Edtech Insiders

Send us a textJoin hosts Alex Sarlin and Ben Kornell as they explore the latest developments in education technology, from AI breakthroughs to high-stakes funding rounds and institutional shifts in AI strategy.✨ Episode Highlights:[00:02:45] OpenAI's $10B Annual Run Rate: ChatGPT drives unprecedented growth[00:05:12] Anthropic CEO criticizes proposed 10-year ban on state AI regulation[00:08:04] Google.org Accelerator: New cohort tackling generative AI for good[00:10:17] News Sites Struggle as Google AI Summarizes Content[00:13:33] Zuckerberg's Meta Bets Big: $14B stake in Scale AI and ‘Superintelligence' team[00:17:02] Microsoft's Plan to Rank AI Models by Safety[00:19:20] Apple Research Paper Questions AI's Reasoning Power[00:21:46] Harvard Gets Backing in DEI Lawsuit from Ivies, Alumni[00:24:09] Education Secretary Suggests Harvard May Regain Federal Grants[00:26:48] Ohio State Requires AI Fluency Across All Students[00:30:20] IXL Learning Acquires MyTutor to Expand Global Tutoring Reach[00:32:55] CodeHS Acquires Tynker to Bolster K-12 CS Content[00:35:30] Grammarly Secures $1B in Non-Dilutive Funding for M&APlus, special guests:[00:38:12] Rod Danan, Founder of Prentus, on bridging bootcamps to careers with community and coaching[00:46:10] Lars-Petter Kjos, Co-founder and CPO of We Are Learning, on building generative AI tools for educators to create custom video content at scale

Send us a textDr. Mike McKenna is the Senior Advisor at Tuck Advisors and also serves as the Chief Academic Officer for one of the largest school districts in Pennsylvania.  With deep expertise in curriculum development, special education, and teaching and learning, Mike brings a proven track record of building inclusive, high-impact academic programs. In addition to his work in K-12 education, Mike has extensive experience in higher education and has also served as an advisory board member for multiple edtech startups and non-profits.  At Tuck Advisors, Mike applies his diverse expertise to support education-focused M&A.

Send us a textJuan Zavala joined New Markets Venture Partners in 2019 and is a Partner. He is responsible for sourcing, evaluating, and executing new investment opportunities as well as supporting existing portfolio companies and firm operations. He serves as a Board Director for Brains and Motion Education, Nexford University, and CreatorUp, and as a Board Observer for App Academy, BetterLesson, Censia, Climb Credit, Concentric Educational Solutions, Datapeople, Motimatic, and Regent Education. He is also actively involved with Mantra Health and Acceleration Academies. 

Send us a textDr. Margaret Honey joined the Scratch Foundation as the organization's President & CEO in January 2024. She is widely recognized for her work using digital technologies to support children's learning and brings decades of non-profit leadership experience and expertise to the Scratch Foundation. Prior to joining the Foundation, Dr. Honey led the New York Hall of Science (NYSCI) for 15 years, where she leveraged the museum as a platform for innovation in STEM education and developed NYSCI's distinctive Design-Make-Play approach to STEM learning. A graduate of Hampshire College with a doctorate in developmental psychology from Columbia University, Margaret Honey has helped to shape the best thinking about learning and technology with special attention to ensuring that all young people have access to high-quality creative learning opportunities.

Send us a textJoin 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:[00:02:10] Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn says AI is more scalable than teachers, sparking debate on the future of educators[00:10:45] Google I/O 2025 introduces Gemini 2.5, Project Astra, and real-time AI translation with broad implications for edtech[00:18:30] OpenAI launches Codex, a cloud-based AI assistant transforming coding education and developer workflowsPlus, special guests:[00:33:40] Senan Khawaja, Co-founder & CEO at Kollegio, on using AI to reimagine and personalize the college admissions process[00:51:04] Rebecca Taber Staehelin & Connor Diemand-Yauman, Co-Founders & Co-CEOs of Merit America on bridging the skills gap with affordable tech career pathways

Send us a textDavid Bleicher is the Co-Founder and CEO of Jotit, a company on a mission to bring handwriting back to the forefront of education in the digital age. By blending proven learning methods with advanced technologies, Jotit enhances student outcomes and executive functioning in the classroom.

