- Greek-founded edtech startup Morphoses raises €2.1 million in an oversubscribed pre-seed funding round.
- Uni.Fund II VC takes the lead in the investment, with participation from notable angel investors.
- The funds will be utilized to expand Morphoses’ reach across the UK and Europe, enhancing its platform to cater to the evolving needs of learners and corporate partners.
Morphoses, a London-based startup founded by a Greek team, with a female leader at the helm, has successfully secured €2.1 million in a pre-seed funding round. The round saw Uni.Fund II VC as the lead investor, a fund that recently raised €50M to boost university spinouts in Europe. The round was also supported by angel investors, including Thanos Papangelis, Andreas Stavropoulos, Vasilis Bacolitsas, Laurent Marquis, Giannis Theodoropoulos, Lisa Katsouraki, Haris Pylarinos, Charles Delingpole, Dimitris Glezos, and more.
Morphoses offers a gamified learning experience dedicated to nurturing soft skills. The platform, designed to instill qualities essential for personal and professional growth, has garnered attention from employers in the EU & SEE region, especially those operating in traditional sectors like Pharmaceuticals and Manufacturing.
With the new capital injection, Morphoses wants to accelerate its expansion into the European and UAE markets.
“Our objective is to gamify the entire user journey and introduce features such as the Soft Skills Map, User Profiles, and Content Creation to improve training efficiency and engagement. Furthermore, we are in the process of expanding our R&D team to develop a measurement tool for assessing soft skills and tracking the progress of our learners”, Anna Natsvlishvili, co-founder and CEO of Morphoses, says for The Recursive.
Addressing the soft skills gap
The modern job landscape presents a challenge with a noticeable gap in employability skills. Despite the advancements in AI and automation, employers are increasingly emphasizing the importance of soft skills such as empathy, communication, and decision-making. Morphoses aims to bridge this gap, providing a platform that caters to the urgent demand for these skills in the current job market.
The platform engages learners in weekly sessions, emphasizing qualities like risk-taking, adaptability, and effective communication. This approach is a blend of educational methodologies, psychological insights, game theories, and interactive elements.
Developed in collaboration with university educators and psychologists, Morphoses has curated an extensive library with over 1,500 activities. Furthermore, they’ve established a global network of 250 educators, spanning regions from India and Germany to England and South Africa.
Beyond traditional employee development, Morphoses has tailored offerings that also focus on the younger generation. They engage employees’ children, aiming to nurture them into compassionate, well-rounded individuals in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Anna Natsvlishvili’s vision rooted in personal experience
Morphoses is influenced by the personal journey of its Greek co-founder and CEO, Anna Natsvlishvili. Raised in Nafplio by immigrant parents, Anna confronted challenges during her childhood, including facing discrimination – a plight that affects 20% of children globally and can lead to mental health concerns. As Anna matured, she discerned a pivotal truth: success in adulthood necessitates cultivating a diverse skill set early on.
“Cultivating human skills, especially at an age when one’s personality and habits are still shaping, can be a real game-changer… Letting human skills fade means letting go of our innate means to consciously choose and act using empathy, critical thinking, and creativity”, Anna shared in a previous interview with The Recursive.
Anna is joined by Ilia Tzortzopoulou (COO) and Alexandros Pithamitsis (CPO) in leading Morphoses. The trio’s professional relationship has a rich history, spanning over a decade. Their shared academic journey at the University of Patras, Department of Computer Engineering, and subsequent professional experiences at companies like Endeavor and Pobuca have shaped their collective vision for Morphoses.
The role of AI in the soft skills landscape
In the era of rapid AI advancement, the emphasis on human-centric skills has never been more critical.
“The ongoing technological evolution, including AI and automation, has elevated soft skills to a paramount position for employers. They seek unique human qualities that AI cannot replicate, such as creativity, curiosity, empathy, and critical thinking”, Anna comments.
Morphoses is committed to nurturing these skills, ensuring individuals remain relevant and indispensable in the evolving job market.
“Investing in so-called soft skills (employability skills, power skills, critical skills, human skills etc.) empowers individuals to complement AI, enhancing their employability as employees, managers, leaders, and CEOs. In my opinion, the most crucial skills include active listening, empathy, resilience, initiative, and curiosity”, Anna concludes.
