Welcome

I am an educational entrepreneur, edtech specialist and investor. The views expressed here are my own and are often blunt and irreverent.

 

AirBNB – a revolutionary business model or one that facilitates law breaking?

Most of what I blog about is education and technology, so this is a bit different. I have a bone to pick with AirBNB as follows. Their platform knowingly allows their ‘hosts’ to break the law in many countries. A quick example: in the London block where I own a flat, all the Local Authority leases […]

2 months ago Uncategorized More
 

The importance of assessing Technical Debt & high-performance in early stage investments

I have read over a thousand pitch decks from start-up edtech companies. Less than 1% met my personal tests for investability. Not one covered two specific issues that should be important to investors from every sector, namely: What is the estimated Technical Debt in the business? Do you have a high-performing tech team?   Technical […]

2 months ago Education More
 

Month 4 of Covid 19’s impact on the UK education sector.

Right at the  start of the crisis the UK Office of Budget Responsibility predicted that in the 2nd quarter of 2020 output in education would be down by 90%.Published c.24 May, the scale of the estimated downturn was dramatic news for those in the business of education. It should also have been a clarion call […]

3 months ago Education More
 

How to rescue startups? Fund a load of “AI-enabled dog dating apps”

Last week the government announced a £500m Future Fund rescue package for startups. Why? Maybe it was Brent Hoberman’s wailing in the Financial Times or maybe someone at BEIS finally realised it was time to start justifying the vast amounts of money the Treasury gives them out of our pockets each year? Whatever the motivation […]

5 months ago Education More
 

An oddball army of weirdos and misfits

I have been thinking about Dominic Cummings’ plans to shake up the Civil Service by hiring a cadre of weirdos and misfits (most people I know seem to think I fit this criteria but I doubt my CV would make the cut with no tertiary qualifications, being too opinionated/old, Australian etc). However, I do have […]

8 months ago Education More
 

I’m getting exercised!

Into my edu Twitter floated today floated reactions to a tweet from @MrHamiltonPE about his school’s “READ AND RIDE room!” (sic) This relates to three studies, one at Russell Jones Elementary in Arkansas (2011) and two from Ward Elementary in North Carolina (2010). These might have faded into deserved obscurity had it not clawed its […]

8 months ago Education More
 

A political pork-barrelled porky?

Labour’s election manifesto promise of free broadband to anyone as an essential ‘to compete in the global economy’, looks like a dated and unfunded copy of an election policy from Australia way back in 2006. The Labor Opposition Leader, Kim Beasley, made a very similar promise, however, it fell to his successor Kevin Rudd, who […]

10 months ago Uncategorized More
 

Another day at the office in the business of education

The business of education is big, varied, international and the toughest segment is probably K12. I have invested in several edtech startups as well as having founded and sold a couple of my own, so I have some experience with raising money and being pitched to.   Just because it’s education doesn’t mean it’s all […]

1 year ago Education More
 

SEEK and you will find (out)

Most people in edtech have no idea that an Australian company, SEEK, has been making waves in the world of MOOCs. To understand the educational significance of what at first glance appears to be a successful listed Australian recruitment business you need to look beyond the headlines.  The backstory – SEEK rescued Australian education business IDP […]

1 year ago Education More
 

Who I’d like to hear from (& it’s not the usual suspects)

After another London edtech week I’m feeling rather sanguine about ever attending an edtech event ever again. Of course I will but I’m going have 3 criteria: I want to hear from people who have something new to say (edtech is so often an echo chamber) I will try not to ask a question or […]

1 year ago 1 Education More