Send us a textJoin hosts Alex Sarlin and Ben Kornell as they explore the latest developments in education technology, from AI in classrooms to workforce shifts and EdTech innovation across the globe.✨ Episode Highlights:[00:03:16] Ezra Klein podcast brings AI and education to mainstream conversation[00:07:20] Alex and Ben compare and critique GPT-4, Claude, Gemini, and other AI tools[00:09:28] Utah emerges as a leading hub for EdTech startups and innovation[00:12:21] New AI bundles help educators explore tools like Superhuman and Perplexity[00:13:19] Surge in media coverage on cheating, lawsuits, and educator use of AI[00:16:17] Lawsuit filed against professor for using AI-generated content in class[00:18:00] Concerns grow about students using AI tools to bypass cognitive learning[00:23:10] Direct-to-student AI sparks debate about academic integrity and design[00:25:20] Google plans to roll out Gemini to students under 13[00:29:41] AI enables hands-on science learning like virtual frog dissections[00:33:43] AI compared to electricity as foundational infrastructure for the future[00:36:09] Rising youth unemployment signals early impact of AI-driven disruption[00:38:57] Major firms lay off workers while shifting strategy toward AI adoption[00:40:34] EdTech must define and prepare students for new AI-native job rolesPlus, special guest:[00:41:22] Sam Chaudhary, Co-founder & CEO of ClassDojo on tutoring, gamified learning, and community building

Send us a textThis is a very special episode featuring our sponsor, Starbridge. Justin Wenig, Founder and CEO of Starbridge, joins us to discuss how school spending creates barriers to EdTech innovation. Justin previously co-founded Coursedog, scaling it to over 300 institutions and a nine-figure exit. With Starbridge, he's now helping EdTech businesses navigate public sector procurement using AI to identify and close their best-fit leads.

Send us a textMacKenzie Price is a Stanford grad, mom of two, and the Co-Founder of 2 Hour Learning - a revolutionary learning platform that harnesses the power of AI to give kids a 1:1 personalized learning experience. Her students excel in academics while spending most of their day learning life skills that set them up for future success. She founded the first Alpha School ten years ago in Austin, Texas and now has eight schools, with others opening in the fall.

Send us a textJoin hosts Ben Kornell and Alex Sarlin as they explore the latest developments in education technology, from AI breakthroughs and policy shakeups to new funding rounds and workforce shifts shaping the future of learning.✨ Episode Highlights:[00:00:00] Silicon Valley debates the rise of “AI Slop” and the impact of vibe coding.[00:03:36] Columbia student suspended for AI cheating tool raises $5.3M to commercialize it.[00:04:56] Anthropic's Drew Bent explains why code literacy now means editing AI-generated code.[00:08:09] 200 CEOs and Code.org push for mandatory AI classes in high school.[00:11:13] Federal government's role in AI education policy under debate.[00:14:04] Duolingo plans to replace contract workers with AI, triggering backlash.[00:20:42] Higher ed faces political attacks; Harvard and Columbia push back.[00:23:32] K-12 faces teacher shortages and $4.5B in proposed federal funding cuts.[00:35:21] Google's AI Overviews cut search click-through rates by 34.5%.Plus, special guests:[00:36:08] Brian Malkin, Co-Founder & CEO of Rang, on rewards programs to improve K-12 attendance.[00:50:29] John Marshall, CEO of BrainFreeze, on AI safety and transparency in schools.[01:12:31] Scott Nadzan, Vice President of Product Marketing and Strategic Communications at Panopto, on AI-generated video and the Elai acquisition.

Send us a textMike Yates is a Senior Designer at Teach for America's Reinvention Lab, with over a decade of experience at the intersection of technology and learning. A former classroom teacher and founding member of Alpha School, he now leads the Lab's AI initiatives, creating workshops, coaching educators, and prototyping innovative AI solutions. Mike has built partnerships with organizations like Playlab AI, Google, and Snapchat, and remains dedicated to helping educators navigate the future of learning through practical, human-centered approaches.

