Berlin-based learning platform Knowunity has secured €27M in Series B funding led by XAnge to expand its AI-powered study companion globally. Founded in 2020 by Benedict Kurz (CEO), alongside Gregor Weber (CPO), Lucas Hild (CTO), and Yannik Prigl (Backend), when they were just 17 years old and still in school, the startup has now raised a total of €45M across multiple funding rounds.
The funding will be allocated towards developing the global AI learning companion with hyper-personalisation capabilities, selective talent acquisition, and expansion into new markets, particularly the United States and Asia. The company aims to reach 1 billion students worldwide through its long-term expansion strategy.
The round attracted participation from Portfolion, Isomer Capital, Project A, Redalpine, and Educapital, alongside prominent business angels, entrepreneur and Startup Association chair Verena Pausder, and Booking.com founder Arthur Kosten.
Knowunity has secured partnerships with brands including Vodafone, Gothaer, and Porsche for employer branding integrations, whilst achieving 20M+ users across 15 countries.
Capturing one in three German students with AI-driven personalisation
Knowunity’s platform combines student-generated content with personalised AI technology, drawing from over 3 million peer-created materials localised across markets and fine-tuned to national curricula.
In Germany, one in three students uses the app, whilst in Latin America, the platform reached one in ten students within just a few months of launching. The AI companion drives usage beyond seven times per week per user, with particularly strong engagement from younger students.
The global education technology market continues expanding as traditional learning systems struggle to adapt to personalised digital experiences.
Over 380,000 student creators actively contribute content to Knowunity’s platform, fuelling organic growth through word-of-mouth recommendations.
The company operates on a freemium model with core features available for free and optional premium subscriptions, generating the majority of revenue from its fast-growing B2C subscription business rolled out country by country.
From teenage founders to European EdTech leaders
The founding team conceived Knowunity whilst still 17 years old and attending school, identifying the disconnect between technology transformation in sectors like fashion, fitness, and finance, whilst education remained stuck in one-size-fits-all systems. XAnge, leading this round, manages €700M in assets under management with offices in Paris, Berlin, and Brussels, supporting portfolio companies including Lydia, Welcome to the Jungle, Believe, MrSpex, and Ledger.
“We started Knowunity because education was being left behind. Every other part of our lives – how we shop, connect, or stay fit – was becoming smarter and more personalised. But school? Still one-size-fits-all. With AI, we can finally give students what they actually need: instant feedback, tailored learning plans, and real motivation. Our goal is to make this companion experience available to a billion students worldwide & therewith allow truly personalised education for every student,” said Benedict Kurz, co-founder and CEO of Knowunity.
“Knowunity is revolutionising the entire education system and will, in the future, provide every student with a personal, AI-based learning companion that explains all topics to them and prepares them for their exams,” said Valerie Bures, partner at XAnge.
€45M milestone: From TikTok-style notes to intelligent tutoring
Initially launched as a TikTok-style companion for student-generated notes and explainers, Knowunity has evolved into a comprehensive AI-powered study companion.
The startup claims the students use the app over seven times per week per user to prepare for exams, understand topics, and build revision plans, with short-form, curriculum-aligned, visual content remaining the most popular format.
The company’s long-term objective centres on making high-quality, tailored learning accessible globally, replacing outdated offline tutoring with 24/7 intelligent support at a fraction of traditional costs.
