John Danner

Overview

John Danner is an experienced angel investor and entrepreneur specializing in education and technology sectors. He is the CEO of Flourish Schools, an AI-powered network of private middle schools, and the Chairman of ProjectRead.ai, an AI tutor teaching over 100,000 students to read in elementary schools. He co-founded Rocketship Education, an elementary school network that pioneered blended learning, and NetGravity, the first Internet ad server company. He has invested in companies such as AppLovin, Outschool, Synthesis, Maven, Abwaab, and Stepful. His investment strategy focuses on early-stage companies in the education and technology sectors, particularly those leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance learning experiences. He has a strong interest in consumer-focused companies and has a preference for investments in Asia. His portfolio includes companies like AppLovin, Outschool, Synthesis, Maven, Abwaab, and Stepful. John holds a Bachelor's and Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University and a Master's Degree in Education Policy from Vanderbilt University. He is an Ashoka Fellow, a 1999 Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute, a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network, and the 2010 winner of the Aspen Institute's McNulty Prize for social entrepreneurship. He is also the co-instructor of Lean Launchpad for Education at Stanford, a class focused on student teams launching new education companies.

Investment Focus

• Early-stage companies
• Education and technology sectors
• Artificial intelligence applications in learning
• Consumer-focused companies
• Preference for investments in Asia

Portfolio Companies