About Cognita
Cognita is a company based in Milton Keynes (United Kingdom) founded in 2004, and was acquired by Jacobs Holding in September 2018. A network of international schools is operated worldwide by Cognita. Cognita has raised $248 million across 2 funding rounds from investors including KKR and Jacobs Holding. Cognita has completed 3 acquisitions, including CHIREC, PlayPen and Redcol. Its website cognita.com draws about 56 thousand monthly visits. Cognita offers products and services including Holistic Education and Teacher Development Programs. Its legal entity is Cognita Holdings Limited.
Company details
Cognita was founded in 2004 in Milton Keynes, United Kingdom, within the education sector. A global network of 68 schools is managed across Europe, Latin America, and Asia. Curricula delivered include the International Baccalaureate alongside national programs from Great Britain, Australia, and the United States. Operations focus on providing structured educational services to students in these regions.
- Headquarters Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
- Stage Acquired
- Email••••••••
- Phone•••• ••••
- Website cognita.com
- Social LinkedIn X Facebook Instagram
- Acquired by Jacobs Holding (Sep 2018)
- Legal Name Cognita Holdings Limited
- Annual Revenue$226.05 M (USD)9as on Aug 31, 2024
- Net Profit$6.1 M (USD)-6as on Aug 31, 2024
- EBITDA$4.92 M (USD)55as on Aug 31, 2024
- Total Equity Funding$248M (USD)
in 2 rounds
- Latest Funding Round$83.74M (USD), Debt – Conventional
Feb 2018
- InvestorsKKR
& 1 more
- Investments & AcquisitionsCHIREC
& 2 more
- Acquired byJacobs Holding
(Sep 2018)
Products & Services of Cognita
Cognita offers a comprehensive portfolio of products and services, including Holistic Education and Teacher Development Programs.
Comprehensive education is provided that connects cognitive, social, and emotional development to equip students for future challenges
Global opportunities and leadership programmes are offered for teachers to enhance their skills and support lifelong learning
Funding Insights of Cognita
Cognita has successfully raised a total of $248M across 2 strategic funding rounds. The most recent funding activity was a Debt – Conventional round of $83.74 million completed in February 2018. This substantial capital infusion reflects strong investor confidence in the company's business model, growth potential, and market opportunities. The funding enables strategic expansion, product development, market penetration, and operational scaling to drive long-term value creation and competitive advantage.
- Total Funding $248M
- Total Rounds 2
- Last Round Debt – Conventional — $83.74M
- First Round $248M
(Apr 2013)
- Investors Count 1
All 2 funding rounds of Cognita with amounts and investors; the two latest post-money valuations are shown, the rest are part of the premium plan.
| Date | Amount | Transaction Name | Valuation | Lead Investors | Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2018 | $83.74M | Debt – Conventional | – | – | – |
| Apr 2013 | $248M | Private Equity Round | – | KKR | – |
2 investors in total: 2 institutional.
Investors in Cognita
Cognita has secured backing from 2 investors, including venture fund investors. Prominent investors backing the company include KKR and Jacobs Holding.
| Investor | Description | Founded Year | Domain | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Multiple sectors are invested in by this private equity firm. | 1976 | kkr.com | New York, United States | |
| jacobsag.ch |
Investor details for Cognita
The complete investor list, round-by-round participation and investor portfolios require an active premium plan.
- Complete investor list
- Round participation
- Investor portfolios
- Co-investor network
Verified entity values are shown only after access is granted.
People of Cognita
67 people are tracked at Cognita (44 in leadership, 23 in team).
| Name | Role | Group |
|---|---|---|
Sameer Aggarwal | CEO, Asia | Leadership |
Tara Oldfield | Country Marketing Director, Vietnam Schools | Leadership |
Nikhil Dattani-Patel | M&a Associate Director | Leadership |
Kerrie Brown | Head Of English | Leadership |
Pete Stapley | Head Of Projects | Leadership |
Martin Filkins | Commercial Operations Director - UAE | Leadership |
Paula Nikotian | Hr, Safeguarding And Wellbeing Latam Director | Leadership |
Andy Hancock | Director of Education, Asia | Leadership |
Diane Monk | Regional Marketing, Sales & Experience Director | Leadership |
Jayne Pinchbeck | Group Legal Director | Leadership |
Frank Maassen | Group CEO | Leadership |
Josep Caubet | CEO, Latin America | Leadership |
Marcos Barros Vallejos | Director of Education, Chile | Leadership |
Gemma Gilbert | Head Of Commercial Finance - UK | Leadership |
Michael Drake | CEO, Europe | Leadership |
Simon Camby | Group Chief Education Officer | Leadership |
Andreas Tolpeit | Group CFO | Leadership |
David Baldwin | CEO, Middle East & India | Leadership |
Dominik Anke | Head Of Finance Spain & Italy | Leadership |
Glen Radojkovich | Managing Director - UAE | Leadership |
47 more people are available in the full profile.
