Edtech Insiders

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Dr. Sarah Johnson is the CEO and President of Teaching Lab and Relay Graduate School of Education, leading their AI-enabled product innovation and educator preparation initiatives. She is joined by Teaching Lab Studio fellows: Riz Malik, creator of Coteach, a curriculum-aligned AI assistant for math teachers; Gautam Thapar, CEO of Enlighten AI, a personalized AI grading and feedback platform; and Louisa Rosenheck, co-lead of NISA and the Tangle & Thrive research project, focused on AI-powered instructional coaching and student engagement.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode

1. Co-designing AI with teachers
2. Curriculum-informed AI boosts quality
3. AI scales coaching & grading
4. AI-centric classrooms & tool ecosystems
5. Teaching Lab–Relay expands R&D 

✨ Episode Highlights
[00:03:12] Sarah on launching Teaching Lab’s AI studio
[00:07:47] Riz on curriculum-aligned AI for math
[00:10:50] Gautam on personalized grading AI
[00:16:44] Louisa on AI-supported coaching
[00:24:40] Educators building GPTs
[00:41:05] Spotlight on Studio projects:

• Mathly by Melanie Kong & Marie White
• Writing Pathway by Sherry Lewkowicz & Phil Weinberg
• Podsie by Joshua Ling

😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders! 

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🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:

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 R

This season of Edtech Insiders is brought to you by Cooley LLP. Cooley is the go-to law firm for education and edtech innovators, offering industry-informed counsel across the 'pre-K to gray' spectrum. With a multidisciplinary approach and a powerful edtech ecosystem, Cooley helps shape the future of education.

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.

As a tech-first company, Tuck Advisors has developed a suite of proprietary tools to serve its clients better. Tuck was the first firm in the world to launch a custom GPT around M&A. If you haven’t already, try our proprietary M&A Analyzer, which assesses fit between your company and a specific buyer. To explore this free tool and the rest of our technology, visit tuckadvisors.com.

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Join hosts Alex Sarlin and Ben Kornell as they break down OpenAI’s unexpected launch of ChatGPT for K–12, Google’s accelerating AI momentum, and what these shifts mean for schools, teachers, and the edtech ecosystem.

✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:02:03] OpenAI unveils ChatGPT for K–12 educators—secure, curriculum-aware, and free through 2027
[00:03:02] The emerging AI Classroom Wars between OpenAI and Google across major U.S. districts
 [00:07:36] Google’s big week: DeepMind tutoring gains and Gemini 3’s multimodal upgrades
[00:10:25] How district leaders will navigate growing community divides over AI adoption
[00:14:04] What OpenAI’s move means for MagicSchool, SchoolAI, Brisk, and other edtech players

Plus, special guests:
[00:19:26] Janos Perczel, CEO of Polygence on scaling project-based learning with AI and why TeachLM trains models on authentic student–teacher interactions

[00:41:36] Dr. Stephen Hodges, CEO of Efekta Education on AI-powered language learning for 4M students and early evidence of major test score gains

😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders! 

Follow us on our podcast, newsletter & LinkedIn here.

🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:

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 brought to you by Cooley LLP. Cooley is the go-to law firm for education and edtech innovators, offering industry-informed counsel across the 'pre-K to gray' spectrum. With a multidisciplinary approach and a powerful edtech ecosystem, Cooley helps shape the future of education.

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.

As a tech-first company, Tuck Advisors has developed a suite of proprietary tools to serve its clients better. Tuck was the first firm in the world to launch a custom GPT around M&A. If you haven’t already, try our proprietary M&A Analyzer, which assesses fit between your company and a specific buyer. To explore this free tool and the rest of our technology, visit tuckadvisors.com.

Send us a text

This special on-site episode of Edtech Insiders was recorded live at the Google AI for Learning Forum in London on November 14, 2024, where we sat down with leaders shaping Google’s next generation of learning tools, including Shantanu Sinha, VP of Google for Education, Tal Oppenheimer, Product Management Director, Google Labs & Learning, Julia Wilkowski, Pedagogy & Learning Sciences Team Lead, Google, and Maureen Heymans, VP & GM, Learning, Google. Together, they share how Google is designing AI-powered tools grounded in learning science and built to scale across classrooms worldwide.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode

1. How Google is embedding AI into Classroom and Gemini.
2. How Learn LM’s pedagogy powers Google’s core models.
3. How tools like NotebookLM and Learn Your Way personalize learning.
4. How Google measures learning effectiveness.
5. What’s next for AI in education.

✨ Episode Highlights
[00:01:36] Shantanu Sinha on putting educators in control of AI
[00:02:32] Gemini’s role inside Classroom
[00:06:53] The next wave of reasoning and multimodal AI
[00:09:36] Teachers creating simulations and learning artifacts
[00:14:42] Tal Oppenheimer on personalized textbooks in Learn Your Way
[00:17:29] Building learning features across Google surfaces
[00:35:03] Julia Wilkowski on Google’s five learning science principles
[00:41:43] Multimodal learning and educational video generation
[00:52:03] Maureen Heymans on using AI to enhance video-based learning 

😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders! 

