The Iqoniko Group, an international strategic and capital markets advisory group with offices in Dubai and London, is pleased to announce that it has been appointed as strategic advisor to StudyFriends GmbH, a German education company. As an experienced partner for startups, growth-oriented companies, and SMEs, we are proud to support this ambitious education company as it expands.
Empowering Equal Opportunity Through Education
StudyFriends has a clear mission at the heart of its innovative education and tutoring model: access to education and equal opportunity should not depend on a child’s background or a family’s financial circumstances. The company primarily supports children and young people from lower-income families, as well as students from migrant backgrounds and those facing language barriers.
Working closely with schools and public-sector institutions, StudyFriends provides the following services directly within schools:
- Holiday programmes
- Regular academic support
- Individual assistance throughout the school year
Its services can be funded through German public programmes such as “Startchancen” and “Bildung und Teilhabe (BuT)”. Providing immense value to both schools and families, StudyFriends also supports the application and administrative processes associated with these funding programmes, reducing the administrative burden.
A Shared Vision of Social Impact and Scalability
“Education has the power to shape opportunities for a lifetime. That is precisely what makes the StudyFriends model so compelling to us,” said Dave Persico, Iqoniko. “The company combines meaningful social impact with a scalable business model and strong entrepreneurial ambition. We look forward to supporting the team through its next phase of growth and to creating the strategic foundations for sustainable, long-term success.”
Our Mandate: Strategic Advisory for Sustainable Expansion
As part of the mandate, Iqoniko will support StudyFriends in its strategic corporate development, brand positioning, and future growth and financing initiatives. The objective is to expand the company’s market presence, accelerate the scalability of its business model and establish a strong foundation for StudyFriends’ long-term development.
About StudyFriends GmbH StudyFriends GmbH is a German education company committed to promoting greater equality of opportunity within the education system. The company was founded by Busra and Daniel Filipovic from the start-up ecosystem of garage33 at Paderborn University. Through its tutoring and academic support programmes, StudyFriends focuses particularly on children and young people whose access to additional educational support may be limited by social or language-related circumstances. Its programmes are delivered directly within schools in cooperation with educational institutions and public-sector partners.
