Dive Brief:

• South Dakota-based ed tech startup Montessorium just received up to $1 million in funds from Bluestem Capital Appreciation Fund, LLC.
• The company currently offers apps like Intro to Math and Intro to the United States, which teach students content based on Montessori principles. Other investors in Montessorium include game developer Zynga and Y Media Labs.
• The investment will allow the company to develop several new apps and expand its approach.

Dive Insight:

Montessorium was founded by June and Bobby George, a pair of Sioux Falls-based educators who run a local Montessori school, Baan Dek Montessori. Their apps are based on the 100-year-old school model and their own instruction, allowing students to explore on their own and personalize their learning.

“At Montessorium, everything is based on the mantra: follow the child,” the founders said in a statement. “Our ambition is to help children develop independence and confidence, and a willingness to engage with the world. At the same time, we need to jump start a conversation centered around the value of early childhood education with parents.”

Montessorium had a controversial start, with local and even international Montessori advocates criticizing its tech-driven approach. In an odd twist, Steve Jobs wrote them encouraging emails during the early years, which the founders said helped them weather the contentious kickoff.