AI-powered childcare management platform Illumine raises $2.5 million to expand global reach

AI-first childcare management platform Illumine has secured $2.5 million (AUD 3.75 million) in seed funding to support its global expansion, with a strong focus on the United States. The funding round was led by Prime Venture Partners and will be used to scale the company’s AI-powered solutions across high-demand markets.

Founded in 2018 by Navneet Rastogi, Purva Goyal and Sourabh Agarwal, Illumine provides a full-stack management system tailored specifically for early childhood education and care (ECEC) providers. Its platform replaces manual systems and fragmented tools with an integrated, AI-driven solution designed to streamline operations and improve outcomes for children, educators, and families.

“Parents invest thousands annually in early education, yet the sector remains dramatically underserved by technology,” said Shripati Acharya, Partner at Prime Venture Partners. “Illumine simplifies every aspect of running a childcare centre while empowering educators and delivering better visibility to owners.”

Already active in 56 countries, including the US, Southeast Asia, the UAE and parts of Europe, Illumine is positioning itself as a co-pilot for educators and a command centre for operators. The system includes tools for lesson planning, staff scheduling, compliance tracking, billing, parent communication, and real-time business intelligence.

“Our AI understands educator workflows and language,” said CEO Navneet Rastogi. “This isn’t just another piece of software it’s purpose-built for early learning environments.”

The platform also supports multilingual engagement with families and is especially well-suited to multi-site operators who need consolidated oversight and scalable processes. Illumine reports 200% year-on-year revenue growth and a customer churn rate below 1%.

The new funding will be used to accelerate product development, deepen integration with regulatory frameworks (particularly in the US), and support continued international expansion.

As Australian providers navigate their own digital transformation, staffing pressures and evolving compliance demands, tools like Illumine may signal a broader shift toward integrated, AI-powered platforms that reduce administrative burden, enhance decision-making, and support improved service quality.