A Warrington-headquartered technology products developer has expanded into the US market with an investment into a coding and robotics firm that specialises in improving digital skills in education.
Tactus Group has backed pi-top, which has bases in London, Austin, Texas and Shenzhen in China.
The group said its investment will strengthen its capabilities in coding and robotics, and bolster its offering in the education sector, following success on previous projects with the UK’s Department for Education.
The deal will also enable pi-top to tap into Tactus’ supply chain expertise, providing greater access to markets including China and the UK.
This investment follows Tactus’ £10m backing from private equity firm Arete Capital Partners earlier this year, and it used this funding to finalise the subsequent acquisition of gaming specialist CCL Computers in April.
Scott Brenchley, CEO at Tactus Group, said: "The US is a lot more advanced when it comes to robotics in schools – it's had a real focus on digital skills in recent years.
"With coding becoming increasingly important in education across the world, pi-top has a significant opportunity to expand its global customer base.
"We remain committed to keeping ESG at the heart of our investment rationale, and the opportunity to provide pupils globally with access to higher quality technology was a key reason behind the investment.
"I’m looking forward to working alongside the existing management team at pi-top to improve access for students to digital skills at an early age."
Stanley Buchesky, CEO and chairman of pi-top, added: "We are excited to have Tactus as a major backer. Their expertise in scaling high-tech businesses will be synergistic with our rapid growth.
"Tactus’ investment vision and dedication to corporate social responsibility fit well with our mission of making it fun and easy for students around the world to learn the job skills of the future."
