Flipd Finds Funding From Figure 1 Founders So Students Study Smarter at School

Flipd has raised a seed round from angel investors, including the founders of medical platform Figure 1 and Candice Faktor of Faktory Ventures.

Based in Toronto, Flipd is an app that allows users to block phone distractions so they can pay better attention while they work. Launched last year, the app boasts 130,000 users who’ve clocked more than 150 million minutes using Flipd.

Alanna Harvey, who cofounded Flipd, was a communication student at Ryerson University. There, she was taught by professor Gregory Levey, CEO of Figure 1.

“As a cofounder of my own startup, I saw some intriguing parallels with the way Flipd is approaching its mission,” said Gregory Levey, CEO of Figure 1, who participated in the investment round. “And as someone who has taught undergrad and graduate students for over ten years, I definitely see the value of that mission.”

However, there is a bigger mission than having students pay attention during class.

“Flipd is not just helping educators improve their lectures and reduce phone distractions,” explains Cristian Villamarin, Flipd’s CEO. “Flipd is teaching students to be more present and mindful. In our digital economy, people need to learn how to manage their attention in order to be successful academically, socially, and in their careers, and we’re beginning in the classroom.”

According to Villamarin, the company more than doubled revenue since last year and now has hundreds of educators using Flipd on campuses across the US, including institutions like Pennsylvania State University and the University of California.

Villamarin says the funding will be used to scale the business and expand Flipd’s technology.