Send us a textJoin host Alex Sarlin alongside special guest co-hosts Ben Wallerstein and Anna Kimsey Edwards, Co-Founders of Whiteboard Advisors, as they break down:[00:03:00] Trump's AI Executive Order launches cross-agency education task force[00:05:00] 27 states already advancing AI education policy[00:07:00] Workforce EO targets 1M AI-related apprenticeships[00:10:00] Accreditation EO pushes competition and student outcomes[00:14:00] “Beyond Degrees” report urges non-degree pathways[00:21:00] Edtech funding hits record low in Q1 and Q2, says HolonIQ[00:23:00] ESSER cliff and political uncertainty stall school spending[00:28:00] Falling enrollment squeezes K-12 budgets nationwide[00:30:00] Duolingo adds 150 AI-generated cross-language courses[00:30:45] Google Audio Overview now available in 50 languages[00:31:00] Panorama acquires AI writing tool Class Companion, Kollegio raises seed round for AI college advising[00:32:30] Anthropic forecasts AI-only employees within a year[00:36:00] Israel announces national rollout of AI tutors in schoolsPlus, special guests:[00:36:45] Anna Iarotska, CEO & Co-founder of Robo Wunderkind, unveils the first K–5 AI Literacy Curriculum[00:50:55] Julia Dixon, Founder & CEO of ESAI, reflects on her Shark Tank debut and democratizing admissions advising[01:02:00] Tigran Sloyan, Co-Founder & CEO of CodeSignal, shares how TED Talks are becoming interactive learning journeys

Send us a textBetsy Corcoran and Dr. Jeremy Roschelle co-host the Future Fluent podcast, where they explore how learning is changing in the age of AI. Betsy is the cofounder of EdSurge and now leads Lede Labs, advising education leaders. Jeremy is a leading learning scientist and Executive Director of Learning Science Research at Digital Promise. Together, they bring decades of journalism and research experience to their shared mission: redefining literacy and learning in a world transformed by AI.

Send us a textIn this special episode, we go behind the scenes of the Edtech Insiders GenAI K-12 Education Market Map, a first-of-its-kind framework connecting real classroom needs to AI-powered tools. Co-created by Alex Sarlin, Laurence Holt, Jacob Klein, and the Edtech Insiders team, this evolving resource helps educators, entrepreneurs, and researchers make sense of a fast-changing landscape. 

Send us a textLevi Belnap is the CEO of Merlyn Mind, where he has been instrumental in driving the company's vision and growth since joining in 2019. Before assuming his current role, Levi served as Chief Strategy Officer for nearly four years and later as Chief Revenue Officer. Prior to Merlyn Mind, Levi built an impressive career in business development and entrepreneurship. He worked for Defy Ventures, served as Vice President of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships at Wyzant, and co-founded FindIt, where he served as CEO. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University with a BA in Political Science and received his MBA from Harvard Business School. He currently resides in Houston, Texas, where he continues to lead Merlyn Mind in transforming educational technology.

Send us a textJoin hosts Alex Sarlin and Ben Kornell as they explore the latest developments in education technology, from ASU+GSV insights to AI model releases, international edtech innovations, and federal policy shake-ups.✨ Episode Highlights:[00:01:45] ASU+GSV recap and post-conference energy[00:04:48] Strategic AI integration gains traction[00:05:56] Edtech market braces for consolidation[00:08:45] Linda McMahon engages at ASU+GSV[00:10:18] Challenges merging CS and AI in schools[00:13:16] Harvard pushes back on federal DEI demands signals sector shift[00:23:21] Yuanfudao launches next-gen AI tutor[00:28:20] OpenAI releases GPT-4.1 with huge upgrades[00:30:25] Google and Claude enhance AI tools[00:33:56] Brisk wins GSV Cup and raises $15M[00:35:20] Big funding rounds hit across edtech[00:37:56] Global expansion and tutor startup fundingPlus, special guest:[00:38:27] Colin Earnst of the Ed-tech Leadership Collective on building edtech leadership

Send us a textVikas Pota is an entrepreneur and investor in education and digital businesses that seek to address some of the sector's intractable challenges and to advance education quality and opportunity. He is the founder of T4 Education, the Global EdTech Prize and the World's Best School Prizes. He is the Executive Chairman of the Education Leaders Forum, where he convenes the CEOs and leaders of many of the world's biggest and most influential education businesses to advance their growth. Vikas is also the Founder of Inicio Partners, an executive search firm dedicated to helping education institutions, technology companies, and social impact organisations find their best leadership talent. He has previously led the rebrand of a major education business, built a corporate venture capital fund, and run a philanthropic foundation. 

Send us a textRobert Barnett co-founded the Modern Classrooms Project, which has empowered 80,000+ educators in 180+ countries to meet every learner's needs. Before that he taught math, computer science, English, social studies, and law, from the middle-school to university levels, at public and private schools in the U.S. and Switzerland. He graduated cum laude from Princeton University and Harvard Law School; speaks English, French, and Spanish; and lives in Washington, DC. His book, Meet Every Learner's Needs, comes out in February, and he hopes his two young children will learn in Modern Classrooms someday!

