary schools globally. ClassDojo overlaps with Hero's family engagement and learning portfolio functionality, though with a lighter, free-tier model that competes on accessibility.
- Bloomz: Parent-teacher communication and portfolio app used in US primary schools. Bloomz overlaps with Hero's family engagement and Community Feed features, focused on simplifying parent-school communication at the K-5 level.
Direct peers
- Skooler: School management and learning platform with established presence in NZ and Australian schools. Skooler competes with Hero in SMS, learning management, and reporting, often procured through the same government channels.
- Compass School Manager: Australia's leading school management platform, used widely across primary and secondary schools. Compass is a direct competitor to Hero in the same Trans-Tasman primary school market, offering SMS, communications, payments, and reporting features with overlapping functionality.
- Seesaw: Global digital portfolio and parent communication platform widely adopted in primary schools. Seesaw competes with Hero's Learning Portfolio, Community Feed, and family engagement features, and has a much larger international footprint.
- Sentral: Australia-based K-12 student management and wellbeing platform with broad adoption in NSW and other states. Sentral competes directly with Hero across SMS, behaviour/wellbeing tracking (PBIS), and parent communications in the Australian primary school segment.
Regional players
- Firefly Learning: UK-based learning and school management platform with international reach. Firefly is comparable to Hero in its integrated curriculum, portfolio, and communications approach, though primarily serving UK and international schools rather than the Trans-Tasman market.
Broad incumbents
- Edmodo (now part of NetSupport): Edmodo was a widely used K-12 learning platform, now operated within NetSupport's education portfolio. As a broader incumbent in school communications and learning management, it represents an adjacent competitive threat to Hero in primary school engagement.
Others
- EdPotential: AU/NZ assessment data analytics platform integrating with school management systems including Hero. As an integration partner and complementary analytics layer, EdPotential is an adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Hero social profiles
Digital presenceHero compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Hero financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hero leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Hero funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hero 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 Hero
What does Hero do?
Hero provides a cloud-based, all-in-one school management system for primary/elementary schools that combines learning portfolios, real-time reporting, school administration, finance and billing, communications, and parent engagement into a single subscription platform accessible via web and mobile apps. It serves school leaders, teachers, students, families, and administrators with curriculum-aligned planning (NZ Te Mātaiaho, NSW K-6), AI-assisted planning tools, and approved third-party integrations. The platform replaces separate student management systems, digital portfolio apps, school communications apps, and online payments apps for over 1,000 schools across New Zealand, Australia, and South East Asia.
Is Hero a public or private company?
Hero is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Hero founded?
Hero was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Hero based?
Hero is headquartered in Christchurch, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does Hero make money?
One revenue line is on record: annual School Subscription.
Who are Hero's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Toddle, ClassDojo and Bloomz. Direct peers are Skooler, Compass School Manager, Seesaw and Sentral. Firefly Learning is listed as a regional player. Edmodo (now part of NetSupport) is listed as a broad incumbent. EdPotential is listed as an others.
Does Hero have an API?
Yes. Hero supports secure data sharing between schools and trusted third-party service providers through approved API connections. Schools retain full control over which API connections they choose to enable from the approved list. Developer documentation is at info.our-hero.com/integrations-nz.
What industry is Hero in?
Hero's product category is K-12 School Management Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAFAEAI, Special Education (IEP/504) & Student Support Case Management, with a secondary code of EDAFAEAJ, Behavior, Discipline, PBIS/MTSS & Intervention Tracking. Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 7372.