NEW ORLEANS – Campusknot Inc., an AI-powered teaching assistant platform for higher education, has raised $1.1 million to expand its footprint across the United States and accelerate adoption of its technology among universities.
The investment comes from Tulane Ventures, Boot 64 Ventures, Invest Mississippi Impact Fund, Momentum Fund, and Greaux Innovation Ventures, along with several private angels from Mississippi, Tennessee, and Arizona. The funding highlights the growing strength of the Mississippi and Louisiana innovation corridor, where startups combine academic expertise with emerging technology to improve education.
Headquartered in Starkville, Mississippi, with operations and partnerships based in New Orleans, Louisiana, CampusKnot is redefining how higher education institutions approach teaching, learning, and engagement through the power of AI.
“CampusKnot exemplifies the kind of scalable, mission-driven innovation Tulane Ventures seeks to support. By automating key teaching tasks and enhancing student engagement, the platform is transforming how faculty interact with students. With adoption and traction at over 30 universities, CampusKnot is well-positioned to expand its impact on teaching and learning across the nation. We are proud to support its continued growth in higher education,” said Kimberly Gramm, MBA, PhD, Managing Director, Tulane Ventures.
Helping Professors Teach, Not Just Manage
The CampusKnot platform acts as an AI teaching assistant, helping instructors track participation, automate grading and feedback, and summarize discussions while giving professors a clear view of who is engaging and who might be falling behind.
“Our vision is to make teaching more effortless and fun,” said Rahul Gopal, Co-founder and CEO of CampusKnot. “Students are looking for community, quick feedback, and genuine connections with their professors. But professors often lack the time, resources, or instructional support to make that happen. CampusKnot steps in as an intelligent assistant that helps them bring those connections to life in real time. AI has changed how information is created and shared, but its real value is how it enhances the human experience of learning. We help professors address everyday classroom needs with practical, responsible, and measurable ways to use AI for teaching and engagement.”
In practice, a professor using CampusKnot can upload a syllabus and course content, automatically generate activities aligned with learning objectives, deploy interactive classroom activities, track attendance, manage rewards and incentives, and receive engagement analytics that tie teaching goals to measurable learning outcomes. The result is more time for meaningful conversation and mentorship, and a deeper understanding of how students are learning week by week.
“We are excited to join the team at CampusKnot. Our belief in Rahul’s leadership and execution as CEO is strong, and we see a clear path for CampusKnot to continue gaining market share while challenging more established players in the space.” – John Roberts, Boot 64 Ventures
Growth, Hiring, and Expansion
With the new funding, CampusKnot plans to scale nationwide while driving regional impact through job creation and expanded university partnerships across the Gulf South. The company will hire in sales, engineering, and customer success roles to meet increasing demand from universities and scale its partnerships with VitalSource and Follett, which provide frictionless entry into more than 1,000 campuses nationwide.
CampusKnot already has professors using the platform at 32 universities, including Mississippi State University, The University of Alabama, Texas A&M University, Tulane University, and Louisiana State University.
Ecosystem Driven Growth and Support
CampusKnot’s journey reflects the power of regional collaboration in driving innovation. The company was accelerated through the Invest Mississippi and Idea Village accelerator programs, which helped refine its business model, scale operations, and expand its reach across the Gulf South. The Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach at Mississippi State University also provided early support and mentorship during CampusKnot’s formative years.
“These ecosystems have been instrumental in shaping who we are today,” said Gopal. “The support we have received from both Mississippi and Louisiana partners has created a foundation for long-term growth and meaningful impact in higher education.”
“AI in higher education should not automate learning; it should illuminate it, slow the process down, exposing the productive steps, and helping students wrestle with ambiguity. Used thoughtfully, it can open doors to perspectives students have not yet imagined, and CampusKnot helps you do that in real time,” said Dr. Alex Joubin, George Washington University
“Innovation Catalyst is proud to support CampusKnot as they transform the classroom experience through AI by empowering professors to drive engagement and track learning outcomes in real time,” said Bill Ellison, CEO, Innovation Catalyst Inc.
Louisiana AI Policy
In October, the Louisiana Board of Regents approved a statewide policy outlining responsible, ethical, and secure use of artificial intelligence across public colleges and universities. The measure establishes standards for data handling, vendor selection, and permissible AI applications in academic and administrative settings, and directs all higher-education systems in the state to implement aligned institutional policies by Dec. 15.
