Throughout the past decade, Knewton’s adaptive learning technology has been backed by some of the biggest names in the both the publishing and venture capital community. Now one of its most high-profile content partners and investors, Pearson, is pulling back.

Pearson will no longer use Knewton’s adaptive learning engine for some of its digital offerings. The retrenchment delivers a setback to Knewton, for whom Pearson was the first—and most visible—partner. The publisher co-led the New York City-based company’s $33 million Series D round in October 2011, hailed at the time as a strategic investment and a major vote of confidence in Knewton’s potential. (The company has raised more than $157 million in venture capital.)...

Throughout the past decade, Knewton’s adaptive learning technology has been backed by some of the biggest names in the both the publishing and venture capital community. Now one of its most high-profile content partners and investors, Pearson, is pulling back.

Pearson will no longer use Knewton’s adaptive learning engine for some of its digital offerings. The retrenchment delivers a setback to Knewton, for whom Pearson was the first—and most visible—partner. The publisher co-led the New York City-based company’s $33 million Series D round in October 2011, hailed at the time as a strategic investment and a major vote of confidence in Knewton’s potential. (The company has raised more than $157 million in venture capital.)...