Education comparison site Enrola schools up on $800,000 pre-Seed

Online education comparison platform Enrola has raised $800,000 in pre-Seed funding.

The round was led by AfterWork Ventures, with support from Skalata Ventures, the startup’s first investor, Antler, and a strategic angel. 

Enrola was cofounded in November last year by Jo Thomas and Yvette Quinby and launched in 2024 to streamline the complex process of choosing and enrolling in vocational education courses. It helps students find the right course and provider based on their goals, prior experience, and lifestyle, offering a personalised digital experience and hands-on support. 

This funding will see them scale the platform, grow partnerships with Registered Training Organisations (RTOs), and expand the course offerings. 

Thomas, Enrola’s CEO, said 4.5 million students have to navigate more than 2,000 course options and a myriad of providers, leaving students overwhelmed  and trapped in decision paralysis.

“At Enrola, we’re passionate about helping people access life-changing education by simplifying the decision-making process,” she said.

“This investment will allow us to scale our impact even further, helping more students find the right path to a new career or qualification. We’re thrilled to have the support of such fantastic investors who believe in our mission.” 

Thomas has a background in both education and comparison having been operations director at iSelect, and COO at Compare the Market, as well as being CEO of online post-graduate education market leader the Australian Institute of Business. Quinby is a veteran of software development and technology leadership.

Enrola has partnered with 12 leading RTOs spanning community services, health, business, automotive, fitness, and pharmacy. Alongside tailored recommendations for students, the platform is a cost-effective and scalable solution for student recruitment for the RTOs.

The fresh capital will see the platform expand its range of courses from 90 to over 200 in the coming months, extending into sectors such as mental health, business and education. Thomas says they’ll also explore new student segments, including school leavers and privately funded students.

AfterWork Ventures partner Alex Khor sees Enrola as a solution to Australia’s growing skills shortage.

“We’re excited to back Enrola on their journey to reshape vocational education. Their solution not only helps students find the right courses but also assists RTOs in a market that is becoming increasingly competitive,” he said.

Antler partner Mike Abbott said that since their initial investment, the duo “demonstrated an exceptional ability to execute at pace, deeply engaging with RTOs and students alike” to validate their idea.

“By doubling down on our investment, we’re not just backing their impressive early revenue traction and user-centric approach, but a team that embodies the founder DNA we look for in early-stage founders, with Jo’s extensive domain expertise coupled with Yvette’s technical prowess,” he said.