Send us a textIn this special episode, EdTech Insiders hits the floor at ASU+GSV 2025—one of the world's premier EdTech conferences—for rapid-fire conversations with the leaders reshaping learning. From AI-native campuses to multilingual agents and human-centered R&D, we go behind the scenes with the innovators driving the future of education.

Send us a textTom Vander Ark is an advocate for innovations in learning. As CEO of Getting Smart, he advises schools, districts, networks, foundations, and learning organizations on the path forward. Tom is the author of Getting Smart, Smart Cities That Work for Everyone, Smart Parents, Better Together, The Power of Place, and Difference Making at the Heart of Learning. He has published thousands of articles and papers through GettingSmart.com and LinkedIn.Previously he launched one of the first edtech venture funds, was president of the X-Prize Foundation, served as the first Executive Director of Education for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Tom served as a public school superintendent in Washington State and has extensive private sector experience. He serves on the board of Digital Learning Institute, Latinx Education Collaborative, Mastery Transcript Consortium, and Getting Smart Collective and advises schools, impact organizations and edtech startups.

Send us a textKees Bol is the CEO of 2U, a global leader in education technology that expands access to affordable, career-relevant learning in partnership with the world's top universities, institutions, and industry experts. As CEO, Bol oversees all aspects of 2U's business while driving its long-standing mission: to provide learners worldwide with life-changing higher education that unlocks potential, fosters social mobility, and enhances economic security. Before joining 2U, he was the CEO of Boundless Learning, a global online program management business. Earlier in his career, he held leadership roles as Chief Marketing Officer at Strategic Education and Senior Vice President of Marketing, Enrollment, and Retention for Pearson's K-12 virtual school division. Bol got his start at McKinsey & Company and honed his strategic expertise at Capital One. Originally aspiring to be a scientist, Bol earned a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Harvard University. Now that their three children are grown and have left the home, Bol and his wife are enjoying life as empty nesters in Washington, D.C.

Send us a textPierre Le Manh, PMP, has been serving as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Project Management Institute since September 2022. A global executive with a multicultural background and experience in leading companies across multiple knowledge industries, he has a proven track record of delivering results and guiding organizations through complex transformations and globalization. Before joining PMI, he served as CEO for North America and as Global Deputy CEO at Ipsos. Pierre played a crucial role in transforming Ipsos from a primarily European-focused organization with $700 million in revenue in 2004, to a $2.5 billion global industry leader by 2021, and in growing the company to more than 18,000 employees operating in 90 countries, successively leading various regions and global business lines.

Send us a textBrent Bushnell is an entrepreneur and engineer focused on experiences for entertainment and learning. He's the founder of Two Bit Circus, a live entertainment company that builds and exhibits all-ages, social attractions. He's chairman of the non-profit Two Bit Foundation which uses games and play to inspire students about invention. Brent is a Sir Edmund Hillary Fellow, a supporter of Clowns Without Borders and publishes on social media @brentbushnell.

Send us a textJoin hosts Alex Sarlin and Ben Kornell as they break down a pivotal week of AI announcements, edtech disruption, and education policy shifts.✨ Episode Highlights:[00:00:00] China introduces AI education for 6-year-olds, sparking urgency for U.S. to respond[00:05:23] OpenAI teases a creative writing model as Google and Anthropic push into coding AI[00:07:59] Gemini Canvas and Deep Research go free, redefining educational productivity tools[00:11:09] Copyright clash: OpenAI wants to train on protected content, creatives push back[00:14:02] Gemini's UI outpaces OpenAI with real classroom use cases[00:17:54] Chain of Draft from Zoom cuts AI costs by 90% and mimics human note-taking[00:18:34] Baidu, Alibaba launch emotion-reading and multi-modal AI models in China[00:20:50] Manus, China's autonomous AI agent, sparks global interest in multi-agent systems[00:23:36] U.S. vs. China: centralized AI strategy meets decentralized innovation culture[00:27:57] U.S. Education Dept. shutters Office of Ed Tech, leaving a national guidance gapPlus, special guests:[00:30:11] Annie Chechitelli, CPO at Turnitin, on launching Clarity for ethical student AI use[01:03:49] Sara Mauskopf, CEO & Co-founder of Winnie, on expanding into K-12 and the rise of school choice

Send us a textLawton Smith is a literacy advocate focused on adolescent reading engagement and the co-founder and CEO of Literal (LiteralApp.com). Praised as a “game changer”, a “Top Tech for Advanced Learners of ELA”, and awarded a rare five stars out-of-five for “Student Engagement” by Common Sense Media, Literal is an all-in-one digital reading platform for modern classrooms that is fundamentally changing what it means to read books on screens.

