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Join hosts Alex Sarlin and Ben Kornell for a post-election edition of "Week in Edtech," featuring insights from Anna Edwards and Ben Wallerstein of Whiteboard Advisors.
✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:02:16] 🇺🇸 New trends in education policy post-election
[00:04:42] 🏛️ Why state policies will shape the future of K-12 education
[00:08:10] 💸 The looming financial gap for districts as ESSER funds expire
[00:10:57] 🏢 Republicans’ potential plans to restructure or abolish the Education Department
[00:19:50] 📉 Navigating a shifting landscape and finding opportunities in state funding
[00:28:32] 🛠️ Rising focus on workforce readiness and career pathways
[00:33:55] 📈 A move toward flexible, formative assessment models in K-12
[00:36:08] 🤖 Anna Edwards on AI's expanding role in K-12 education
[00:42:04] 🚀 Federal policies open doors for flexibility and innovation in educationPlus Special Guests:
[00:55:33] 🎙️ Kavitta Ghai, CEO of Nectir, discusses how AI is transforming student support and boosting engagement in higher education
[01:18:41] 🎙️ Lindsay Dworkin, SVP of Policy and Government Affairs at HMH, shares insights on adapting edtech strategy amidst policy changes😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders!
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This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for Education Entrepreneurs. Founded by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work just as hard as you do.
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Chuck Cohn is the Founder, Chairman & CEO of Nerdy (parent company of Varsity Tutors). Chuck founded the company in 2007 during his junior year of college after experiencing frustration finding the personalized help he needed for a calculus course. He spent his early career working in energy & power investment banking at Wells Fargo Securities (Wachovia) and healthcare private equity at Ascension Ventures, an $800M AUM private equity fund. Chuck bootstrapped Nerdy before leaving his private equity role to focus on growing Nerdy full-time at the end of 2011.
How Varsity Tutors scaled from a startup to a public company and the evolving business model for reaching individual and institutional customers.The critical role of “high-dosage tutoring” in overcoming learning loss and why regular, personalized sessions outperform on-demand solutions.How AI tools are enhancing personalized education by creating adaptive lesson plans and optimizing tutor-student matching.The challenges and strategies in transitioning from direct-to-consumer to B2B in the K-12 education sector.The future of AI in tutoring, including real-time translation and adaptive content, and how it’s reshaping the role of human tutors.
💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:✨ Episode Highlights:
Follow our Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicSign up for the Edtech Insiders newsletter.Follow Edtech Insiders on LinkedIn!
[00:03:07] Chuck’s founding story of Nerdy and his vision for accessible tutoring
[00:05:20] Scaling Varsity Tutors from individual tutoring to institutional partnerships.
[00:07:27] Early entrepreneurial lessons from bootstrapping and finance
[00:13:17] Ensuring quality through effective tutor-student matching.
[00:16:45] Why high-dosage, relationship-based tutoring drives better outcomes
[00:24:10] Balancing logistics with personalization in tutoring.
[00:30:46] Chuck’s outlook on sustainable tutoring post-ESSER funding
[00:35:00] How AI enhances personalization and tutor matching at Varsity Tutors
[00:41:03] Consistent tutoring's impact on improving school attendance
[00:50:06] The promise of real-time language translation for ELL students.
😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders!🎉 Presenting Sponsor:
This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for Education Entrepreneurs. Founded by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work just as hard as you do.
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Mark Miller is the founder and Managing Director of Good Harbor Partners (GHP), a boutique M&A advisory firm specializing in the education technology and publishing sectors. With over 20 years of experience as an edtech entrepreneur and advisor, Miller has a proven track record in guiding Pre-K-12, Higher Education, and Workforce clients through strategic growth, fundraising, and successful exits. A co-founder of LearnLaunch and a dedicated member of Cornell’s Entrepreneurship Advisory Board, Miller is widely respected for his contributions to the edtech ecosystem and frequently shares his insights as a speaker at industry events.
How to decide when to stay and grow or pursue an acquisition.The importance of a clear capital strategy in today’s funding landscape.Key factors edtech entrepreneurs should consider at major inflection points.How AI developments are influencing the edtech M&A landscape.Challenges in securing sustainable funding for K-12 and higher ed amid economic uncertainties.
💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:✨ Episode Highlights
[00:03:13] From Cornell to edtech, winning a business plan competition to building companies
[00:10:18] Creating 'Take Note' as an early publishing venture at Cornell
[00:19:51] Transition to M&A, guiding entrepreneurs on growth and exit decisions
[00:26:19] Profitability and sustainability as essentials in today’s edtech
[00:32:17] Common pitfalls in capital strategy and valuation for startups
[00:47:27] AI and M&A, how big edtech views acquisitions in the AI market
[01:03:10] Key resources from top thinkers in edtech policy and strategy😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders!
Follow our Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicSign up for the Edtech Insiders newsletter.Follow Edtech Insiders on LinkedIn!🎉 Presenting Sponsor:
This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for Education Entrepreneurs. Founded by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work just as hard as you do.
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Libby Hills co-leads the Jacobs Foundation’s global EdTech investment portfolio, focusing on the intersection of technology, research, and education. With over 15 years in education, including roles in teaching, tech leadership, and charity boards, she also co-hosts the Ed-Technical podcast. Libby holds degrees in Education and Social Business from Oxford and LSE.
The future of AI-powered tutoring and its potential impact.Key components that make tutoring effective.Jacobs Foundation’s approach to cost-effective hybrid AI-human models.Current limitations of AI in understanding student learning.New UK government initiatives supporting AI in education.
Owen Henkel is an AI in Education researcher at the University of Oxford, specializing in natural language processing for foundational literacy and numeracy. He leads the R&D team for Rori, a chatbot for personalized math tutoring on low-cost mobile phones, and co-hosts Ed-Technical with Libby. Owen has a dual MBA/MA from the University of Michigan and is completing his Ph.D. at Oxford.
💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:00:22] Generative AI’s limitations in understanding student learning.
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[00:00:57] Carnegie Mellon’s AI-human hybrid tutoring model.
[00:04:37] Four pillars of effective high-dosage tutoring.
[00:08:17] History and evolution of intelligent tutoring systems (ITS).
[00:11:26] Rori, a math tutoring chatbot for underserved regions.
[00:17:18] Hybrid models reducing tutoring costs and training needs.
[00:24:42] AI modeling new thinking processes for students.
[00:26:35] UK government-backed AI content hubs and resources.
[00:31:32] Raising minimum quality standards in education with AI.
😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders!🎉 Presenting Sponsor:
This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for Education Entrepreneurs. Founded by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work just as hard as you do.
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Join hosts Alex Sarlin and Ben Kornell as they explore the political and technological currents reshaping education, from college ROI and student loans to AI’s expanding role in higher ed.
✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:04:28] 🗳️ Election’s Impact on Education Policy
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[00:12:11] 🎓 Debating the Value of College Amid Rising Costs
[00:15:12] 📉 Freshman Enrollment Sees Largest Drop Since Pandemic
[00:18:02] 🛠️ SchooLinks Raises $80M to Expand Career Pathways
[00:27:01] 🤖 Half of Higher Ed Adopting AI Tools for Outcomes
[00:37:05] 🕹️ AI Chatbot Linked to Teen Suicide Raises Alarms
[00:45:18] 🌍 Meta Orion & Apple Vision Pro Bring XR Back to Spotlight
[00:48:46] 📊 Anthropic’s AI Now Performs Autonomous Computer Tasks
😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders!🎉 Presenting Sponsor:
This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for Education Entrepreneurs. Founded by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work just as hard as you do.
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Roosh X is an investment arm of Roosh Investment Group.
Nathan Maynard is the CEO and Founder of HighFive, a company using mobile technology to foster connected school communities and reduce recidivism for negative classroom behaviors. With over 11 years of experience as a youth worker, teacher, and school administrator, Nathan co-authored the best-selling book "Hacking School Discipline," and is a global thought leader in reimagining discipline practices in education.💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:
How Highfive uses technology and empathy to reshape school discipline.The importance of creating a sense of belonging to reduce negative behaviors.Nathan's journey from youth worker to edtech entrepreneur and thought leader.The impact of AI on real-time behavioral interventions in schools.How Highfive is expanding its reach across the U.S. with new partnerships and funding.✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:01:46] Introduction to Nathan Maynard and Highfive’s mission to transform school discipline.
