South Africa’s The Invigilator Gets $11M to Expand AI Exam Monitoring
TLDR
- South African ed-tech startup The Invigilator has raised ZAR195 million ($11 million) to expand its AI-powered exam monitoring software internationally
- The Invigilator provides anti-cheating tools for remote assessments by using students’ smartphones to track activity during exams
- The new funding will support global expansion and further development of live AI monitoring technology designed to enable continuous assessment oversight
South African ed-tech startup The Invigilator has raised ZAR195 million ($11 million) to expand its AI-powered exam monitoring software internationally.
Founded in 2020, The Invigilator provides anti-cheating tools for remote assessments by using students’ smartphones to track activity during exams. Its software operates in low-bandwidth environments and applies AI to flag suspicious behavior. The company recently added features to detect whether assignments or assessments were generated with AI tools.
More than 100 institutions already use the platform. The new funding will support global expansion and further development of live AI monitoring technology designed to enable continuous assessment oversight.
The round was led by Kaltroco, a Jersey-based private investment company, alongside investors in Nashville, Zurich, and Cape Town. CEO and co-founder Nicholas Riemer said the funding will help scale AI development while preserving the credibility of remote testing.
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Key Takeaways
The Invigilator’s $11 million raise highlights growing global demand for secure digital assessment tools as education shifts further online. Remote learning and testing surged during the pandemic and remain a fixture in higher education and professional certification. But the rise of generative AI has complicated assessment integrity, pushing institutions to adopt monitoring technologies. The Invigilator’s low-bandwidth design positions it well for adoption in emerging markets, while its new AI-detection feature speaks to concerns in developed ones. With backing from international investors, the company is set to expand beyond its South African base, aiming to compete with global ed-tech assessment players. For investors, the deal reflects rising interest in AI applications in education—combining accessibility, compliance, and integrity in a sector under pressure to adapt to digital transformation.
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