South African-based Edtech platform, The Invigilator, has raised $11 million in a funding round led by Kaltroco Partners and other investment professionals from Nashville, Zurich and Cape Town. The fund will help the company scale its artificial intelligence offering outside the coast of Africa.
With AI quickly taking over various fields, The Invigilator is bringing education and examination conduct into the AI age. Co-founded by local chartered accountant Nicholas Riemer in 2020, The Invigilator is solving the challenge of academic credibility and promoting cost-effective and secure exam monitoring.
At the core of its operation is the AI-based tool that alleviates all forms of unethical behaviour during online examinations and prevents congestion and cheating. With usage spread across over 20 education entities, including the University of South Africa, University of Johannesburg and University of Cape Town, The Invigilator is making bold statements with its AI techniques.
With the latest funding backed by Kaltroco, the startup is expanding its footprint across the rest of the world. Specifically, the capital raise will enhance The Invigilator’s AI models and strengthen partnerships with educational bodies and institutions in regions such as North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Reacting to the investment, Riemer explained that the operational excellence has provided the confidence that the startup is poised for global recognition. He added that the investment will further drive its AI integration for smart examination conduct.
“We always knew we were building something special, and the fact that South African technology is creating global awareness is fantastic to see,” he said.
In addition, Riemer acknowledged that The Invigilator is riding on a South African technology that is creating global awareness and investment. With the latest partnership, Kaltroco has now made over 30 investments around the world.
“As a single, family-backed investment company with no outside investors and no restrictions on structure or hold period, Kaltroco has the flexibility to invest on the timeline that best fits its portfolio companies’ needs and its partner management teams’ objectives,” he added.
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The Invigilator’s AI
With its AI support, The Invigilator’s app uses in-venue or blended learning assessments for invigilation, with facial verification and tracking of students attending a class. Also, it deploys anti-plagiarism technology to ensure students present original work.
“This investment gives us the ability to ramp up AI development, allowing greater access to education while maintaining assessment credibility. The creation of our live AI monitoring technology means The Invigilator is moving to constant assessment monitoring through AI,” the CEO said.
The company pointed out that more than 100 educational institutions make use of the platform and tools as of early 2025.
In its latest addition, The Invigilator incorporated an AI detection feature that lets instructors detect if a student has used AI for their homework and assessments. The goal of the startup is to ensure students are not dependent on artificial intelligence at the detriment of their innovative ideas.
“A unique approach of breaking down the question paper, analysing each answer and building a writing profile of each student has meant educators can step in when students are over-relying on AI and not developing key critical thinking skills,” Riemer added.
In 2022, The Invigilator hit the number one spot as the most downloaded education app in South Africa on the iOS and Android app stores.
A year later, the startup saw nearly one million local students on its platform. At the same period, it expanded internationally for the first time to markets such as Mexico, India and Australia. Since then, it has been providing its AI and tech-education management systems for schools in these countries
Before the end of 2023, three academic facilities in Mexico were already using the app: Tecnológico Universitario Aguascalientes in Aguascalientes, Olmeca in Tabasco and UNAM in Mexico City. Another three institutions from India also signed up: Shiv Nadar University, Vedica Scholars and PSGR Krishnammal College for Women.
In Australia, Navitas College pivoted the app, which has a global presence of over 60,000 students.