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Acquisition of Online Education Platform

M&A8 April 2024BAIHealthcare

8 April 2024

NZX Limited

AUCKLAND


Acquisition of Online Education Platform and Collateral Arrangements


Being AI and Being Ventures’ wholly owned subsidiary AGE Limited, which itself owns an innovative urban

school in Takapuna, has entered into an agreement to acquire the education business assets of Villa Education

Trust (VET), which comprise:


• The Mt Hobson Academy, and online learning platform that provides quality teaching and learning,

positive learning focused relationships and an engaging Project Based Curriculum for Years 1-10 and

follows the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) pathway for Years 11-13. The Mt

Hobson Academy provides an excellent option for parents and students who want the certainty and

consistency of uninterrupted, high expectations learning and teaching for their children and young

adults.


• The rights to manage two Special Character Schools, one located in West Auckland, and one in South

Auckland.


• The informal management arrangements in respect of the Mt Hobson campus located in Kaitaia.


• The intellectual property rights of the project-based curriculum owned by VET.


The Agreement is conditional upon the Board of Trustees of the two Special Character Schools consenting to the

assignment of the management agreements from VET to AGE Limited, and upon the employees of VET agreeing

to be employed by AGE Limited post completion of the transaction.


The date for the proposed satisfaction of the above conditions is Friday, 12 April. Should the conditions be

satisfied, Being anticipates that the transaction will also settle on 12 April. The purchase price is two hundred

thousand dollars. A week after Being’s debut on the NZX, this acquisition marks the first step in the group

strategy for aggressive growth in the Education industry.


In conjunction with the transaction, Karen van Gemerden, who is both an executive and trustee of VET will join

the Being Education team as General Manager – Education. Karen will work closely with our existing executive

and Director of Education, Katherine Allsopp-Smith. Our expanding Education division will be responsible for

over 300 students (including those joining from VET’s Mt Hobson and Kaitaia schools).


Being Ventures will continue to expand the Being Education division, and to actively integrate advanced

technologies into Being’s online and traditional school environments. AI and Spatial Computing are game

changers for Education in the future.





David McDonald, Group CEO of Being AI, comments “More than many, we understand the significant impact that

emerging technologies such as AI will have on education. We also see a moment in time where New Zealand has

the opportunity to lead the world in an industry transformation that was previously impossible.


Our intention is to use our deep expertise with AI and other advanced technologies to help the education sector

transition to this new era.


The acquisition of VET is a first step forward in our commitment to this journey. It also reinforces our desire to

advance New Zealand; education being the most important lever we can pull for our country’s future happiness

and economic growth.”


Chairman Sean Joyce comments “The prospective acquisition of the Villa Education Trust assets

represents a fantastic opportunity for the Company to secure a foothold in the online education vertical, and to

start developing commercial relationships with traditional schools.


We have a specific focus on participating in the Partnership School initiative to be launched by the New Zealand

Government, and have been working closely with Government agencies to discuss the opportunities that lie ahead

in this sector. Partnership Schools will revolutionise education in New Zealand bringing choice to parents who have

children that don’t excel within a ‘one size fits all’ education model, and for those parents who cannot afford the

fees of Private Schools.


The Being executive team, and the new Board of Directors, are committed to contributing meaningfully towards

the New Zealand education landscape with the development of world class Partnership Schools, and the

introduction of advanced technologies into our schools.”


END


For more information contact:

Sean Joyce

Chair, Being AI Limited

Mobile: +64 21 865 704

Email: sean@corporate-counsel.co.nz


David McDonald

Group CEO, Being AI Limited

Mobile: +64 27 239 7000

Email: david@beingconsultants.ai


Website: BeingAI.Group

linkedin.com/beingconsultants

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