Send us a text In 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 res…

Send us a text Join 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-relat…

Send us a text Betsy 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. …

Send us a text Levi 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 dev…

Send us a text Join 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 tractio…

Send us a text Vikas 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 …

Send us a text Robert 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 grad…

Send us a text In 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 text Tom 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…

Send us a text Kees 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 w…

Send us a text Pierre 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 organi…

Send us a text Brent 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.…

Send us a text Join 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 pu…

Send us a text Lawton 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…

Send us a text In 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 Mathema…

Send us a text This 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 t…

Send us a text Michelle 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 advocac…

Send us a text This 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 par…

Send us a text An 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…

Send us a text This 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…

Send us a text Pierre 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…

Send us a text This 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] 🔍 OpenAI launches Deep Research, a $200/m…

Send us a text In 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. Ad…

Send us a text Jeff 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 pande…

Send us a text Matt 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 curric…

Send us a text Tigran 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 t…

Send us a text This 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] 🤖 OpenAI’s new O3 "reasoning" model sparks AGI debate. [00:07:14] 🏗️ OpenAI’s $500B Stargate Project aims to dominate AI infrastructure…

Send us a text 2024 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. 🎙️ Feat…

Send us a text Happy 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] 🌐 OpenAI introduces a fea…

Send us a text Sara 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 Pr…

Send us a text Dr. 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 efficienc…

Send us a text Jonathan 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 cur…

Send us a text Yossi 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 transform…

Send us a text Shantanu 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 com…

Send us a text Benedict 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, includi…

Send us a text In 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, Google Maureen Heymans, VP of Engineering, Learning & Sustainability, Go…

Send us a text SiSi (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 solut…

Send us a text Dr. 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 elemen…

Send us a text Mark 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. 💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode: How Amira Learning uses AI to revolu…

Send us a text 2024 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 p…

Send us a text With the holiday break just around the corner, join hosts Alex Sarlin and Ben Kornell for a timely look at the latest developments in education technology. From exciting AI advancements to shifts in curriculum policy, this episode captures the key trends shaping the future of learning. ✨ Episode Highlights: [00:03:16] 🧠 OpenAI's New …

Send us a text As CEO and Co-Founder of Learnosity, Gavin Cooney still talks about the company he helped build over a decade ago with an infectious zeal. It’s easy to see why: what began as a project in a garden shed (a cliché maybe, but 100% true!) has matured into an internationally renowned tech company with a 200-strong crew of problem-solvers.…

Send us a text Trish Sparks leads Clever as CEO. Previously she was VP of Customer Success and Sales. Trish came to Clever with a wealth of executive leadership experience at companies such as LinkedIn, where she scaled a global customer success organization, and at DemandBase, where she was Chief Customer Officer. As a North Carolina Teaching Fell…

Send us a text Join hosts Alex Sarlin and Ben Kornell in this Thanksgiving edition of "Week in Edtech" as they explore the latest developments in education technology, from groundbreaking AI innovations to edtech controversies and funding milestones. ✨ Episode Highlights: [00:03:16] 🧠 Edtech Insiders publishes AI tool market map with 300+ tools acr…

Send us a text Laura K. Ipsen is president and chief executive officer of Ellucian, the leading technology solutions provider for more than 2,900 higher education institutions in more than 50 countries. She has more than 25 years of experience as a technology executive in Silicon Valley, driving transformation in the public and private sectors and …

Send us a text Matt Given is an experienced education technology leader and the CEO of Seesaw, a groundbreaking learning experience platform designed for PreK-5 students. With over 20 years of experience in education and edtech leadership, Matt has held executive roles at Kaplan, Catapult Learning, and EdisonLearning. Known for his expertise in uni…

Send us a text Arman Jaffer is the founder and CEO of Brisk Teaching. Brisk is an AI tool that helps educators personalize their instruction and save hours of time on administrative tasks. Emily Bennett currently serves as a Principal investor at Owl Ventures. 💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode: How Brisk Teaching’s AI tools streamline teacher…

Send us a text Join hosts Alex Sarlin and Ben Kornell for a post-election edition of "Week in Edtech," featuring insights from Anna Edwards and Ben Wallerstein of Whiteboard Advisors. ✨ Episode Highlights: [00:02:16] 🇺🇸 New trends in education policy post-election [00:04:42] 🏛️ Why state policies will shape the future of K-12 education [00:08:10] 💸…

Send us a text Chuck Cohn is the Founder, Chairman & CEO of Nerdy (parent company of Varsity Tutors). Chuck founded the company in 2007 during his junior year of college after experiencing frustration finding the personalized help he needed for a calculus course. He spent his early career working in energy & power investment banking at Wells Fargo …

Send us a text Mark Miller is the founder and Managing Director of Good Harbor Partners (GHP), a boutique M&A advisory firm specializing in the education technology and publishing sectors. With over 20 years of experience as an edtech entrepreneur and advisor, Miller has a proven track record in guiding Pre-K-12, Higher Education, and Workforce cli…