K-12 and Private Equity: The Love Affair No One Expected

Recorded live at the 2025 ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, this conversation brings together leading voices at the intersection of private equity and K–12 education: Ashley Andersen Zantop, Chairman and CEO of Cambium Learning Group; Gavin Cooney, Founder & CEO of Learnosity; Alice Li, Principal at Veritas Capital; and Jamie Candee, President and CEO of Edmentum. Moderated by Adam Newman, Founder & Managing Director at Tyton Partners.

This revealing session explores a significant and often overlooked trend: the growing role of private equity in shaping the future of K–12 education. With an increasing number of education companies now owned by PE firms, the panel examines what’s driving this surge in investment and consolidation, how it’s impacting schools and educators, and what it means for the next wave of innovation in EdTech. Whether you’re a founder, educator, or investor, this discussion offers an unfiltered look at the forces reshaping the business of learning.