Munai seeks to build and operate a PreK-5 platform in the United States, through acquisition of existing PreK-5 schools. We bring patient capital, a growth mindset, deep education experience and operational excellence. Our founder, the investor, and advisors form a team with the strategic thinking and expertise to transform and grow institutions.

We are looking for school owners who wish to elevate their institutions to higher levels of excellence and grow beyond their current status. This could include school owners who desire to step away from daily management and transition their institution to an experienced operator who will build upon the strong foundation they have established institutions that seek to grow and expand. At Munai, we intend to preserve the legacy of what has been done by the institution’s founders while bringing in innovations that enhance learning outcomes and operational excellence to drive sustainable growth.

Specifically, we are looking at schools and institutions in the US, where we would have opportunities for complete acquisition or strategic investment with majority ownership and operational control. The schools should be:

• Comprehensive PreKinder to Elementary School (Grade 5), or smaller but with growth potential
• Institutions that have a unique or personalised education models are of deep interest
• At operational break-even and have reasonable year-on-year operating surpluses (annual EBITDA between $500,000 and $1.5 million)

Our investor:

Munai is funded through committed capital from Altiva Education, the education investment arm of the Hochschild family, a prominent Latin American family with over a century of experience creating value in mining, construction and education. After 40 years at the forefront of higher education in Latin America and Europe, and having built strong partnerships with renowned universities such as MIT, Stanford, Georgia Tech, Purdue, and Duke, Altiva Education is building on this legacy to expand into the K-12 sector, bringing the same commitment to quality and forward-thinking education to younger learners. Altiva Education’s vision is to build a long-term, global portfolio of education institutions and companies that support learners at every stage of life.

Our founder:

Daniella Raffo established Munai with the purpose of building one great education organization through strategic acquisition. With over 15 years of experience in education operations and investing across diverse geographies, Daniella brings deep expertise and a proven track record to the role. After earning her MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business, Daniella joined McKinsey & Company’s education practice, after which she became the COO of Innova Schools, a K-12 school network, where she led its expansion from 11 to 34 schools. Daniella also serves as a Board Member for CicloUno, a daycare center she acquired in 2019; as Strategic Advisor to TeachersPro, an EdTech company specializing in teacher professional development; and as Board Member for EnseñaPerú, the Peruvian chapter of Teach For America, which she co-founded in 2009.

Our advisors:

• Carlos Heeren, CEO of Altiva Education and former CEO of UTEC University
• Geoff Cocksworth, Chief Education Officer for Altiva Education and former founding Executive Principal of The King's School Shenzhen International
• Hearth Advisors, a global consulting firm with a deep expertise in education, specifically: strategic planning, curriculum development, institutional design, operational support, public-private partnerships, and international education.