Creative Learning Corporation Acquires Bricks4Schoolz

Brass Ring Capital Acquires Majority Interest in Creative Learning Systems

May 2, 2017

Education

Brass Ring Capital purchased a majority equity interest in Creative Learning Systems, a Longmont, Colorado-based provider of turn-key STEM SmartLabs for K-12 schools. Cherry Tree advised Creative Learning Systems’ owners, Gary Nelson and Matt Dickstein, on the ownership transition as founder Gary Nelson planned for retirement.

Brave Toys Acquires My Creative Box

September 20, 2025

Consumer Products

Brave Toys, the parent company behind Connetix, has completed a full acquisition of My Creative Box, an Australian maker of educational activity and subscription boxes for children. Brave Toys had previously acquired a 50% stake in June 2024 and the full purchase is intended to strengthen its educational toy portfolio and support My Creative Box's international growth.

KIRKBI A/S Acquires BrainPOP

October 11, 2022

Education

KIRKBI A/S, the family-owned holding company of the LEGO brand, has acquired 100% of BrainPOP, a leading K–12 educational technology platform. KIRKBI will operate BrainPOP as an independent business, invest to accelerate its product roadmap, and leverage the LEGO ecosystem to expand BrainPOP’s digital learning reach and direct-to-consumer offerings.

Education Advanced Acquires School Software Group

September 22, 2020

Education

Education Advanced, a Tyler, Texas–based K-12 EdTech SaaS company, has acquired Wisconsin-based School Software Group, maker of BuildYourOwnCurriculum (BYOC). The acquisition expands Education Advanced's product suite (adding BYOC's curriculum and learning-management capabilities) and increases its client footprint to over 500 districts, 6,500 schools and 4.6 million students.

Exeter Street Capital Partners Recapitalizes SmartLab Learning

December 12, 2023

Education

Exeter Street Capital Partners led a majority recapitalization of Creative Learning Systems, LLC (d/b/a SmartLab) in partnership with IBC Funds, Siguler Guff, and members of SmartLab's leadership team. The investment will support SmartLab's growth plans to expand its national footprint and scale its turnkey, tech-enabled STEM learning environments for K-12 schools.

Carnegie Learning Acquires Scientific Learning Corporation

September 14, 2020

Education

An affiliate of Carnegie Learning acquired Scientific Learning Corporation in an all-cash merger valued at approximately $15 million. The acquisition makes Scientific Learning a privately owned subsidiary of Carnegie Learning and is intended to strengthen Carnegie Learning's digital literacy and neuroscience-based literacy product offerings for K-12, clinicians and direct-to-consumer channels.