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[00:03:34] Building connected school communities to reduce negative behaviors.
[00:05:43] How real-time technology supports teachers in managing discipline
[00:08:13] From "Hacking School Discipline" to scaling Highfive’s impact
[00:21:26] Using AI to address systemic bias and improve behavioral insights
[00:24:34] Highfive’s expansion strategy across key U.S. states.
[00:27:55] Partnership with Roosh X to support growth and mental health initiatives.
[00:34:22] Promoting positive behavior with Highfive's virtual "high fives" system.
😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders!🎉 Presenting Sponsor:
This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for Education Entrepreneurs. Founded by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work just as hard as you do.
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Join hosts Alex Sarlin and Ben Kornell as they explore the latest in education technology, AI developments, and key edtech funding moves.
✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:02:53] 🗽 Recap of New York EdTech Week, highlighting key themes and vibrant energy from the event.
[00:04:37] 📈 Discussion on the rise of micro companies, with lower barriers leading to a surge in niche startups.
[00:12:36] 🤝Convergence between philanthropy and EdTech, focusing on how partnerships can drive sustainable models.
[00:17:28] 💰 PhysicsWallah's $400-500 million IPO plans could reshape EdTech, positioning it to overtake Byju's as India's leader.
[00:21:22] 🤖 Controversial use of AI in Nevada to reclassify at-risk students, sparking debates on resource allocation.
[00:22:07] ⚖️ Broader implications of AI in decision-making, raising questions about existing policies and resource management.Plus special guest:
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[00:25:12] 🎙️ Shauntel Garvey, Co-Founder and General Partner at Reach Capital
😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders!🎉 Presenting Sponsor:
This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for Education Entrepreneurs. Founded by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work just as hard as you do.
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Brian Shaw is the CEO of Discovery Education, a global leader in educational technology that reaches over 45 million students and 4.5 million educators across 100+ countries. With a background in finance and corporate strategy from his roles at Red Ventures and Time Warner Cable, Brian has extensive experience in M&A and business integration. At Discovery Education, he drives innovation through acquisitions and partnerships, delivering impactful digital learning solutions.
How Discovery Education builds lasting school partnershipsAI-powered tools transforming assessments for teachersCareer Connect bridging classrooms and real-world careersThe role of acquisitions in driving innovation and growthAdapting to budget shifts and consolidation in EdTech
💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:01:13] Brian Shaw explains Discovery’s mission to drive learning outcomes
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[00:03:47] Discussion on interoperability with school systems
[00:05:25] EdTech consolidation and how Discovery stays ahead
[00:08:59] AI assessment generator making custom assessments easy
[00:11:25] Career Connect helping students explore careers early
[00:15:01] Identifying the right companies to acquire
[00:19:35] The importance of communication after acquisitions
[00:23:02] Advice for startups building relationships with Discovery
😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders!🎉 Presenting Sponsor:
This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for Education Entrepreneurs. Founded by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work just as hard as you do.
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Auditi Chakravarty is CEO of AERDF (the Advanced Education Research and Development Fund). AERDF applies Advanced Inclusive R&D to find potentially transformative teaching and learning solutions that can scale, centering on the assets, strengths, and needs of Black and Latino learners and all learners experiencing poverty. Auditi also chairs the Board of Bottom Line, a national college access and success organization, and is a venture partner with LearnLaunch Accelerator. A former high school English teacher, Auditi holds a BA in English and M.Ed in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.
How AERDF models inclusive research by engaging students, educators, and researchers throughout the design process.Why centering Black, Latino, and low-income learners in R&D creates solutions that benefit all students.How AERDF’s three programs—EF+Math, Reading Reimagined, and Assessment for Good—are driving impact in education.The challenges of breaking silos between research, practice, and product development in education.The potential of AI to accelerate equity in education—and why it’s crucial to align it with evidence-based practices.
💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:✨ Episode Highlights:
Follow our Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicSign up for the Edtech Insiders newsletter.Follow Edtech Insiders on LinkedIn!
