Edtech Insiders

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.🎙️ Featured Guests:Siya Raj Purohit, Go-to-Market Lead for Education at OpenAI @ [00:01:25]Maureen Heymans, GM of LearnX at Google @ [00:19:16]Brandon Hurter, Chief Strategy Officer at Element451 @ [00:31:19]Auditi Chakravarty, CEO of AERDF @ [00:39:21]Jim Van Voorhis, VP of Education at Glean @ [00:45:09]Summer Long, Co-Founder & CMO of Cathoven AI @ [00:54:10]Yasmin Barkett, CEO and Founder of ROYO @ [01:02:47]Mike Yates, Senior Designer at Teach For America’s The Reinvention Lab @ [01:08:12]Julia Kelleher, Head of Market Development at WorldQuant Learning @ [01:18:09]Adele Smolansky, CEO and Founder of AI-LearThis 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 30 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work as hard as you do. 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. 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.

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.💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:Why education systems struggle to sustain innovationHow nonprofit governance supports lasting changeThe transformative potential of platform networksWhy AI shifts learning from preparation to contributionWhat keeps Tom optimistic about EdTech’s future✨ Episode Highlights:[00:04:50] From retail exec to education reformer—Tom’s origin story[00:07:03] Why governance challenges cause schools to revert to the mean[00:10:11] The rise of platform networks and their power to scale learning[00:14:48] AI and the shift from intelligence to agency in learning[00:16:15] High school as a launchpad for real-world contribution[00:21:01] “We’re automating bad pedagogy”—Tom on today’s AI tools[00:25:16] Bright spots: Watershed, Open School, and SparkNC[00:27:54] Tom’s advice to EdTech founders: “This is the most important work in the world”😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders! Follow our Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyThis 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 30 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work as hard as you do. 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. 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.

Kees Bol, CEO of 2U, leads a company revolutionizing education technology by partnering with top universities for affordable learning. In this conversation, he dives into the importance of microcredentials and how they cater to reskilling demands. Bol discusses strategic acquisitions like edX, geared towards future-proofing education. He points out the transformative role of AI in both content delivery and operations, and introduces the idea of an 'Open Loop University,' promoting lifelong learning to thrive in today's job market.

Pierre Le Manh, the President and CEO of the Project Management Institute, shares his extensive experience in leading global organizations. He discusses how AI is revolutionizing project management, emphasizing the importance of upskilling and reskilling professionals. The conversation explores PMI's innovative approach to personalized learning formats and the unique challenges of managing AI projects versus traditional ones. Pierre also highlights the transformative potential of AI tools in enhancing collaboration and continuous education in the field.

Brent Bushnell, an innovative entrepreneur and engineer, is the founder of Two Bit Circus and chairman of the Two Bit Foundation, which promotes learning through play. He discusses his journey from arcade builder to education innovator and the impact of the STEAM Carnival in reshaping STEM education by incorporating art. Brent highlights how DIY arcade projects empower students in various skills like CAD and electronics, and he explores the potential of immersive technologies like virtual reality to transform learning experiences.

Annie Chechitelli, Chief Product Officer at Turnitin, and Sara Mauskopf, CEO of Winnie, join to discuss critical shifts in edtech. They explore the launch of AI-driven education in China and its implications for the U.S. Meanwhile, OpenAI teases a new creative writing model, while Gemini Canvas and Deep Research go free, revolutionizing educational tools. They dive into the ethical use of AI in academics and the rise of school choice, emphasizing how parents can make informed decisions in today's learning landscape.

In this engaging discussion, Lawton Smith, co-founder and CEO of Literal, a groundbreaking digital reading platform, sheds light on the alarming decline in reading scores among adolescents. He reveals how Literal transforms classic literature into interactive chat-based formats, making reading more relatable for today’s youth. Lawton shares his personal journey with reading and emphasizes the crucial role of AI in enhancing comprehension through tools like translation and rephrasing. The conversation highlights the importance of playful, personalized reading to rekindle a love for literature.

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.💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:How AI-powered predictive modeling can help districts plan for school closures.The potential of synthetic students to improve assessment design and instruction.How AI is supporting teachers with curriculum implementation and real-time feedback.Why AI tutors may not improve student learning outcomes as expected.The risks and opportunities of AI in education, especially for equity and accessibility.✨ Episode Highlights:[00:06:07] Michael Chrzan on using machine learning to predict school closures.[00:10:51] Samin Khan on AI’s role in lesson planning and teacher feedback.[00:16:37] Matías Hoyl on simulating student learning with AI-powered models.[00:24:09] Balancing AI research with real-world edtech applications.[00:31:39] The importance of data, bias, and transparency in AI for education.[00:46:11] Will AI improve or widen equity gaps in education?😎 Stay updated with Edtech IThis 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 30 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work as hard as you do. 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. 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.

Matthew Rascoff, Vice Provost for Digital Education at Stanford, discusses the seismic shifts in education as the U.S. Department of Education faces massive layoffs and funding cuts. He highlights how 80% of teachers now use AI in lesson planning, while 82% of K-12 schools report cyber incidents. Rascoff introduces Stanford's 'Humanity in the Loop' framework for AI and shares insights from Duolingo's effective practices. The conversation emphasizes the urgent need for innovative funding models and the potential for AI to reshape learning experiences.

Michelle Rhee, a Venture Partner at Equal Opportunity Ventures and former D.C. Chancellor, shares her insights on the transformative landscape of education and workforce development. She discusses how skills-based hiring is reshaping recruitment, shifting focus from traditional degrees to real-world competencies. Rhee emphasizes the role of AI in connecting youth to diverse career paths outside the college route. She also explores investment opportunities in alternative educational models and innovative policies like education savings accounts that could revolutionize K-12 education.