EdSights Raises $80M to Lead the Next Era of Student Engagement and Retention Software in Higher Education

The new investment will help EdSights scale its mission to create a more student-centered higher education system

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--EdSights, the first AI-powered student voice platform, today announced it has secured a strategic growth investment from JMI Equity, a leading growth equity software investor. Partnering with more than 240 universities and colleges nationwide, EdSights has successfully developed a robust, proprietary approach to identify and support students at risk of dropping out and help colleges and universities increase retention rates. Since its founding, EdSights has put the student voice at the center of the higher education system, delivering a proven model to strengthen student engagement and degree completion across the country.

EdSights leverages the power of AI and personalized SMS-based communications to proactively engage students and understand their experiences. The platform transforms those interactions into real-time insights—ranging from mental health to financial struggles—enabling institutions to address barriers to student success that had long remained hidden and impossible to capture at scale. These insights empower advisors and administrators to deliver targeted, real-time interventions that boost retention, reshaping how colleges and universities engage and support students. With millions of conversations conducted to-date, EdSights’ opt-in and engagement rates are significantly above the industry average.

“Colleges face more pressure than ever to drive enrollment and retention, yet with fewer resources and growing demand for personalized support. Now is the time for institutions to shift their mindset and embrace new ways of supporting students,” said Claudia and Carolina Recchi, co-founders of EdSights. “Since our founding in 2018, we have worked hard to find a new way to understand and engage students at the individual level, helping colleges support those most at risk– and we have found that when engaged the right way, students are eager to talk. As we enter the new school year, we are excited to announce this investment from JMI Equity, one of the leading growth investors. This partnership will help us scale our vision of a student-centered higher education system — one where student voices shape their support and experience, and every student is on the path to success.”

EdSights supports a variety of higher education institutions across the country–from large four-year public institutions to private institutions and community colleges–including Southern New Hampshire University, University of Missouri, University of Hawaii System, Oklahoma State University, and College of Charleston, among others. With this new investment, EdSights will continue to invest in its product platform and expand its team to serve institutions nationwide in their mission to support student persistence.

“Education technology has been a focus area of ours for decades and EdSights has really stood out as an organization looking to do things differently,” said Peter Arrowsmith, Managing Partner of JMI Equity. “Using a proprietary, leading research-based framework, EdSights has figured out how to engage students at the individual level to uncover what is truly putting them at risk. Their approach is improving student retention rates and reshaping the college experience, and we are excited to work with them as they chart their next growth chapter.”

About EdSights

EdSights is an education technology company helping colleges and universities nationwide improve student success and retention by amplifying the student voice at scale. Through a unique and industry-leading combination of AI, persistence research, and SMS texting, EdSights’ all-in-one platform captures real-time insights on the leading drivers of student success and empowers administrators with actionable data to increase staff efficiency and ensure students receive the right support at the right time—ultimately improving their chances of completing a college degree. Today, EdSights partners with a diverse range of institutions, from large public universities to small private colleges, driving measurable gains in student engagement and persistence. For more information, visit edsights.io.

About JMI Equity

Founded in 1992, JMI Equity is a leading growth equity software investor based in the greater Washington, D.C. area and San Diego. With a focus on software companies, JMI has collaborated with countless entrepreneurs, founder-owners, and management teams, investing in more than 190 companies since its inception. To date, the firm has completed more than 120 exits and facilitated 19 IPOs. As of June 30, 2025, JMI’s portfolio of industry-leading cloud software companies represents $10 billion in combined revenue, $84 billion in aggregate enterprise value, and over 38,000 jobs. For more information, visit: www.jmi.com.