[00:01:51] Introduction to AERDF’s mission inspired by DARPA’s innovation model
[00:03:58] Centering Black, Latino, and low-income learners in R&D for solutions that benefit all students
[00:09:45] Building cross-sector collaboration to bridge gaps between research and practice
[00:22:22] Teachers feel ownership when involved in the co-design process
[00:30:25] Why edtech solutions must align with evidence to serve underserved communities effectively
[00:46:53] Creating an ecosystem of funders to support risk-taking and innovation in education
[00:48:31] AI as an accelerant for good or bad, depending on how it is used and supported by evidence
😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders!🎉 Presenting Sponsor:
This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for Education Entrepreneurs. Founded by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work just as hard as you do.
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Stephen Jull was the COO/CFO and co-founder of GeoGebra GmbH (acquired by BYJU’S in 2021), and a limited partner at Emerge Education. With a PhD from Cambridge and over two decades of experience in EdTech, Stephen has led transformative projects in mathematics, STEM education, and AI-driven learning at a global scale. He is also the former interim CEO of Epic! and a dedicated advisor to high-growth EdTech startups.
💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:
How AI, human tutors, and learning communities can reshape the outdated education system.The role of technology in addressing teacher shortages, especially in STEM fields.Insights on creating inclusive AI to support neurodiverse learners.Key takeaways from Stephen’s experience building GeoGebra into a global education powerhouse.How emerging technologies like AI are set to revolutionize global education systems.✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:00:22] Stephen Jull on the need for personalized learning to update outdated education systems.
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[00:03:31] Stephen’s journey from teaching in remote Canada to founding GeoGebra.
[00:06:54] Lessons from GeoGebra's growth and advice for EdTech founders
[00:11:10] Insights into BYJU'S acquisition and its impact on global EdTech
[00:12:50] AI, human tutors, and learning communities transforming education
[00:15:32] The importance of inclusive AI for neurodiverse learners.
[00:21:26] Global leaders and regions driving AI innovation in education.
😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders!🎉 Presenting Sponsor:
This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for Education Entrepreneurs. Founded by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work just as hard as you do.
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Katie Kurtz is Managing Director and Global Head of Youth and Learning at YouTube where she is responsible for developing the ecosystem to engage, inform, and educate kids, teens, and adults. Katie joined YouTube in 2019 after serving as Chief Product Officer at Noodle Partners, an online program manager designing and building fully online degree programs for universities. Previously she was Senior Vice President and National Sales Manager for Higher Education at Cengage Learning. Prior to that Katie was Vice President of Business Development at adaptive learning pioneer Knewton, where she led the platform's partnership strategy for three years.
How YouTube has become one of the largest learning platforms globally.The new educational features on YouTube, including quizzes, key concepts, and AI conversational tutors.Insights into YouTube’s Study Hall program, allowing students to earn college credits.The delicate balance between entertainment and education that creators must maintain.The future of AI and machine learning in shaping YouTube’s educational experiences.
💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:02:32] Katie Kurtz discusses her career path from Knewton to YouTube
[00:05:29] The rise of YouTube as one of the largest global learning platforms
[00:06:29] New educational tools on YouTube, including quizzes and AI-driven tutors.
[00:10:16] Study Hall: YouTube’s program helping students earn college credits.[00:18:06] YouTube’s “Player for Education” and its benefits for teachers and classrooms.
[00:21:31] The role of AI in transforming education on YouTube.
[00:24:02] Katie reflects on YouTube's responsibility as a leading educational platform.😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders!
Follow our Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicSign up for the Edtech Insiders newsletter.Follow Edtech Insiders on LinkedIn!🎉 Presenting Sponsor:
This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for Education Entrepreneurs. Founded by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work just as hard as you do.
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Join hosts Alex Sarlin and Ben Kornell as they explore the latest in education technology, AI developments, and key edtech funding moves.
✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:05:12] 👩🏫 OpenAI raises $6.5B and launches OpenAI Academy
[00:09:05] 📚 Google’s $120M AI Education Fund and NotebookLM tools
[00:15:03] 🦜 Duolingo’s AI strategy and record stock prices
[00:22:05] 📉 Udemy lays off hundreds and shifts to lower-cost regions
[00:25:40] 💰 Prof Jim raises $1.5M to expand AI-generated video content
[00:29:13] 🤖 AI-generated celebrity videos teaching math and science
[00:37:16] 💼 David Banks resigns as NYC Schools Chancellor
[00:45:11] 💸 TEAMology raises $1.2M for mental health; Hello Wonder raises $2.1M for safe browsing
Plus special guest:
[00:52:00] 🎙️ Jason Palmer, Former Democratic Presidential Candidate & Co-Founder of TOGETHER!, on education reform, AI, and the future of learning.This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for Education Entrepreneurs. Founded by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work just as hard as you do.
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Oliver Page is the Co-founder & CEO at CyberNut. Starting his journey as a teenage founder of NutKase Accessories, Oliver scaled the business to 60 countries before transitioning to cybersecurity. Now, with CyberNut, he focuses on providing schools with gamified, easy-to-use cybersecurity training. He is also an Angel Investor, and Startup Advisor.
Why schools are increasingly targeted by cyberattacks.The real cost of ransomware attacks on schools.How phishing emails are exploiting vulnerabilities in education.Key strategies for implementing cybersecurity training in schools.The role of AI in the future of school cybersecurity.
💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:✨ Episode Highlights:
Follow our Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicSign up for the Edtech Insiders newsletter.Follow Edtech Insiders on LinkedIn!
[00:00:00] Introduction and Oliver Page’s journey from EdTech to Cybersecurity
[00:02:45] Shocking statistics: phishing and ransomware attacks in schools
[00:07:12] Why traditional cybersecurity solutions aren’t working for schools
[00:10:50] How CyberNut’s training helps schools avoid cyberattacks
[00:16:20] The role of AI and evolving cyber threats
[00:20:00] What makes an effective cybersecurity solution for schools
[00:27:30] Best practices for protecting schools from ransomware
[00:33:15] How phishing training can improve school cybersecurity
[00:39:00] The future of personalized cybersecurity training in education
😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders!🎉 Presenting Sponsor:
This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for Education Entrepreneurs. Founded by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work just as hard as you do.
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Tal Havivi is the Managing Director of R&D at ASCD + ISTE, focusing on initiatives to improve the health and effectiveness of the EdTech market. He leads research around high-quality EdTech design, programs focused on improving evaluation processes in school systems, and supports EdTech providers. Previously, he led Education Strategy at Amazon Business focused on improving education procurement. He also has experience working at edtech startups and in K-12 administration.
How the role of evidence in EdTech has evolved over the last decade and why it’s more critical than ever.The importance of teacher usability in EdTech tools and how it impacts learning outcomes.What ISTE and ASCD’s initiatives are doing to create a more rigorous evaluation framework for EdTech products.The five quality indicators used to assess EdTech solutions: Usability, Interoperability, Accessibility, Data Privacy, and Research Basis.How EdTech providers can bridge the gap between research and practical application in schools.
💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:00:00] Introduction to Tal Havivi and his role at ASCD & ISTE.
Follow our Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicSign up for the Edtech Insiders newsletter.Follow Edtech Insiders on LinkedIn!
[00:02:59] The coalition behind EdTech’s five quality indicators.
[00:05:41] How evidence-based EdTech has evolved post-pandemic
[00:09:11] Why teacher usability is crucial for EdTech success.
[00:15:55] ISTE’s 2025 plan to prioritize validated EdTech vendors.
[00:19:37] Challenges in bridging research and practical EdTech solutions.
[00:29:38] The future of EdTech evaluation and quality standards.
😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders!🎉 Presenting Sponsor:
This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for Education Entrepreneurs. Founded by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work just as hard as you do.
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Join hosts Alex Sarlin and Ben Kornell as they explore the latest developments in education technology, from AI breakthroughs to new VC investments and edtech reports.
