Zūm named to the 2023 GSV 150 for leading transformation in school transportation industry

List recognizes companies revolutionizing the world of education technology

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Jan. 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Zūm, the leader in modern student transportation, has been included in the GSV 150, an elite list of the world's most transformative private companies in education.

Zum was chosen from over 4,000 venture capital and private equity-backed companies revolutionizing the world of education technology. Global Silicon Valley (GSV) estimates that together these 150 companies reach roughly 3 billion people — almost half of the global population — and generate approximately $25 billion in revenue.

Zum was selected for this list because the company is leading the way in transforming school transportation, the largest mass transit system in the U.S., totaling $28 billion annually nationwide. By combining a proprietary, cloud-based tech platform with driver and parent apps and a sustainable fleet of vehicles, Zum is able to optimize school routes, track children's safe on-time arrival and departure from school, and reduce the diesel pollution impacting our children, communities and environment. Zum grew exponentially this year with $130 million in new funding, led by Softbank, and onboarding new partners, including the nation's second largest school district, Los Angeles Unified School District.

"Zum is leading the way in transforming student transportation, helping thousands of schools to provide safer, sustainable, and more reliable services and ensuring our children have equitable access to the education and support they deserve," said Ritu Narayan, Founder and CEO of Zum. "We are honored to be part of the GSV 150 as we continue to drive the industry forward."

"We are excited to release the annual GSV 150, a selection of the leading private companies in digital learning and workforce skilling," said Alexandra Argo, investor at GSV Ventures. "As we enter into what we call a 'Brave New World,' it is clear that you can't use an old map to navigate a new world. This impressive group of companies continues to grow and evolve to meet the needs of learners and businesses at scale. After evaluating over 4,000 companies globally, we are proud to present the list of the 150 most impactful companies in digital learning that are leading the charge in providing ALL people equal access to the future."

The GSV 150 involves a rigorous assessment of over 4,000 venture capital and private equity-backed companies that meet the following criteria:

• VC or PE-backed companies in digital learning and workforce skills, excluding public and nonprofit companies 
• Companies that have achieved meaningful scale, and primarily, but not exclusively, those that are post-Series A in their development 
• Companies experiencing solid, organic top-line growth 

The final selection is determined by GSV's proprietary scoring system, which applies scores across several KPIs such as revenue scale, revenue growth, active learner reach, international reach, and margin profile. 

The GSV 150 is distributed across Pre-K to Gray, covering early childhood, K-12, higher education, adult consumer learning, and workforce learning. Of these companies, 33% focus specifically on lifelong learning (which includes adult consumer learning and workforce learning), 32% focus on early childhood and K-12 education, and 5% focus solely on higher education. More and more companies are extending their reach across the lifetime learning cycle, with 30% of the 150 expanding across multiple categories from Pre-K to Gray.

North America — primarily the United States — is the most represented region, accounting for 60% of the GSV 150. India is also a significant contributor to the list, with 14% of the companies coming from that market, which has continued to experience rapid growth. Europe and Latin America each account for 11% and 7% of the GSV 150, respectively. The remaining 8% of companies are dispersed throughout MENA, Africa, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.

See the full GSV 150 list at www.asugsvsummit.com/edtech-150.

Zum has reimagined student transportation, the nation's largest mass transit system. Our robust operations and integrated end-to-end cloud-based platform provides a modern student transportation service for school districts purpose-built around the needs of kids and the expectations of their families. Zūm provides one seamless, real-time interface for parents, drivers, schools, districts, administrators and operators to transport children safely and with increased visibility and personalized care. Always investing in the wellbeing of the communities, Zum is also the only carbon neutral student transportation provider in the nation with plans to go Net Zero with EV transition. Learn more at www.ridezum.com.

The ASU+GSV Summit is the premier global event focused on technology innovation in education and skills. We believe that ALL people deserve equal access to the future. Started in 2010 with a collaboration between Arizona State University (ASU) and Global Silicon Valley (GSV), the annual Summit connects leading minds focused on transforming society and business around learning and work. Educators, investors, industry leaders, and entrepreneurs from around the world come together to innovate the future of education for all. Hosted in San Diego, over 5,300 people attended in April 2022. Speakers from previous years include President Barack Obama, President George W. Bush, Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, John Legend, Common, Marian Wright Edelman, Bill Gates, Sandra Day O'Connor, Reed Hastings, President Vicente Fox, Malcolm Gladwell, Gloria Steinem, Tony Blair, and Howard Schultz.

CONTACT: [email protected]

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