Minnesota-based Creatively Focused raises $3M seed round to assist with special educators

Creatively Focused, a Minnesota-based educator-driven technology company, announced it has raised $3 million in a seed round of financing. The company provides school districts with a system of support for their special educators resulting in decreased burnout and shortages. The round was led by York IE, with participation from Mairs & Power Venture Capital, Groove Capital, and Gopher Angels.axis3, Creatively Focused's web-based platform, streamlines district resources, provides targeted skill training, and bridges paperwork demands to reduce the workload and feelings of burnout special educators face. It provides district administrators, teachers, and paraprofessionals with the support they need to meet the needs of the special education students they serve."We're thrilled to have closed this round with investors who see the great opportunity we have to impact education," said Elizabeth Orme, founder and CEO of Creatively Focused. "Every special educator who chooses to do this work deserves to feel like it can be their career, and students deserve passionate, committed, and supported educators. This funding positions Creatively Focused to ensure all school districts across the U.S. are aware there is a solution to increasing the retention and recruitment of these valued educators."Creatively Focused intends to use the funds to continue to scale its impact on the national special education shortage crisis by focusing on the learning and development needs of teachers and paraprofessionals as they navigate the daily demands of working in a passionate and highly regulated field. The company will continue to grow in public, K12 school districts across all 50 states to add to the 1,000+ special educators already being supported through axis3.