Send us a textIn this special episode, we sit down with three innovative Stanford Graduate School of Education (GSE) students who are exploring cutting-edge applications of AI in education. Michael Chrzan is a Master's student and Dean's Fellow in the Education Data Science program at Stanford. A former Master Teacher in Detroit, he taught Mathematics and AP Computer Science for seven years. His research uses machine learning to predict large-scale school closures and inform equitable decision-making.Matías Hoyl is a Computer Science graduate from Chile and an edtech entrepreneur who has founded two startups focused on improving learning through technology. He led a coding bootcamp for women in Latin America, helping them launch tech careers. At Stanford, he is researching AI applications in education, including synthetic student simulations and AI-generated teaching tools.Samin Khan is an AI researcher specializing in K-12 and higher education and currently an AI Research Scientist at Kiddom. His work focuses on developing AI models for curriculum development, lesson planning, and grading. At Stanford's Education NLP Lab, he researches dialogue-based pedagogy and student engagement using large language models.

Send us a textThis Week in Edtech, Ben Kornell and guest co-host Matthew Rascoff, Vice Provost for Digital Education at Stanford University, break down the latest headlines shaping education, technology, and policy. From major federal education cuts to AI's growing role in schools and higher ed, this episode unpacks the forces reshaping learning today.✨ Episode Highlights:[00:06:02] U.S. Department of Education lays off 30% of staff.[00:12:07] Education research funding faces uncertainty.[00:17:26] 80% of teachers now use AI in lesson planning.[00:18:57] 82% of K-12 schools report cyber incidents.[00:21:26] Stanford's new policy bans banning AI in student work[00:28:07] AI's future in education—Matthew Rascoff's “Humanity in the Loop” framework.[00:36:11] Duolingo shares its company playbook.[00:42:12] AI-driven public education data and procurement.[00:44:11] Sanoma's latest acquisition in AI-powered learning.

Send us a textMichelle Rhee is currently a Venture Partner at Equal Opportunity Ventures, investing in companies driving social mobility and impact. Previously, she served as Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of BuildWithin, a workforce learning platform transforming hiring and development, as well as CEO of StudentsFirst, an education advocacy nonprofit that successfully advanced 140+ pieces of new legislation across 18 states. Ms. Rhee was DC's first Chancellor under Mayoral control of the 50,000-student public school district. She also founded The New Teacher Project to help public school districts and states recruit and train teachers for hard-to-staff schools.

Send us a textThis Week in Edtech, Alex Sarlin and guest host, Claire Zau  explore the latest developments in education technology, from AI breakthroughs to new VR tools and evolving strategies of tech giants.✨ Episode Highlights:[00:03:00] Preview of the ASU GSV Conference's AI show and its impact on education innovation.[00:05:00] OpenAI's partnerships with California State University and Estonia to scale AI in education.[00:09:00] ChatGPT reaches 400 million weekly active users, highlighting its growing role in education.[00:12:00] Google's Co-Scientist tool and Career Dreamer aim to personalize learning and career pathways.[00:23:00] Chegg's lawsuit against Google raises questions about AI's impact on SEO and business models.[00:27:00] Anthropic's new 3.7 model introduces hybrid reasoning with implications for education.[00:33:00] Meta's renewed push to integrate VR in classrooms to boost engagement.[00:36:00] Microsoft's Muse model generates real-time gameplay environments for learning simulations.[00:39:00] The potential of AI-driven simulations for personalized and immersive education.[00:46:00] Claire's advice for EdTech entrepreneurs on integrating AI effectively.

