A tutoring platform that I profiled in last November called infiLearn, now changed name to GlobalScholar has raised $27 million in round B. As a Program Coordinator worked in the postgraduate sector, I always believed that Web 2.0 and education are two major trends in technology that are inextricably linked. I came across a lot of e-program specifically targeting the working adult, but the emerge of a technology platform such as GlobalScholar for the young students reflect that the Internet revolution in educational market are in place.

As widespread on the Web, GlobalScholar has raised $27 million in a new round and also purchased a Colorado-based Excelsior Software, which provides a range of education solutions software suites, featuring several set of student assessment technologies. However, financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. The acquisition was announced as part of a venture capital round for GlobalScholar. Existing investors include Knowledge Universe Education and Ignition Partners, with several investors that have pumped into infiLearn $15.5 million in previous round, that makes the total amount of venture funding raised by infiLearn (now GlobalScholar) to a whopping $42.5 million.

From the infiLearn beta site to GlobalScholar, many new content have been added to the site. The columns such as Popular Teachers, Featured Classes, SAT Tutoring, College Finder and the lightweight mashup with Microsoft’s Virtual Earth in finding colleges’ location such as MIT’s map showed that this site has been a purely labor of love for the GlobalScholar team, not barely on the money. As educational markets continue to evolve, many new frontiers such as GlobalScholar will have an impact beyond their initial drafted markets. Regardless how much its acceptance by the public, I believed GlobalScholar will play an increasing role in shaping the innovation surrounding educational market.

via [alarm:clock]

A startup that I tracking for a while that called infiLearn has released its beta site. From what I learned abut the purpose, business concept, etc of infiLearn, it seems infiLearn is currently targeting at early childhood education in addition to offer some educational programs for young people or adult. In technology settings, you can say this site is an educational marketplace which enabling students to find courses they’re seeking to improve. On the other hand, it provides the tutors a marketplace for them to sell their tutoring services, whether the services are available online or offline. Subjects listed on the site is very wide, in the range of the common subjects, such as Maths, English, Arts, Writing Skills, and many more.

For each registered students or instructors, an infiLearn page will be provided so that they both can learn about which courses they’re going to attend or teach. In addition, a brief report will be showed so as to let them check their progress on the courses. It’s not that easy to maintain an infiLearn profile on the Web, an instructor that have many students is the one who hold the most effective biography and a bunch of positive reviews. In matter of fact, infiLearn has set up some criteria in qualifying an instructor such as short test, proven teaching and tutoring skills, and the effective use of the Web classroom tools available at infiLearn. After an application for the instructor at infiLearn has been approved, the instructor must create a provider organization, and this is the policy of infiLearn so that they can process the payment. Basically, infiLearn developed an online learning community comprised of students, parents and instructors, and the business model is based on the revenue generated from the courses provided.

The team that made up of infiLearn has vast experience especially in the Web arena. They have all worked at companies such as Drugstore.com, Expedia, Microsoft and Amazon. The CEO of infiLearn is Kal Raman, previously assumed the position of CEO, COO and CIO of drugstore.com. Another key person sits on the board is Peter Neupert, currently also the Corporate Vice President for Health Strategy at Microsoft. He has also built the Windows operating system into a powerhouse in Japan.

Currently, infiLearn is based in Bellevue, Washington.