IT’S NOT JUST AN ANALOGY: No matter what they’re selling, many education startups have marketed their tools as an “Uber for education.” But this Los Angeles-based company may have one of the stronger claims. HopSkipDrive, which provides a ride-share service to get kids to and from school, has raised $7.4 million in a round led by Student Transportation Inc. Other backers include FirstMark Capital, Upfront Ventures, Skyview Capital and Halogen Ventures.
Founded in 2014 by a trio of working mothers, HopSkipDrive allows parents to schedule rides for their children to get to school or afterschool activities, and track their journeys in real-time. The company requires each driver to have at least 5 years of childcare experience and pass background checks and a driver certification process.
HopSkipDrive says it is used by parents to get kids to and from more than 2,500 schools across Los Angeles, Orange County and the San Francisco Bay Area, with partnerships in more than 200 schools. It is also entering a pilot with the Los Angeles County Office of Education to help foster-care students get to their schools.
As with almost all venture-backed efforts, the startup is not alone in this market. TechCrunch reported that Zūm recently raised $5.5 million to provide a similar service (and another company shut down last year.)
