Imagi raises $4.5M to teach students how to vibe code safely
What's the deal? Edtech platform Imagi has raised a $4.5 million seed round to expand its tools that teach K-12 students and teachers coding, computer skills, and AI literacy. Investors include Brighteye VenturesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, Day One CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and artist will.i.amDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. The round was announced this month.
Why now? Founded in 2018 by Dora Palfi and Beatrice Ionascu, Imagi has worked with more than 700,000 students across 140 countries. Last November, it partnered with vibe coding tool Lovable so teachers can create lessons and give students controlled access to build with AI.
What's the endgame? The company positions itself as an answer to the debate over how AI belongs in schools. "Most kids already use AI, but we need to teach children to build with AI rather than just passively consume it," Palfi said.
Students have used the platform to build a curriculum-translation app covering 15 classroom languages, a Clueless -inspired digital wardrobe app called Alta, and a booking website for a lawn-mowing business.
How does it stay safe? Every prompt and response is screened, with violations removed before reaching students. Imagi complies with COPPA, FERPA, and GDPR, meaning zero data retention and no partner training on student data.
The company splits the work with its partners. The teams behind OpenAIDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and Lovable are "experts in building frontier AI tools," Palfi said, while educators "have the experience and knowledge to safely deploy them in the classroom." OpenAI also provided $1 million in credits so schools can access the Imagi x Lovable tool for free.
What's the money for? Imagi will scale into more K-12 schools, invest in district sales and hiring, and build new product features. A new platform launches next month.
The signal: As AI reshapes the job markets today's students will enter, schools are becoming the default place to teach the technology — especially for children without access at home. Imagi's bet is that the debate is shifting from whether to allow AI in classrooms to how to deploy it responsibly.
Read more: TechCrunch
Image credit: Wesley Fryer
