From Strategy to Success: How GoodShip* Helped EdenFiftyOne Land a Strategic Investment

We’re thrilled to announce a major milestone for one of our partners, EdenFiftyOne, the visionary literacy skills platform. They’ve successfully closed a £260,000 pre-seed equity round with a strategic investment from fellow EdTech leader, MathsWatch.

This isn't just about the money; it's a strategic partnership that validates EdenFiftyOne’s mission, accelerates their product roadmap, including a new 'Literacy Skills Assistant' AI tool, and sets them up to support 100 new UK schools.

At GoodShip*, we’re proud to have been in the engine room with CEO & Founder, Tom Reynolds, providing the strategic support and hands-on execution needed to navigate the complexities of a major fundraise and partnership.

Strategic Support: More Than Just 'Good Advice'

Raising capital is always a challenge, even with a product as impactful as EdenFiftyOne’s. For mission-driven founders like Tom, the goal isn't just funding, it's finding the right partner. That's where our unique blend of mentorship, strategic advice, and fractional collaboration came into play.

1. Mentorship & Advisor: Building a Fundraise Strategy

Tom is an exceptional founder and educator, but securing a strategic EdTech investment requires a specific focus. We stepped in as a trusted advisor to help him sharpen the pitch and the plan.

• Refining the Narrative: We worked with Tom to clearly define the market opportunity and articulate the exceptional educational alignment with MathsWatch. We made sure the story wasn't just about growth, but about a shared mission to democratise access to core skills.
• Structuring the Deal: Guidance on valuation, terms, and negotiating the investment meant Tom could focus on the strategic partnership, knowing the deal was commercially sound.
• Focusing the Capital: We helped map out exactly how the £260k would fuel two key strategic initiatives: the "Next 100" schools expansion and the AI-Product Acceleration. This clarity made the investment case compelling and low-risk.

2. Fractional Collaboration: Execution That Delivers

Good ideas need brilliant execution. Through our Fractional Collaboration service, we essentially embedded a senior team member into EdenFiftyOne, ensuring Tom had the bandwidth and specialist expertise to manage the raise while keeping the business running smoothly.

• Creating Supporting Assets: We supported the creation of the investment deck and key documents, ensuring the company’s vision was communicated professionally and powerfully.
• Managing the Process: We helped manage the due diligence process and documentation flow, keeping the momentum high and allowing Tom to dedicate his time to crucial conversations and product development.
• Driving Media Coverage: Once the deal was signed, we ensured the story landed with impact. We managed the PR strategy and execution, securing coverage in key publications like Prolific North and BusinessCloud, amplifying the news to the EdTech and business communities.

The Outcome: Strategic Success

The result is a major win for EdenFiftyOne: the £260,000 pre-seed equity raise secures a 13% stake for MathsWatch and provides the resources to rapidly scale. Tom and the team can now deliver their cutting-edge AI-powered tool—EFO: “The Literacy Skills Assistant”—to more teachers and learners across the UK.

"The capital injection is not simply funding; it's a strategic endorsement that allows us to rapidly expand our national presence and deliver our cutting-edge AI-Powered Literacy Skills Assistant," said Tom Reynolds, CEO & Founder of EdenFiftyOne.

This success perfectly illustrates the power of our GoodShip* approach: providing deep strategic expertise and hands-on, fractional execution to help visionary founders achieve their biggest milestones.

Ready to scale your mission-driven business and achieve your next fundraise? Find out more about our Founder Support and Fractional Collaboration services.