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This 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.
💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- Why broken procurement processes are blocking EdTech innovation.
- The “illusion of competition” in RFPs and how incumbents stay ahead.
- The hidden rules of public sector procurement.
- Practical go-to-market strategies for EdTech startups trying to break through.
- How AI is reshaping sales, procurement, and personalization in EdTech.
✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:05:16] The hidden “unwritten rules” of school purchasing that keep new companies out.
[00:13:17] Why most RFPs aren’t competitive and how this harms innovation.
[00:23:26] Justin’s blueprint for redesigning the school procurement system.
[00:29:50] How Starbridge uses AI to help EdTech companies find and close the right leads.
[00:34:48] The future of sales: AI-powered outreach vs. human relationship building.
[00:43:09] Can AI finally bring fairness and transparency to public sector purchasing?
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🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:
This season of Edtech Insiders is brought to you by Cooley LLP. Cooley is the go-to law firm for education and edtech innovators, offering industry-informed counsel across the 'pre-K to gray' spectrum. With a multidisciplinary approach and a powerful edtech ecosystem, Cooley helps shape the future of education.
Innovation in preK to gray learning is powered by exceptional people. For over 15 years, EdTech companies of all sizes and stages have trusted HireEducation to find the talent that drives impact. When specific skills and experiences are mission-critical, HireEducation is a partner that delivers. Offering permanent, fractional, and executive recruitment, HireEducation knows the go-to-market talent you need. Learn more at HireEdu.com.
As a tech-first company, Tuck Advisors has developed a suite of proprietary tools to serve its clients better. Tuck was the first firm in the world to launch a custom GPT around M&A. If you haven’t already, try our proprietary M&A Analyzer, which assesses fit between your company and a specific buyer. To explore this free tool and the rest of our technology, visit tuckadvisors.com.
