Nearly one year on from launch, Grinds360, Ireland’s leading hybrid learning platform, has seen explosive growth, with over 3,000 paying members and 18,000 app users as the 2024/25 Leaving Cert draws to a close. By combining established and trusted teachers with AI-powered personalisation, Grinds360 is transforming how students prepare for their exams. Backed by a €3.2 million seed round and set to double revenue in 2025/26, the company has established itself as the go-to alternative to traditional grind schools.
Grinds360 was founded on the belief that affordability and accessibility should be the foundation of exam support, something that, for too long, students across Ireland have been denied. That mission has resonated nationwide, with 65% of sign-ups now coming from outside Dublin, highlighting the demand for a more inclusive alternative to traditional grind schools.
On Grinds360’s future, Brendan Kavanagh, Chairman and Co-Founder says, “The numbers speak for themselves – there’s a real hunger for a new model of academic support. Families are fed up with the high costs and limited options, but we have shown that there is a better way forward as the Irish education landscape continues to shift. Our ambition is to build a platform that doesn’t just improve how students prepare for exams, but fundamentally changes what they expect. We’ve shown that you can make high quality, personalised education accessible to students no matter where they live, or what school they attend. Now we’re focused on scaling that impact even further and becoming the gold standard for digital learning.”
Grinds360 model is a unique hybrid approach, combining Ireland’s leading teachers with cutting-edge AI student tracking tech and a flexible all-access membership. For a single subscription fee, priced up to 75% cheaper than traditional grind schools, students gain unlimited access to live weekly grinds in 14 core subjects, over 3,000 on-demand lessons across 20 subjects, high-end animations and knowledge checks, expert-curated digital notes and exam focused revision courses. Having already addressed major barriers around affordability and accessibility, Grinds360 is now turning its attention to a growing concern in Irish education: the pressure on students to leave their schools entirely in the lead-up to exams.
Kavanagh added, “Instead of replacing classroom teachers, we are working alongside them, challenging the outdated idea that success requires leaving school, friends, and local teachers for a full-time grind school – a growing trend we have seen in recent years. Students don’t need to abandon their schools to get top-tier tuition. Ireland already has excellent teachers and strong schools, what students need is additional support that works alongside their education. We’ve made expert teaching accessible and affordable, and our results show that students don’t need to break bonds with their teachers, classmates or communities to succeed.”
As Irish education undergoes significant change, becoming increasingly digital, the Grinds360 model supports students through continuous engagement and digital resources that reflect the evolving nature of the senior cycle and the Leaving Certificate. Since inception, Grinds360 has established itself as one of the fastest growing education platforms in the country. As demand accelerates, the team is focused on deepening its impact and ensuring more students across Ireland can access the support they need.
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