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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.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:

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.

✨ Episode Highlights:

[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.

🎉 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!

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🎉 Presenting Sponsor:

This season of Edtech Insiders is brought to you by Starbridge. Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead.

This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for EdTech companies. Run by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work as hard as you do.

SentinelOne CEO, Reddit Revenue & RBC’s Head of Fixed Income 3/14/24