Edtech startup Intersective is one of the first four major investments by CSIRO investment fund, Main Sequence Ventures. Intersective will use the cash to enhance and expand their “experiental learning platform” Practera, which provides employment-skills development study tasks and training programmes. Intersective clients include, UNSW, QUT, the University of Sydney, Boston University and the NSW state government.  Co-CEO Beau Leese says Intersective’s priorities are market growth and product development, “collaboration with publicly funded applied research groups in data science and machine learning to deepen our capabilities there.”

In terms of exports Mr Leese points to opportunities in India, where the federal government talks of skilling 200m people. “With English as the language of instruction and high smartphone penetration we see India as an enormous opportunity,” he says. The company is also working with RMIT in Vietnam on a student e-skills portfolio and a micro-credentialling app.

With negotiations involving other investors continuing MSV’s commitment to the company is not public.