✨ Episode Highlights:[00:03:16] 🧠 OpenAI’s New Reasoning Model - ChatGPT o1 (Strawberry)
[00:07:20] 📚 AI's Role in Education - Practical Use Cases
[00:14:03] 👩💻 Common Sense Media Report on AI Use Among Teens: 70% of teens are using generative AI, with disparities in how different demographics use the technology
[00:17:42] 🏫 Schooling in America Report - Declining Parent Trust: 64% of parents believe K-12 education is heading in the wrong direction, driven by safety concerns and tech gaps
[00:24:51] 💡 Owl Ventures leads a $6.9M investment in Brisk Teaching
[00:33:40] 📈 AI Optimism in Schools - Clever Report: Teachers' concerns about AI making their jobs harder drop from 48% to 18% in the last year.
[00:37:15] 💸 AllHere Files for Bankruptcy
Plus special guests:[00:41:22] 🎙️ Abby Coyle and Katie Gracey, Co-founders of ClassBank discuss how ClassBank teaches financial literacy through a digital school currency system and their recent $1M pre-seed funding.
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📢 ClassBank is Hiring! They're looking for a School Partnerships Lead to help expand their impact in classrooms across the country. Check out the role here.
😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders!🎉 Presenting Sponsor:
This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for Education Entrepreneurs. Founded by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work just as hard as you do.
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Jennifer Holland is the Director of Program Management at Google for Education. With over 17 years at Google, she has been a pivotal figure in the development of Google for Education and Google Classroom. Jennifer has played a key role in shaping the tools that have transformed teaching and learning in K-12 and higher education.
The history and inspiration behind Google Classroom and its early adoption in schools.How Google Classroom helped streamline teachers' workflows and reduce time spent on administrative tasks.The evolution of Google for Education, including the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and shifts in the education landscape.How AI is driving new innovations in Google Classroom, helping to elevate teachers' roles while personalizing learning.The global impact of Google Classroom and how the team integrates feedback from teachers around the world to continually improve the platform.
💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:00:00] Jennifer Holland on Google’s mission: "more teaching, less teching."[00:02:28] The inspiration behind Google Classroom’s development.[00:03:50] A second-grade class inspired Classroom’s early design.[00:08:45] Google's strong support for education fueled Classroom’s creation.[00:11:35] AI’s role in enhancing personalized learning in Classroom.[00:17:14] Classroom’s global reach and adaptation for low-connectivity areas.[00:21:04] Jennifer reflects on 10 years of Classroom and its evolution through COVID-19.😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders!
Follow our Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicSign up for the Edtech Insiders newsletter.Follow Edtech Insiders on LinkedIn!
🎉 Presenting Sponsor:This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for Education Entrepreneurs. Founded by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work just as hard as you do.
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ThinkHumanTV delivers evidence-based emotional skills training and assessment by integrating with major streaming sites like Netflix and Disney+. The platform employs a research-based training methodology and curricula developed by our founding team of Columbia cognitive scientists. The methodology involves explicitly teaching emotion science principles in a systematic manner and illustrating these concepts by leveraging popular media.
ThinkHumanTV is one of the winners of the 2024 Tools Competition.
Ilya Lyashevsky, Co-founder and CEO of Affectifi, which created ThinkHumanTV. Faculty member at Columbia Teachers College with a background in cognitive science and social-emotional learning.
Melissa Cesarano, Co-founder and President of of Affectifi Inc (ThinkHumanTV), cognitive scientist, and professor at Columbia University. Expert in coaching and consulting for students and media companies.💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:
How ThinkHumanTV uses Netflix and Disney+ to teach emotional intelligence.The science behind emotion-based learning and cognitive appraisal.The importance of reflection in building emotional competence.The vision for achieving universal emotional literacy using AI.Insights into the National Science Foundation-funded research behind ThinkHumanTV.✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:03:30] Introduction to ThinkHumanTV and its impact in the edtech space.[00:07:50] The experience of learning emotional intelligence while watching streaming content.[00:14:00] How emotion science improves social-emotional competence in older learners.[00:19:27] Sneak peek into ThinkHumanTV’s future mobile and second-screen experience.[00:14:46] Winning the Tools Competition and its impact on ThinkHumanTV’s growth.😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders!
Follow our Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicSign up for the Edtech Insiders newsletter.Follow Edtech Insiders on LinkedIn!
🎉 Presenting Sponsor:This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for Education Entrepreneurs. Founded by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work just as hard as you do.