Send us a textAn organizational and leadership development expert, Bjorn Billhardt has designed leadership development programs and collaborated with world-class institutions for two decades. Since 2015, Bjorn has been CEO of Abilitie, a provider of leadership development & mini-MBA programs. Abilitie's programs have educated over 100,000 learners worldwide. Prior to founding Abilitie, Bjorn was Co-founder and CEO of Enspire Learning, Inc. Bjorn holds a BA from the University of Texas & an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Send us a textThis week in EdTech, Alex and Ben break down the latest trends in AI and EdTech.✨ Episode Highlights:[00:03:27] Key takeaways from the Bay Area EdTech Summit.[00:04:55] BrainPop's CEO change and what it signals for edtech.[00:06:29] The decline of gamification and shifting user engagement.[00:10:37] BrainPop's business model and Lego's long-term vision.[00:13:50] AI's next leap—deep reasoning and memory-driven models.[00:17:56] Where edtech companies can still create real AI value.[00:19:14] The rise of AI-powered learning companions.[00:22:36] The edtech job market squeeze and hiring slowdowns.[00:23:45] ASU GSV, AI in game development, and upcoming events.

Send us a textPierre Dubuc is the co-founder and CEO of OpenClassrooms, the leading online education platform with about 300k students a month. The school offers unlimited access to hundreds of free courses, as well as complete 100% online training programs for some of today's most sought-after careers. OpenClassrooms' courses and learning content are produced in-house, and follow a unique pedagogy which relies on scenario-based projects and mentoring from experts in their respective fields.

Send us a textThis Week in EdTech, Ben Kornell and special guest co-host Libby Hills from the Jacobs Foundation and the Ed-Technical podcast break down a week filled with major AI breakthroughs, troubling education policy shifts, and key trends shaping the future of edtech.✨ Episode Highlights:[00:04:53]

Send us a textIn this special episode, Alex sits down with Adam Franklin, our very first guest on EdTech Insiders, who returns three years later with an exciting new venture. Adam is a former high school history teacher turned edtech entrepreneur. He previously taught at YES Prep Brays Oaks HS in Houston, TX and coached the varsity soccer team. Adam earned a masters degree in Learning, Design, and Technology from Stanford GSE in 2016 where he also served as a researcher and writer for the Stanford History Education Group. In 2017, he joined Nearpod, then a Series A startup, to help lead the content arm of the business where he stayed through their $650M acquisition by Renaissance in 2021. In early 2024, Adam left Nearpod to join the Teaching Lab Studio as a fellow to build out innovative products at the intersection of AI and Education, with StudyBuds, a teachable agent practice platform, being his primary focus. 

Send us a textJeff Maggioncalda served as the CEO of Coursera from June 2017 to January 2025, leading the company through remarkable growth to over 160 million learners and 7,000+ institutions, delivering high-quality learning content from top universities and industry leaders. Under his leadership, Coursera expanded its reach, navigated the pandemic, embraced AI-driven learning, and became a publicly traded company.Since recording, Coursera announced that Jeff has retired from the role, and Greg Hart will succeed him as the CEO.

Send us a textMatt Kennard is the CEO of BetterLesson (which offers High-quality K-12 professional development for educators and administrators, ensuring successful districtwide implementation of HQIM.) and former CFO & Head of Operations for LearnZillion, a K-12 digital core curriculum provider. At LearnZillion, he oversaw the expansion of curricular offerings through partnerships with leading OER curriculum providers and led the company's sale to Weld North Education. Previously, Matt led strategic M&A activity for iHeartMedia as the Director of Liquidity and Corporate Development. With a background in finance, strategy, and technology, Matt has held roles at Banc of America Securities, Investcorp Technology Partners, Rackspace, and TJX Companies. He holds a B.A. from Yale University in History and Political Science. Matt found his way into edtech in 2017 based on his desire to utilize his hard-earned expertise to build incredible businesses that make a difference in the lives of students and educators.

Send us a textTigran Sloyan is the Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of CodeSignal, the leading skills platform empowering teams and individuals to discover and develop the skills that will shape the future. Tigran is a recognized voice in the industry—a TED speaker, active Forbes Technology Council member, frequent keynote, and contributor to major publications. He is passionate about the intersections of technology, education, and talent acquisition, and his innovative insights are regularly featured in Forbes, Fast Company, Morning Brew, and more. Before co-founding CodeSignal, Tigran was part of the technology management team at Google, where he spearheaded initiatives like Google Hangouts for Education and Google Login for sectors like Travel and Publishing. 

Send us a textThis Week in EdTech, join Ben Kornell and special guest host Jomayra Herrera, Partner at Reach Capital, as they unpack the latest in edtech, AI, and education policy.✨ Episode Highlights:[00:03:16]

Send us a text2024 was a remarkable year for EdTech, with advancements that redefined teaching, learning, and the role of technology in education. But what's next?In Part 2 of our year-end special, Alex and Ben invite a panel of visionary leaders from across the EdTech ecosystem to share their reflections on 2024 and predictions for 2025.

