Edtech 21

 

Taylor’s 10 2021

The first version of my simple test for anyone serious about edtech was published in 2014. This is the updated version, but for this is just a first filter and anyone who gets past it (no cheating on Google) then face the far trickier Taylor’s Secret edtech test! How many edtech unicorns have $1bn+ revenue? […]

12 days ago Education More
 

NTP FUBAR?

The story that the £160m Phase 2 of the National Tutoring Programme (NTP 2.0) will go to Randstad and not the Education Endowment Foundation’s subsidiary the National Tutoring Foundation Ltd, was broken by Will Hazel in The i on 9 May. Kudos to Mr Hazel and it seems that the NTP will make a formal […]

1 month ago 2 Education 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 […]

11 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 […]

1 year ago Education 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
 

DfE’s new EdTech Leadership group & how to prevent groundhog day

Recently I saw a tweet from Professor Peter Twinning about the DfE’s new EdTech Leadership Group (also known variously as the EdTech Expert Group). I have met several people on the list and had the pleasure of chatting briefly to Caroline Wright at BESA’s recent event to launch the DfE’s new EdTech Innovation Fund. Some […]

2 years ago Education, Uncategorized More
 

My thoughts about the DfE’s new £4.6m EdTech Innovation Fund

A few weeks ago I attended the BESA event to explain the new DfE Edtech strategy. So popular was the announcement, BESA had to find a new venue. Ironically the same venue as my first-ever meeting, almost 20 years ago, when I was working for what was then called the Department for Education and Skills […]

2 years ago 1 Education More
 

Recruitment & discrimination in edtech

I recently attended a ‘Recruitment and Retention’ event hosted by Sophie Bailey of the Edtech Podcast. Three speakers gave their take on the issues: Jamie Brooker, co-founder of Kahoot @jamiebrooker on how to build a successful edtech startup; Dr Kristen Weatherby from UCL/IOE’s educate programme @KWresearch on the challenges of recruiting teachers for edtech projects; […]

3 years ago Education More
 

Should edtech and other startups spend money on IP?

Trademarks and the protection of intellectual property should be vital to any business, particularly those in tech? Wrong! Over the years I have seen too many businesses blow too much of their scare management and financial resources trying to register various types of IP. A few have managed to get trademarks, but I can’t think […]

4 years ago Education More
 

Edtech Exits

Exits in edtech are complicated. and vary widely from intra-investor share sales (often before Series A), share swaps (generally a bad idea), trade sales, listing (high unlikely) and occasionally there might even be some cash (normally tied to impossible earnout targets). Characteristics It’s generally a very illiquid market Changing priorities for investors (portfolios, time horizons […]

4 years ago Education More