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From Accelerator to Global Vision - How Ripyl® is Revolutionising Business Education

13 February 2025

The idea for Ripyl® wasn’t born in a boardroom, it was sparked in the fast-paced world of startups and innovation. While running a mini accelerator programme at a powerhouse incubator in New Zealand, Ripyl®’s founder saw a troubling pattern - young adults entering the accelerator lacked fundamental business knowledge.

Sure, entrepreneurs are ideas people, but ideas alone aren’t enough. Without an understanding of core business principles, many struggled to turn their concepts into viable businesses. That’s when the lightbulb moment happened - what if we could equip students with these essential business skills earlier? What if school education wasn’t just about theory but integrated real-world commerce and entrepreneurship into the classroom?

That question turned into action.

In 2019, Ripyl® launched as a pilot programme in New Zealand, working with over 750 primary and intermediate school students across the Manawatū region. The goal? To create an interactive, relevant, and structured programme that not only taught business principles but made them real, engaging, and applicable.

The success of the initial pilot confirmed a strong demand. In 2021, Ripyl® expanded into high schools, launching a programme tailored for older students and began developing a custom-built online platform designed to enhance scalability and support business teachers effectively.

Fast forward to 2023 - Ripyl® was awarded New Zealand’s Best Youth Programme, an accolade awarded by the Global Entrepreneurship Network. Now, Ripyl® is a fully-fledged digital platform and global teacher network designed to prepare the next generation for the real world of business. With a team of five, an expert-led board, and a curriculum-aligned resource built by teachers, for teachers, Ripyl® is not just another education tool; it’s a movement to bring business learning into classrooms worldwide.

A Global Classroom: Connecting Teachers & Experts Across Borders

Ripyl® is more than just an online learning platform, it’s a global teacher network. Whether teachers are based in Perth, Australia; New York, USA; or Auckland, New Zealand, they can connect, share insights, and collaborate through Ripyl®.

One of the platform’s most powerful features is its ability to bring external experts into the classroom. Teachers can invite entrepreneurs, business leaders, and industry specialists to join their class via Zoom, offering students firsthand insights from professionals around the world. This real-world exposure ensures that students are not only learning about business, they’re actively engaging with the people who shape it.

Staying Connected: Learning from Teachers and Students

Despite growing into a scalable digital platform, Ripyl® remains deeply embedded in classrooms. The team still provides in-school delivery, ensuring they stay connected with both teachers and students.

This direct engagement allows Ripyl® to:

• Hear directly from teachers about the biggest challenges they face in business education.

• Gain valuable student feedback that helps shape new resources and interactive learning experiences.

• Refine and improve offerings to ensure Ripyl®’s content remains practical, engaging, and impactful all while teaching complex concepts.

By keeping a hands-on approach, Ripyl® doesn’t just deliver content, it evolves based on real classroom needs.

Bridging the Gap in Business Education

Ripyl®’s core audience is high school business teachers working with students in the first few years of their high school journey.  While many existing programmes focus on senior students or financial literacy, Ripyl® fills a critical gap in business and commerce education for younger students.

Rather than competing with existing youth-focused initiatives, Ripyl® is designed to be complementary. By giving students an early start in business, Ripyl® ensures they are better equipped, more confident, and more engaged when progressing to senior-level enterprise and financial literacy programmes.

From Startup to Scale-Up: Ripyl®’s Growth and Investment

The journey from an idea to an award-winning platform has been fast-moving and strategic. Ripyl® secured early-stage funding through Callaghan Innovation, New Zealand’s leading government agency supporting innovative startups. This initial grant helped Ripyl® refine its offering, validate its impact, and build a scalable model that is now attracting significant interest from educators worldwide.

Since then, Ripyl® has raised over a quarter of a million dollars in investment, reinforcing its position as a game-changer in the education sector. The company is now focused on strengthening its presence in local markets, becoming the ‘go-to’ source for New Zealand business teachers while expanding into Australia, the USA, Canada, and the UK to extend its global impact.

What Makes Ripyl® Different?

• Built for Teachers, by Teachers – Every module is designed in collaboration with educators who understand the needs of the modern classroom.

• Real-World Business Learning – The programme connects theory to practice, ensuring students learn through real-world case studies, challenges, and interactive activities.

• Support Materials for Teachers - The platform equips educators with step-by-step notes and ready-to-use worksheets, streamlining preparation and ensuring confident, effective delivery of the Ripyl® framework.

• A Strong Support Network – Backed by a diverse board of experts, including business owners, entrepreneurs, accountants, and educators, Ripyl® combines industry knowledge with educational best practices.

• A Global Teaching Network – Teachers can connect with peers around the world, share insights, and even collaborate on cross-border classroom projects.

• Industry Access for Students – The platform allows teachers to bring in external experts, giving students direct exposure to entrepreneurs and professionals shaping today’s business landscape.

• Ongoing In-School Delivery – The Ripyl® team remains hands-on in classrooms, continuously adapting and evolving the programme based on teacher and student feedback.

• A Focus on Scalability – The Ripyl® platform is ready to scale, providing educators with an easy-to-use, adaptable tool that can be deployed across multiple countries and curricula.

What’s Next?

Ripyl® is now focused on scaling internationally, forging partnerships with schools, education ministries, youth organisations, and industry experts to make business education more accessible, engaging, and impactful.

“As educators and entrepreneurs, we believe that business and commerce education shouldn’t just be a box-ticking exercise; it should inspire students, equip them with practical skills, and open doors to real opportunities,” says Dave Craig, Founder of Ripyl®. “Business is essential in life – teaching us resilience, problem-solving, and to see opportunity in every challenge. We’re excited to take Ripyl® to the next level, ensuring that teachers worldwide have the tools they need to prepare their students for the future.”

With momentum building and interest growing, Ripyl® is actively seeking collaborations, partnerships, and investment to fuel its next stage of growth.

For media inquiries and partnership opportunities, or to learn more, visit www.ripyl.net or contact the Founder, dave@ripyl.net.