Send us a textHappy New Year! Welcome to the first Week in EdTech episode of 2025! Join hosts Ben Kornell and guest co-host Matt Tower as they dive into the biggest stories shaping the education technology landscape, from AI innovations to major edtech funding and cybersecurity challenges.✨ Episode Highlights:[00:03:16]

Send us a textSara Leoni is the Founder and CEO of Ziplines Education, a career accelerator that partners with universities to deliver industry-recognized certificate courses that prepare professionals with the in-demand skills, knowledge and confidence for today's tech-driven world. Jeff Sample was the Founder and CEO of Clicked, now the VP of Product for Ziplines Education. His background and unique perspectives as a transitioning Management Consultant and Adtech Executive led him to develop experiential learning products via work simulations to help close the work experience gap, and upskill tens of thousands of learners in tech adjacent career paths.

Send us a textDr. Yair Shapira is the founder and CEO of NovoDia, an EdTech company innovating educational publishing through AI technology. Previously, he founded and led Amplio Learning to significant growth before its acquisition. With expertise in technology and educational tools, Yair is dedicated to enhancing educational equity and efficiency. He holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering and is an active contributor to the EdTech community.

Send us a textJonathan Katzman, Director of Product Management at YouTube Learning, drives initiatives that leverage educational content across school, work, and life. Before joining Google, he served as the founding Chief Product Officer of Minerva Project, a pioneering university and ed-tech company offering accredited degrees and innovative curriculum design. Jonathan's career includes leadership roles in successful startups and major tech companies, showcasing his expertise in education and technology.Lisa Gevelber, Founder of Grow with Google and CMO for the Americas Region at Google, leads the $1 billion initiative that has empowered over 10 million Americans with skills to advance their careers. She also created Google Career Certificates, which have enabled significant upward mobility for half a million global job seekers. Recognized by Forbes Future of Work 50 in 2022, Lisa is a champion for equity and inclusion, leading efforts like Google for Startups to support underrepresented founders worldwide.

Send us a textYossi Matias, Vice President of Google and Head of Google Research, leads groundbreaking efforts in foundational machine learning, quantum computing, and AI for societal impact in education, health, and climate. A world-renowned AI expert, Yossi has pioneered conversational AI, driven Google Search innovations, and launched transformative initiatives like AI for Social Good and Google for Startups Accelerator. His work focuses on leveraging AI to address global challenges and improve lives on a global scale.Obum Ekeke, Head of Education Partnerships at Google DeepMind, champions equitable access to AI education and fosters diversity in the tech industry. An OBE recipient for his contributions to computing and inclusion, Obum has led initiatives that have reached millions of learners worldwide, including founding Google Educator Groups in over 60 countries. His mission is to prepare students and educators for the future by making AI knowledge accessible and impactful for all.

Send us a textShantanu Sinha, VP & GM of Google for Education, leads the development of tools like Google Classroom and Read Along, serving over 150 million educators and students globally. Previously, as founding President and COO of Khan Academy, he championed free, personalized learning on a global scale. Shantanu combines deep expertise in computer science, math, and cognitive sciences from MIT with strategic consulting experience from McKinsey.Jennie Magiera, Global Head of Education Impact at Google, is a bestselling author, TEDx speaker, and advocate for equity in education. At Google, she focuses on elevating marginalized voices and creating empowering tools for teachers and learners. A White House Champion for Change and ISTE Impact Award Winner, Jennie brings extensive experience as a teacher, district leader, and digital learning innovator.Steven Johnson, Editorial Director of NotebookLM and Google Labs, is a bestselling author of 14 books on innovation and technology, including Where Good Ideas Come From. An Emmy-winning television host and tech entrepreneur, Steven shapes tools that redefine learning and research while advocating for the power of collaboration in driving transformative ideas.

Send us a textBenedict Gomes, SVP of Learning & Sustainability at Google, leads efforts to transform education and tackle global climate challenges. His organization develops tools like Google Classroom, ReadAlong, and YouTube-based learning platforms, empowering educators and learners worldwide. Ben also drives sustainability initiatives, including decarbonization and creating global environmental data solutions.Maureen Heymans, VP of Engineering, Learning & Sustainability at Google, oversees AI integration into tools like Search, YouTube, and Classroom to democratize access to quality education. She collaborates across teams to pioneer personalized learning technologies while leading sustainability initiatives that harness AI to address climate challenges and drive impactful global solutions.

