BookNook

Founded in 2016 by Michael Lombardo, BookNook is an Oakland-based company providing a synchronous virtual tutoring platform that delivers one-on-one and small-group reading and math instruction for K-8 students. The company has deployed its educational software across more than 2,500 schools, facilitating nearly 1.5 million individual tutoring sessions to address post-pandemic learning gaps. BookNook charges school districts a flat monthly fee to access its engaging curriculum, scalable technology infrastructure, and specialized tutor recruitment and training services. The enterprise secured financial backing from prominent venture capital firms, including Reach Capital, Kapor Capital, Impact Engine, Better Ventures, and the Urban Innovation Fund, which participated in a $1.2 million seed round. To validate its research-proven strategies, the organization recently launched a randomized control trial measuring literacy impact among first through fourth graders within a California charter school system.