Reimagining HR and education technologies

Background

TEqV is a corporate venture fund of

Ward Howell has been a key player in the human capital consulting and executive search industry for over 60 years more recently focusing on emerging markets such as Russia and CIS

We have four unique areas of expertise valuable to our portfolio companies and co-investors alike:

-- Track record of building and developing leadership teams

-- Unique in-depth expertise in HR and education markets

-- Unique owner/shareholder/CEO-level network

-- Strong brand in HR and education

Investment Focus

• We invest in technology-intensive startups reimagining HR and Education

• Our venture capital firm is a specialized investor. On top of financial investment, we contribute unique HR/Education expertise, in-kind HR services and access to a vast professional network

• We co-invest with VC firms focusing on early stage startups. Our current co-investors include Battery Ventures, Menlo Ventures, Blumberg Capital, 500 Startups, DST and a number of successful US business angels

Universities

Alumni Networks

Career / university counseling/ planning

Mentoring

Corporations

Learning/T&D management systems

Distance learning

Consumer

Career Coaching

Employment-driven course

recommendations

P2P / Remote / Social learning

Global Issues, Global Markets, Global Solutions

Our Focus in EdTech: Bridging the gap between Career and Education

Freemium models with effective price discrimination to drive traffic +

Retention is key

Data analytics

Lead generation

(services and goods)

Reselling / marketplace

Traditional advertising

B2C: monetization

• HR is among the last functions to embrace change and new technology (2-3 years lag): selling to both HR and IT is key. Lucky ones identify visionary CEOs and sell to them too.

• Pricing right is difficult: use creative pricing structures to help the client hedge risk and “get hooked”

B2B Monetization: Main challenges

• Great source of users (prospective and current student; alumni; educators etc.)

• Often decentralized: hard to find decision-makers, but can close multiple sales within one school with multiple points of entry (IT, Alumni office, career counseling, innovation and entrepreneurship programs, academics etc.)

• Competition is intensifying with clear pains (classroom engagement, post-graduation employment, distance learning engagement), while some are still conservative in terms of embracing tech

• Early adopters get pitched new tech solutions a lot: tough competitive environment

• Long selling process, but long contracts

Monetizing universities

Anton DerlyatkaManaging PartnerAnton is a Senior Partner, Ward Howell Group and a founding partner of TEqV. He is actively involved in business of portfolio companies as a board member and mentor. Anton has diverse business background in private and corporate sector. After 6 years in London in 2006 he returned to Moscow and has since been a key shareholder and partner with Ward Howell Group. Anton has an MBA from London Business School and Master’s degree in Applied Math from Moscow Engineering Physics Institute (MEPhI). Ilya BreymanManaging DirectorIlya is a co-founder of TEqV. He is involved in pipeline management and actively works with portfolio companies on operational and strategic level. Ilya has diverse experience in startups, as early employee, founder, and advisor. At Ward Howell, he consults government, non-profits, universities, and VC community on human capital and heads Government and Non-Profit Practice. Ilya holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Georgetown University. Taras Polischuk Investment AssociateTaras is an Investment Associate with TEqV. He is responsible for the analysis and research into potential and current investment opportunities as well as Industry analysis and development of the investment pipeline. Throughout his career, Taras participated in the development of executive teams for Russian and international companies, conducted multiple industry research assignments and consulting projects. Taras obtained a master’s degree in Financial Management from Moscow State University and a bachelor’s degree in International Management from Touro College.

Team