An innovative digital learning platform available in every Scottish school has added to its leadership team ahead of a global rollout.
Simon Riddlesden has joined ITZA as chief commercial officer, joining from Video Arts, the global e-learning group founded by John Cleese and Sir Anthony Jay in 1972.
The E-learning specialist piloted its platform in schools across West Lothian, Dundee and Aberdeenshire earlier this year after securing research and development (R&D) support from government and investors.
The £2 million grant and equity funding came from Scottish Enterprise, Alba Equity, and private investors to grow the firm’s digital learning, production and AI analytics hub in Scotland. It was used to grow the digital learning, production, and AI analytics hub in Scotland to accelerate independent learning for young people in the 10-16 range.
Riddlesden brings 15 years of experience from the learning space, initially at Capita plc as an e-learning designer, before a 10-year stint at Video Arts where he developed and launched the group’s award-winning Software as a Service (SaaS) business. Colin Ramsay, formerly London sales director at STV, has also joined the ITZA team, as consultant sales lead.
Anthony Bouchier, ITZA’s CEO and founder, said: “Simon’s experience will be incredibly valuable as we build out content library, secure further B2B partners, and begin to build ITZA’s go-to-market strategy, and we’re also really pleased to have Colin on board to help support our next phase of growth.”
ITZA’s One Planet digital resource on climate change and how to protect the planet, based on Sir David Attenborough’s four actions to change the way we live to reduce global warming and preserve the natural world, is being delivered into every Scottish school and an international rollout is being planned for 2025.
One Planet is being delivered alongside content partners including the BBC, GettyImages, and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). ITZA’s growing list of corporate and not-for-profit partners and supporters includes Scottish Building Society and Switzerland-based Villars Institute.
ITZA’s web platform empowers young people to learn independently using curated content and personalised analytics. The company’s team of filmmakers, cognitive scientists, educators, and game designers collaborate with global brands and organisations to produce engaging film, games, and other interactive content to complement and extend the school curricula.
ITZA has embarked on its next external investment round, and has a series of significant partnership announcements over the next few months.
Bouchier previously founded Glasgow-headquartered Twig Education in 2008. Twig adapted archived 3-minute videos on science, engineering, and mathematics for educational curricula, was backed by DC Thomson, Scottish Enterprise, and Imperial College London, and was acquired by Weid North Education, the largest provider of digital curriculum solutions in the USA, in 2021.