ITZA adds to leadership team ahead of funding round
Summary
Edinburgh-based digital learning start-up ITZA has added to its leadership team as it prepares for a global rollout and external investment round.Simon Riddlesden has been appointed chief commercial officer, joining from Video Arts, the e-learning group founded by John Cleese and Anthony Jay in 1972.Riddlesden brings 15 years of experience from the learning space, initially at Capita as an e-learning designer, before a 10-year stint at Video Arts where he developed and launched the groups software-as- a-service business.Colin Ramsay, formerly London sales director at STV, has also joined the team, as consultant sales lead.ITZA founder and chief executive Anthony Bouchier said: Simons experience will be incredibly valuable as we build out content library, secure further B2B partners, and begin to build ITZAs go-to-market strategy - were also really pleased to have Colin on board to help support our next phase of growth.ITZAs One Planet digital resource on climate change, based on Sir David Attenboroughs four actions to reduce global warming and preserve the natural world, is being delivered into every Scottish school and an international rollout is being planned for 2025.One Planet is being delivered alongside content partners including the BBC, GettyImages and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).ITZAs growing list of corporate and not-for-profit partners and supporters includes the Scottish Building Society and Switzerland-based Villars Institute.Earlier this year, the business secured \xa32m of grant and equity funding from Scottish Enterprise, Alba Equity and private investors to grow a digital learning, production and analytics hub in Scotland, aimed at accelerating independent learning for people in the 10 to 16 age range.ITZAs web platform lets young people learn independently using curated content and personalised analytics. The companys team of filmmakers, cognitive scientists, educators and game designers collaborate with global brands and organisations to produce film, games and other interactive content to complement school curricula.ITZA has embarked on its next external investment round, and has a series of significant partnership announcements set for the next few months.Twig adapted archived three-minute videos on science, engineering and mathematics for educational curricula. It was backed by DC Thomson, Scottish Enterprise and Imperial College London, before being acquired by Weid North Education, the largest provider of digital curriculum solutions in the US, in 2021.Dont miss the latest headlines with our twice-daily newsletter - sign up here for free.