Complete people profiles for Cognita
Full employee and board profiles, team structure, tenure and professional contact details require an active premium plan.
- Full employee list
- Team structure
- Board tenure
- Professional contacts
Verified entity values are shown only after access is granted.
Investments & Acquisitions by Cognita
Cognita has strategically engaged in corporate development activities, having acquired 3 companies. Notable acquisitions include CHIREC, PlayPen and Redcol.
| Company Name | Description | Domain | Location | Founded | Acquired | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Limited information available | redcol.co | Floridablanca, Colombia | 2012 | Oct 2022 | •••• | |
K-12 schools are operated in Hyderabad, India. | chirec.ac.in | Hyderabad, India | 1989 | Nov 2019 | •••• | |
Early education and high schools are operated in Brazil. | playpen.com.br | Sao Paulo, Brazil | 1981 | Nov 2012 | •••• |
Complete acquisition details for Cognita
Acquired stakes, deal sources and the complete acquisition history require an active premium plan.
- Acquired stakes
- Deal sources
- Complete history
- Exports
Verified entity values are shown only after access is granted.
Timeline of Cognita
7 dated milestones of Cognita across 18 years, from founding to its latest funding, stage changes and deals.
Web traffic of Cognita
The website of Cognita (cognita.com) receives about 56K visits a month.
- Monthly visits56K
▲ 13.2% vs previous month
Websites whose visitors overlap most with Cognita. Affinity shows how closely the audiences match.
| Website | Domain | Audience affinity | Monthly visits | Global rank | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| manquecura.cl | 100% | #3,819,545 | View details | ||
aavn.edu.vn | aavn.edu.vn | 100% | #2,843,622 | – | |
issp.edu.vn | issp.edu.vn | 99% | #6,299,720 | – | |
alleyns.org.uk | alleyns.org.uk | 91% | #1,204,048 | – | |
pumahue.cl | pumahue.cl | 91% | #1,541,125 | – | |
| •••••••••• | ••••••.com | ••% | •.•M | #••••• | – |
| •••••••••• | ••••••.com | ••% | •.•M | #••••• | – |
| •••••••••• | ••••••.com | ••% | •.•M | #••••• | – |
All 23 similar websites and full traffic analytics for Cognita
The complete similar-websites list, audience overlap and engagement analytics require an active premium plan.
- 23 similar websites
- Audience overlap
- Engagement analytics
- Traffic by brand
Verified entity values are shown only after access is granted.
Unlock complete access to The Company Check
Get unrestricted viewing across everything we track — from companies and brands to investors, funding rounds, acquisitions, financials, and more.
- Unlimited viewing on all profiles Companies, investors, financials, funding, acquisitions & directors
- Full access to every database India & global coverage, advanced filters and rich profile details
- Always-on access from your team account Single premium plan for everything you see on the portal
Related news about Cognita
Complete news archive for Cognita
Full article history, source details, and older brand coverage require an active premium plan.
- Full article archive
- Source and publication date
- Older coverage
- Brand-specific news history
Verified entity values are shown only after access is granted.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cognita
Cognita was founded in 2004 and raised its 1st funding round 9 years after it was founded.
Cognita is headquartered in Milton Keynes, United Kingdom.
Cognita is a funded company, having raised a total of $248M across 2 funding rounds to date. The company's 1st funding round was a Private Equity Round of $248M, raised on Apr 2013.
Annual revenue of Cognita is $226.05M as on Aug 31, 2024.
Cognita was founded in 2004 in Milton Keynes, United Kingdom, within the education sector. A global network of 68 schools is managed across Europe, Latin America, and Asia. Curricula delivered include the International Baccalaureate alongside national programs from Great Britain, Australia, and the United States. Operations focus on providing structured educational services to students in these regions.
Cognita offers Holistic Education and Teacher Development Programs.
Cognita has 2 investors. Key investors include KKR, and Jacobs Holding.
Cognita operates through Cognita Holdings Limited.
Yes. Cognita was acquired by Jacobs Holding in September 2018.