Jana Krotsch, CEO of Ubimaster, is a mother of three school-aged children. Their daily routine: traditional tutoring with fixed appointments, lots of coordination, and little flexibility. In the evenings, when both parents were working, questions about math and other subjects piled up.
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PITCH & PEOPLE Episode 21: Ubimaster
This experience gave rise to a simple but consistent idea, as it was described in Videocast Pitch & People told:
"Why isn't there simply an app that children can use on their phones that starts up within minutes and helps them? Sometimes it takes ten minutes, sometimes an hour, sometimes half an hour. It's simply flexible and as uncomplicated as possible."
The idea became a first MVP – initially with a single subject: mathematics. Tutors were available seven days a week at defined times. From the outset, Krotsch emphasized the importance of quality behind the scenes: real, qualified teachers, accessible via chat or video, in a quiet learning environment.
Starting a business at 40: Why Jana Krotsch quit her secure job
Jana Krotsch was 40 years old when she founded Ubimaster.With a business background, many years in management consulting, and a secure, well-paid position, she wasn't a typical female founder in her early twenties with a tech network behind her. Instead, she started as a solo founder, without industry contacts or a startup ecosystem around her. She quit her secure job and traded stability for uncertainty.
"That was probably the biggest risk I've ever taken."
She says, looking back. Initially, few believed in the idea of digital educational support. But Krotsch persevered, invested her own capital, applied for funding programs, and built her company step by step.
From B2C product to employee benefit
Ubimaster It started as a B2C offering. But Krotsch quickly realized that the solution extended far beyond the private sphere. When parents are confronted with school-related issues during working hours, this has a direct impact on companies.
Their conclusion was strategic:
"Then I thought: Wow, I have to offer this as an employee benefit for companies. Because on the one hand, it relieves the burden on parents at home. Yes, it makes many things much easier. They no longer come home completely stressed in the evening and say: 'Oh no, now we have to do math too.' Furthermore, it naturally also means an increase in productivity for the employer."
What initially required explanation – digital educational support before Corona – suddenly became the standard with the Pandemie.
The turning point: Sell it before it's finished.
2020 brought a pivotal moment: Ubimaster won an award from the Handelsblatt newspaper. The prize led primarily to valuable contacts and the acquisition of the first corporate client.
The challenge: The technical solution for corporate customers did not yet exist.
“I had a great B2C product, and then I called my developer and said, ‘We need a solution within a month that allows all of this client’s corporate customers, all of their employees, to register with us for free.’ How do you achieve something like that? We’d never done anything like it before. I sold them the product and just got started.”
Financing and growth
The first funding round followed in 2022. Contact with Auxxo, a fund for female founders, was established through Encourage Ventures. Later, Owl Ventures, one of the world's largest EdTech investment firms, joined the venture.
Overall, Ubimaster two funding rounds Completed in 2022 and 2025, the company raised a further seven million euros. Today, it employs almost 60 people and works with hundreds of tutors.
Ubimaster has reached 750,000 children so far, out of approximately 8.5 million pupils in Germany.
Education for all
Ubimaster sees itself as a complement to the school system. Companies or banks purchase support packages and make them available free of charge to the children of their employees or customers, for example, integrated into a youth account.
Krotsch emphasizes the social dimension:
"We reach children and young people from all types of schools. It's not just grammar school students, but also students from so-called working-class families. We reach students from all segments of the population."
According to Krotsch, a qualitative study conducted jointly with the Catholic University of Munich shows that students are becoming more independent, more confident, and more actively participating in class.
The vision: To reach every child
Where will Ubimaster be in five to ten years? According to Krotsch, it should happen much faster:
"In three to four years, I would like to reach all children in Germany. This means that every child can receive free tutoring. If I succeed in doing that, I would be very proud."
Ubimaster is already active in Austria, has taken initial steps in Switzerland and has established a subsidiary in Spain.
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