Raise closed, search for fresh raises on Seedstage

Beverly Hills, CA

Expanding a blended tech and mentoring platform to make elite college guidance accessible to all students.

• Strong revenue growth: 300% year-over-year increase with over $1.1M in total revenue.
• Backed by major partners: Supported by Google, Techstars, USC, and GSV.
• Proven legacy: Evolved from a 25-year college counseling company with 15,000 students served.
• High conversion rate: 76% close rate from consultations with families.
• Mission-driven model: Makes elite admissions counseling accessible to underserved communities.

AKALA is fundraising to expand its accessible, tech-enabled college admissions and career guidance platform, which combines AI-driven tools with personalized mentoring. Designed to address the national shortage of dedicated college counselors, AKALA provides a blended model that fills a critical gap for students beginning as early as 7th grade. With a proven track record of helping students gain admission to top-tier universities, AKALA offers services traditionally reserved for the affluent, now made scalable and affordable for all. The platform supports students through the entire journey—course planning, extracurricular development, essay guidance, scholarship opportunities, and application strategies—positioning them to maximize college and career outcomes.

Funds from this raise will be used to scale AKALA’s impact through expanded partnerships, platform enhancements, and team growth. With over $1.1M in revenue and a 300% year-over-year increase, the business has also recently added a seasoned sales executive from Kaplan and Revolution Prep. Backed by Google, Techstars, and USC, AKALA has signed major clients like Visa for its employee benefit model and is preparing for further national expansion. The platform is built on deep domain expertise from the founders’ 25-year legacy in admissions counseling and currently shows a strong 76% close rate in consultations. This raise will accelerate AKALA’s mission to democratize elite college admissions support and reshape the educational equity landscape.

Company Info

AKALA is an AI-driven college counseling platform combining technology and expert mentorship to help students access personalized, affordable admissions guidance.

AKALA is an AI-powered college admissions and career counseling platform designed to provide affordable and scalable guidance for students from as early as seventh grade through to college applications. The platform combines technology with one-on-one mentorship to support students in areas such as course selection, extracurriculars, community service, testing, and scholarship navigation. AKALA offers a personalized pathway for each student to optimize their chances of attending competitive universities, helping to level the playing field for families across income brackets and backgrounds.

Founded by a team with decades of experience in education and college admissions, AKALA originated from a successful legacy business that served over 15,000 students. The company has generated over $1.1 million in revenue to date, scaled 300% year over year, and boasts a 76% client conversion rate from consultations. Backed by notable organizations including Google, USC, Techstars, and GSV, AKALA aims to address the national shortage of dedicated college counselors in public high schools by offering a tech-enabled, high-touch alternative to expensive private guidance services.