Who Owns Education Angels?

Education Angels was founded in 2000 as a New Zealand-based home childcare provider. The company built its business model around placing children with trained educators in home-based settings rather than traditional childcare centers. This model allowed for smaller group sizes, with a maximum of four children per educator, and flexible hours that accommodated family schedules.

The company operated as an independent business for over two decades, expanding its network across New Zealand. Education Angels established operations in multiple regions including Auckland, Waikato, Hamilton, Bay of Plenty, Wellington, Nelson, Marlborough, Otago, Southland, Queenstown, Cromwell, Dunedin, Wanaka, and Wairarapa. The company's national coverage made it one of the larger home-based childcare networks in New Zealand.

The New Zealand Education Review Office (ERO) has conducted regular reviews of Education Angels. A 2021 ERO report noted that the organization operates seven home-based education and care networks. The report found that children experience meaningful and positive interactions with educators and that the curriculum acknowledges and reflects the unique place of Maori as tangata whenua. A 2023 ERO report for the Hamilton network noted that a child-led curriculum aligned with Te Whariki, the early childhood curriculum, was in place, with visiting teachers and educators prioritizing children's wellbeing and sense of belonging.

In 2020, Genius Group began acquisition discussions with Education Angels as part of its plan to expand from adult education into early childhood and school-age education. The acquisition was completed on April 14, 2022, two days after Genius Group's IPO on NYSE American. Education Angels became the preschool component of Genius Group's lifelong learning pathway, which the company describes as spanning from ages 0 to 100.

Following the acquisition, Education Angels was integrated into Genius Group's GeniusU platform, which provides AI-driven personal recommendations and curriculum content. The company began offering Genius Educator Certification for parents and teachers through the platform. Education Angels also started integrating Genie AI, Genius Group's AI mentor, into its educational programs.

In February 2026, Genius Group released its AI Powered Education Plan, which outlined growth plans for Education Angels. The Genius School division, including Education Angels, is focused on profitable growth of the preschool program, expansion of the Genius Educator Certification, and launch of Starlink-connected Future School Space Capsules. The company also plans to expand the Education Angels model beyond New Zealand through its digital platform.