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Jomayra Herrera is a Partner at Reach Capital, where she leads investments in companies like Guild Education and Handshake. She is passionate about diversity in venture capital, serving on the board of SomosVC to promote Latino representation.
Lyman Missimer is the former Head of M&A and Partnerships at Newsela, where he led key acquisitions, including Formative. Now at Owl Ventures, Lyman focuses on corporate development and strategic investments in EdTech.
The biggest EdTech challenges and opportunities driving investments and acquisitions.How AI is transforming education and what it means for schools and EdTech companies.Strategic choices between building, buying, or partnering in today’s market.The increasing importance of non-academic outcomes like mental health tools in K-12.Why trust and relationships are crucial for successful exits in EdTech.
💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:
[00:03:56] EdTech investment trends focus on solving labor shortages and mental health.[00:07:10] M&A driven by data consolidation, build, buy, or partner decisions. [00:14:46] Trust and relationships are key in successful M&A.[00:17:00] Go-to-market approaches differ for various EdTech tools.[00:20:25] AI is a tool; strong models and data ensure success.[00:22:39] AI adoption in education needs proper educator training.
✨ Episode Highlights:🎉 Special Event: StartEd’s EDTECH WEEK 2024!
Don’t miss the #1 EdTech event in NYC, celebrating its 10th anniversary from October 8-10, 2024! With 200+ speakers, exclusive networking, and discussions on the latest in EdTech, it's a must-attend.
Tickets are selling fast—register at https://bit.ly/edtechweek-register and use promo code INSIDERS2024 for 20% off your general registration ticket to join us in NYC!
Follow our Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicSign up for the Edtech Insiders newsletter.Follow Edtech Insiders on LinkedIn!
😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders!
🎉 Presenting Sponsor:This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for Education Entrepreneurs. Founded by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work just as hard as you do.
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Join Alex Sarlin and Ben Kornell, as they explore the most critical developments in the world of education technology this week!
✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:03:25] 💰 OpenAI in Talks for $100B Valuation, 200M Weekly Active Users, Considers Higher-Priced Subscriptions
[00:15:18] 🖼 Google launches Gems and Imagen 3
[00:18:53] 🐝 Anthropic CEO predicts hive-mind AI, partners with Amazon for Alexa revamp; Claude for Enterprise: 500K context window, GitHub integration, and enterprise-grade security
[00:35:04] 🎓 PhysicsWallah’s ‘Alakh AI’ making education accessible in India, expands 4x in UAE
[00:38:50] 📚 AI could revolutionize dyslexia intervention and drive educational gains
[00:43:42] 🎓 Yale announces $150M for leadership in AI
[00:46:36] 💻 U.S. Higher Ed Faculty increasingly reliant on digital course materialsPlus special guest:
[00:52:34] 🎙️ Kumar Garg, President at Renaissance Philanthropy😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders!
Follow our Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicSign up for the Edtech Insiders newsletter.Follow Edtech Insiders on LinkedIn!
🎉 Presenting Sponsor:This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for Education Entrepreneurs. Founded by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work just as hard as you do.
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Join Alex Sarlin and Ben Kornell, as they explore the most critical developments in the world of education technology this week:
Dr. Steve Ritter, Founder and Chief Scientist at Carnegie LearningChristopher Kahler, Co-founder and CEO at Kinnu
🎯 Rumors about OpenAI's "Project Strawberry"
📰 ChatGPT now includes Wired, Vogue, and The New Yorker
🤝 New AI fund by GitLab Foundation, Ballmer Group, and OpenAI
🔊 Google launches Gemini Live to rival ChatGPT
👨🏫 Sal Khan says teachers matter more than tech at EduTECH 2024
🤖 California partners with NVIDIA to enhance AI education
⚠️ MIT releases a comprehensive AI risk database
📉 Softbank-backed Paper cuts 45% of head office jobs
🚀 Go1 CEO change and IPO plans ahead
Plus special guests:Stay updated with the latest Edtech news and innovations. Subscribe to Edtech Insiders podcast, newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn!
This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for Education Entrepreneurs. Founded by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work just as hard as you do.
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