MONTCLAIR, N.J., Aug. 11, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Smashcut, the digital learning platform and content studio built to scale collaborative, online education for the visual and media arts announced that it has raised $7 million in Series A funding from Pearson Ventures. Pearson Ventures invests in companies building new market opportunities using innovative business models, future technologies, and new educational experiences.
Through this strategic investment, Smashcut will support Pearson’s visual and media-arts focused programs, beginning with animation and gaming development courses from Pearson College London’s Escape Studios. The Smashcut platform combines high-quality learning content with a set of fully integrated features that power collaboration, communication, and creation -- all in one place.
“We created Smashcut because video-centric courses like visual and media arts require specific tools that teachers and students need to seamlessly collaborate and create. Having the financial and strategic support of Pearson, a global leader in learning, both validates the opportunity and accelerates our growth as we aim to fuel the pipeline with skilled creators,” said Daniel Blackman, CEO and founder of Smashcut.
“In an increasingly video-centric world where the demand for highly skilled creative professionals is on the rise, there is a tremendous opportunity to create and deliver best-in-class learning programs focused on visual and media arts. Smashcut is the perfect partner to help Pearson Ventures continue our commitment to improve student outcomes through digital services and invest in businesses that have a positive impact on students,” said Pedro Vasconcellos, VP Strategic Investments and Partnerships at Pearson.
Escape Studios uses Smashcut to develop and deliver online courses to complement their highly successful in-class programmes in games, animation, and VFX. Ian Palmer, Director of Escape Studios, said, “We chose Smashcut because we wanted to replicate the natural interactions that happen between students and instructors in our classroom-based courses. Obviously, all our courses are based around artistic excellence across a range of different digital media, so having a platform that is based on delivering high-quality video backed up with support for video meetings was essential. These features and the tools to support team working, another key element of our offering, made Smashcut the obvious choice.”
Smashcut’s early customers include NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Smashcut provides an NYU-branded platform and broadcast-quality content development and production to bring the school’s online courses in filmmaking, screenwriting and branded storytelling to life. NYU’s online courses are offered to NYU and visiting college students, high school students, working professionals, and adult learners looking to expand their skills.
“We selected Smashcut because they truly understand how visually rich subjects are best taught and learned, and we wanted a partner who shares our vision for delivering a quality experience and the very best learning outcomes for our students,” said Annie Stanton, Executive Director of Tisch Special Programs.
Visuals are front and center on Smashcut, making it easy for teachers and students to seamlessly host, stream, share, download, annotate, review and comment on video content without leaving the platform. Built-in collaboration features like live chat and video meetings connect students and teachers, facilitating seamless group interaction and fueling creative work. Instructors can easily and efficiently manage all aspects of their online courses, share information, track student assignments, progress and more.
About Smashcut
Smashcut is a next-gen online learning platform and content studio built to scale collaborative, online education for the visual and media arts. Smashcut partners with universities and education brands to develop and deliver media-based online programs. Smashcut was designed to help expand high-quality online education for the next generation of digital creators by empowering collaboration between peers and experienced industry instructors. Smashcut was incubated and seed-funded by Learn Capital. To learn more about Smashcut, watch the video and visit https://www.smashcut.com/
About Escape Studios
From VFX to game art, animation to motion graphics, Escape Studios is recognised by the creative industries for helping to teach world-class talent, through a range of undergraduate, postgraduate and short courses. With leading industry partners including Epic Games, Industrial Light & Magic, PlayStation London Studio, Framestore, The Mill, DNEG, Milk, Creative Assembly, Cinesite, Blue Zoo and MPC, Escape Studios focuses on ensuring students leave studio-ready! www.escapestudios.ac.uk
CONTACTS
CommStrat
Liz Scanlon, CommStrat for Smashcut
smashcut@commstrat.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3d8e5d98-f381-4de4-86e5-01042733a9c6
