Bill Gates Bets On Facebook App For Education

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has just announced a $2 million investment on Schools App, an education-focused Facebook application that builds intimate, college-specific Facebook sites for colleges in order to build a sense of community among its students.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation made its first ever equity investment, giving $2 million to Inigral Inc. for Schools App, an education-focused Facebook application that builds intimate, college-specific sites for colleges in order to build a sense of community among its students.

Schools App uses the interconnectedness and collaborative nature of the social network as a way to draw college students to one another and help them stay connected with their college culture.

The ultimate goal is to increase student retention, something that has become increasingly difficult as tuition fees soar and kids struggle to work and study at the same time.

“A college student’s decision to drop out creates a lot of challenges, for that individual’s future and our society at large,” said Michael Staton, Inigral co-founder and chief executive officer, in a press relate.

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