EQT Partners with Compass to Accelerate Global Expansion and Innovation in EdTech

EQT Partners with Compass to Accelerate Global Expansion and Innovation in EdTech

(IN BRIEF) EQT, a global investment firm, has announced a strategic partnership with Compass, a leading K-12 education software company. The partnership aims to accelerate Compass’s growth, enhance its platform, and support its international expansion. With over 3,000 schools already using Compass’s cloud-based management system, the company plans to continue innovating and expanding its reach, particularly in analytics, learning, and assessment tools. The investment underscores EQT’s commitment to advancing the education and technology sectors.

(PRESS RELEASE) STOCKHOLM, 21-Aug-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — EQT AB, a purpose-driven global investment organization focused on active ownership strategies, has announced its strategic investment in Compass, a pioneering software company specializing in K-12 education management systems. This partnership aims to bolster Compass’ growth and further advance its innovative platform designed to enhance productivity and streamline operations for schools globally.

Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Melbourne, Compass serves over 3,000 schools and millions of students, parents, and teachers across Australia, the UK, and Ireland. The company provides a comprehensive, cloud-based school management platform that simplifies everything from attendance tracking to payments, assessments, and well-being tools, significantly reducing administrative tasks for school staff.

With EQT’s backing, Compass is positioned to expand its presence in key markets while continuing its efforts to modernize school systems worldwide. The partnership will allow Compass to enhance its platform’s capabilities, particularly in analytics, assessment, and timetabling—key areas that are gaining rapid adoption in schools. Additionally, the partnership will support international expansion, potential mergers and acquisitions, and accelerated hiring to drive innovation.

Compass’ CEO and Founder, John de la Motte, emphasized that EQT’s deep expertise in education and technology makes them an ideal partner to help Compass scale further. “EQT’s support will propel our growth as we continue developing solutions that address the critical needs of the education sector,” said de la Motte.

EQT’s investment reaffirms its commitment to fostering innovation in both the education and technology sectors. The firm has a successful track record of over 60 investments in these areas, reflecting a deep commitment to developing solutions that create positive, lasting impacts on society.

Nicholas Macksey, Partner in EQT’s Private Capital Asia team, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership: “Compass is a standout leader in the education software space, and we have been consistently impressed by the company’s dedication to supporting meaningful education outcomes and exceptional user experiences for educators and parents. Compass extends EQT’s track record of supporting technology solutions that strategically align with our investment themes, enabling us to leverage our deep insights to enhance and drive innovation in key sectors. We look forward to working closely with John and Compass’ talented team to accelerate Compass’ mission of creating lasting value in the educational field.”

Advent Partners, Compass’ previous investor, will be exiting its position after six years of involvement. Advent Partners’ Managing Partner, Robert Radcliffe Smith, praised the growth Compass achieved during their partnership, expanding from serving 1,000 schools in Melbourne to 3,000 schools across multiple countries. “It has been incredibly rewarding to be part of Compass’ growth journey, expanding from 1,000 schools in Melbourne to 3,000 schools across Australia, the UK, Ireland, and New Zealand. This achievement is a tribute to John and the Compass team for building a business that now has millions of passionate teachers, students, and parents who use the product every day. Compass is now arguably the world’s leading SaaS Student Information System.”

The transaction is pending regulatory approval, with financial terms remaining undisclosed.

About EQT
EQT is a purpose-driven global investment organization with EUR 246 billion in total assets under management (EUR 133 billion in fee-generating assets under management), within two business segments – Private Capital and Real Assets. EQT owns portfolio companies and assets in Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Americas and supports them in achieving sustainable growth, operational excellence and market leadership.

More info: www.eqtgroup.com
Follow EQT on LinkedIn, X, YouTube and Instagram

About Compass:
Compass helps school communities simplify complexity with an all-in-one school management system. Featuring more than 40 connected, time-saving tools, schools can unlock productivity across attendance, payments, assessments, wellbeing and more. Compass powers 3,000+ government, catholic and independent schools in Australia, UK and Ireland to enrich their education experience by streamlining administrative workflow and enhancing community engagement.

Our vision is to reduce the administrative burden on staff and give teachers time to focus on the important things: helping learning thrive. For more information visit Compass Education or follow Compass on LinkedIn.

Media Contact:
Alex Beashel, Compass Education, +61 466 308 667, media@compass.education
EQT Press Office, press@eqtpartners.com

SOURCE: EQT AB