Send us a textIn this special episode, Edtech Insiders brings you to the heart of Google's "Learning in the AI Era" event, held on 11/20/2024, in Mountain View, California. Hear exclusive interviews with the following Google leaders:Ben Gomes, SVP, Learning & Sustainability, GoogleMaureen Heymans, VP of Engineering, Learning & Sustainability, GoogleShantanu Sinha, VP & GM, Google for EducationJennie Magiera, Global Head of Education Impact, GoogleSteven Johnson, Editorial Director of NotebookLM and Google LabsYossi Matias, Vice President, Google & Head of Google ResearchObum Ekeke, Head of Education Partnerships, Google DeepMindJonathan Katzman, Director, Product Management, YouTube LearningLisa Gevelber, Founder, Grow With Google & CMO, Americas Regionand audience members:Isabelle Hau, Stanford Accelerator for LearningLibby Hills, Jacobs FoundationKristin FracchiaAdele Smolansky, AI-LearnersIshan Gupta, PaperFrom AI-powered learning to tools transforming education, this episode explores the future of EdTech.The full interviews with each guest will be posted daily this week. Stay tuned for deeper insights from these inspiring leaders!✨ Episode Highlights:[00:02:55] Ben Gomes' insights into AI-driven tools like Read Along and personalized learning.[00:09:28] Maureen on integrating AI into classrooms and bridging in-class and at-home learning.[00:19:24] Shantanu's reflections on AI-generated content and its implications for education.[00:21:30] Jennie on educators embracing AI to enhance learning for their students.[00:29:22] Steven on the origins of NotebookLM and its evolution into a transformative tool.[00:41:23] Yossi on the development of fine-tuned AI models like Gemini and their impact on learning.[00:49:41] Obum on making AI education more accessible globally and diversifying the workforce.[00:59:49] Jonathan on the rise of educational creators and their role in modern learning.[01:07:08] Lisa on the overview of Grow with Google and its impact on workforce development.

Send us a textSiSi (SiSi pronounced “See-See”) is a transformative all-in-one platform that brings together everything schools need—student records, learning tools, financials, admissions, communication, and more—into one simple, seamless system. Designed for educators, SiSi replaces the chaos of juggling multiple platforms with an intuitive solution that saves time, reduces complexity, and strengthens school communities.With features like AI-powered insights and automated processes, SiSi empowers teachers, administrators, and families to focus on what matters most: helping students thrive. It's the ultimate partner for modern schools looking to work smarter and embrace the future of education.Joined by Rico Chow the Chief Product Officer, Jett Wolper the Founder and CEO of Sisi and Brandon Porterfield, Co-Principal of Hope International Academy Okinawa.

Send us a textDr. David Yeager is the Raymond Dickson Centennial Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. He earned his Ph.D. from Stanford University. His groundbreaking research focuses on the processes that shape adolescent development, examining how social cognitive factors interact with structural and physiological elements to influence youth trajectories. Dr. Yeager is also dedicated to uncovering ways to positively impact these psychological processes to enhance developmental and educational outcomes for young people. As co-Principal Investigator of the National Study of Learning Mindsets, the Texas Mindset Initiative, and the Texas Behavioral Science and Policy Institute, Dr. Yeager is at the forefront of efforts to translate cutting-edge psychological research into practical strategies for educators and policymakers.He is also the author of 10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People, a book that distills the latest insights on how to inspire and empower the next generation.

Send us a textMark Angel is the CEO and Co-founder of Amira Learning, the company bringing the science of reading and AI together. Amira is the first intelligent reading assistan for teachers and is now working with two million students in all 50 states and 14 countries.

Send us a text2024 was an incredible year for EdTech, filled with transformative shifts and groundbreaking innovations!In this special year-end episode, Alex and Ben dive into the defining trends of the year—from the ESSER funding cliff reshaping K-12 strategies to the rise of AI-powered learning tools. They also look ahead to 2025, making bold predictions about the future of education technology, including the potential of gaming, assessment overhauls, and micro-company innovation.Stay tuned for Part 2, coming in January, where Alex and Ben will share predictions from thought leaders across the EdTech space to kick off the new year!✨ Episode Highlights:[00:00:43]