Online education is usually professional development for knowledge workers, K-12 education and a means to deliver cost-effective higher learning. What’s new is e-learning for home services job market.
Nana, runs a free academy to teach people how to fix appliances, and then gives students the option of becoming a part of its own marketplace by connect them to people needing repairs.
The seed round is being led by Shripriya Mahesh of Spero Ventures; Next Play Ventures (ex-LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner’s new fund), Lachy Groom, Scott Belsky, Geoff Donaker of Burst Capital and Michael Staton of Learn Capital also participated.
Nana has now raised $10.7 million, with past backers including Alpha Bridge Ventures, Bob Lee and the Uber Syndicate, an investment vehicle to back Uber in new ventures. Founder and CEO David Zamir is one of his first employees, VP of Engineering Oliver Nicholas is an early Uber engineer.
They start with free lessons to fix dishwashers, refrigerators, ovens, stoves, washers and dryers. Classes are available to anyone interested in learning how to fix a machine, but more likely someone looking to pick up a skill and then use it to make some money.
Once you take and pass a remote course you have the option register on Nana’s platform and become a repair person. Nana already has partnerships with major appliance including GE, Miele, Samsung, Assurant, Cinch and First American Home Warranty.
There is 5.9 million tons of municipal solid waste including electronics washing machines, blenders and only 50% of that is capable of getting recycled. This is partly because there aren’t enough appliance repair professionals.
Nana has hundreds of registered technicians in 12 markets across the U.S. and said it expects to expand to 20 markets by the end of 2021.
Nana will help people to fill the gap for appliance technicians and extending the life of people’s appliances. Expanding knowledge while putting less broken appliances into landfills
