FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 14, 2026

MEDIA CONTACT
Wendy-Ann Dixon-DuBois
wdixon-dubois@newschools.org

NewSchools Surpasses $500 Million Invested in 1,000+ Education Innovators

NewSchools marks the milestone with its largest applicant pool ever and a new cohort of education innovators

OAKLAND, Calif., October 14, 2026 — Close to three decades after NewSchools Venture Fund set out to bring a venture capital approach to education philanthropy, its latest grants have pushed the organization past half a billion dollars invested in leaders and organizations working to build a better public education system.

NewSchools was one of the early pioneers of venture philanthropy in education, with a model built around finding promising leaders early, providing the capital to get their ideas off the ground, and staying alongside them with the support, expertise, and connections they need to grow. Since then, NewSchools has backed more than 1,000 ventures across the country, helping turn early ideas into new schools, talent organizations, and learning solutions that have opened opportunities for students, helped educators better meet their needs, and pushed the field to think differently about what public education can be.

Now, NewSchools is announcing its cohort of 105 ventures, selected from nearly 1,800 applications, its largest applicant pool ever. The 2026 ventures offer a window into where some of the field’s boldest ideas are headed next, from new public school models and learning solutions to new approaches to teaching and the use of AI across all three.

“NewSchools was founded on the belief that with the right support, brilliant innovators can turn new ideas into organizations that change kids’ lives,” said Frances Messano, CEO of NewSchools Venture Fund. “More than $500 million later, the world has changed, the ideas have evolved, but the core vision remains true. These founders are making some big bets on the future of education, and so are we.”

Investing in What Students Need Now and What Education Needs Next

NewSchools’ 2026 investments span four core areas:

• • Innovative Schools: designing new charter and district models, with a focus on college and career pathways, AI centered approaches, and reimagined educator roles.
  • Learning Solutions: developing new ways to accelerate literacy and math learning, from more actionable assessments to personalized tutoring and intervention.
  • Teaching Reimagined: investing in team-based staffing models, community expertise, and AI-powered coaching and simulation.
  • Learning Differences: building more inclusive learning experiences for students with learning differences, including stronger core instruction, AI tools, and new pathways to college and careers.

Across these areas, NewSchools is backing 25 organizations using AI to improve outcomes for students furthest from opportunity. NewSchools will follow these investments closely, using data and feedback from schools to understand what’s driving better outcomes for students, what’s not, and where there’s still more to learn.

These lessons will help shape what NewSchools funds in the future. Later this fall, NewSchools will launch its next funding opportunity for new public schools, seeking the latest wave of ideas at the intersection of AI, teaching, and school design.

About NewSchools Venture Fund

NewSchools is a venture philanthropy that builds a better education system by connecting people, resources, and ideas. We bridge the gap between those with capital and those with the courage to put that capital to work on the frontlines of K-12 education. We find and support early-stage leaders with bold ideas for improving education, providing the funding, expertise, and connections they need to turn those ideas into impact.