Follow us on our podcast, newsletter & LinkedIn here.

🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:

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

This season of Edtech Insiders is brought to you by Cooley LLP. Cooley is the go-to law firm for education and edtech innovators, offering industry-informed counsel across the 'pre-K to gray' spectrum. With a multidisciplinary approach and a powerful edtech ecosystem, Cooley helps shape the future of education.

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.

As a tech-first company, Tuck Advisors has developed a suite of proprietary tools to serve its clients better. Tuck was the first firm in the world to launch a custom GPT around M&A. If you haven’t already, try our proprietary M&A Analyzer, which assesses fit between your company and a specific buyer. To explore this free tool and the rest of our technology, visit tuckadvisors.com.

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Brandon Busteed is the CEO of Edconic and a nationally recognized leader in work-integrated learning. Formerly President of Kaplan University Partners and Head of Education & Workforce Development at Gallup, he has spent his career building bridges between higher education and industry through research, innovation, and large-scale partnerships.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1. Why work-integrated learning matters
2. Why employers say grads aren’t work-ready
3. Why internships don’t scale
4. How colleges can merge liberal arts with career prep
5. How AI bridges academic and job skills

✨ Episode Highlights
[00:00:00] The power of work-integrated learning for long-term outcomes
[00:02:49] How the education–workforce gap emerged
[00:05:54] Why so few students get quality applied learning experiences
[00:07:28] Debunking the liberal-arts vs. careerism divide
[00:13:51] The internship shortage and rise of “derivative internships”
[00:18:56] Edtech’s role in expanding work-based learning
[00:20:53] How virtual and industry immersion programs reshape higher ed
[00:24:44] Employers’ low confidence in graduate readiness
[00:26:17] Faculty externships as a bridge between academia and industry
[00:30:01] Co-designed learning between teachers and industry experts
[00:33:24] AI as a translator between academic and career skills
[00:42:12] Saxbys’ model of student-run campus businesses
[00:46:07] Expanding student awareness of career paths beyond the “top 10”

😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders! 

Follow us on our podcast, newsletter & LinkedIn here.

🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:

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 brought to you by Cooley LLP. Cooley is the go-to law firm for education and edtech innovators, offering industry-informed counsel across the 'pre-K to gray' spectrum. With a multidisciplinary approach and a powerful edtech ecosystem, Cooley helps shape the future of education.

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.

As a tech-first company, Tuck Advisors has developed a suite of proprietary tools to serve its clients better. Tuck was the first firm in the world to launch a custom GPT around M&A. If you haven’t already, try our proprietary M&A Analyzer, which assesses fit between your company and a specific buyer. To explore this free tool and the rest of our technology, visit tuckadvisors.com.

Send us a text

Join hosts Alex Sarlin and Ben Kornell as they unpack the breakthroughs and backlash following the Google DeepMind AI for Learning Forum in London—and what it means for the future of edtech.

✨ Episode Highlights:

[00:03:30] Google DeepMind’s AI for Learning Forum sets a new global tone for learning innovation
[00:06:58] Google’s “Learn Your Way” tool personalizes entire textbooks with AI
[00:08:12] AI video tools like Google Flow redefine classroom content creation
[00:13:40] Why this could be the moment for teachers to become AI media creators
[00:18:36] Risks of AI-generated video: deepfakes, disinformation, and youth impact
[00:22:19] Duolingo stock crashes over 40% amid investor fears of big tech competition
[00:23:52] Screen time backlash accelerates: parents turn to screen-free edtech
[00:26:14] Why physical math books and comic-style curricula are surging in demand
[00:27:35] A wave of screen-free edtech: from LeapFrog alumni to audio-first tools

Plus, special guests:

[00:28:51] Michelle Culver, Founder of The Rithm Project, and Erin Mote, CEO of InnovateEDU, on the psychological risks of AI companions, building trust in AI tools, and designing for pro-social relationships
[00:51:48] Ben Caulfield, CEO of Eedi, shares groundbreaking findings from their Google DeepMind study: AI tutors now match—and sometimes outperform—humans in math instruction, and how Eedi powers the future of scalable, safe AI tutoring.

😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders! 

Follow us on our podcast, newsletter & LinkedIn here.

🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:

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 b

This season of Edtech Insiders is brought to you by Cooley LLP. Cooley is the go-to law firm for education and edtech innovators, offering industry-informed counsel across the 'pre-K to gray' spectrum. With a multidisciplinary approach and a powerful edtech ecosystem, Cooley helps shape the future of education.

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.

As a tech-first company, Tuck Advisors has developed a suite of proprietary tools to serve its clients better. Tuck was the first firm in the world to launch a custom GPT around M&A. If you haven’t already, try our proprietary M&A Analyzer, which assesses fit between your company and a specific buyer. To explore this free tool and the rest of our technology, visit tuckadvisors.com.

Send us a text

This special EdTech Insiders episode features the four Shark Tank winners from EdTech Week. Each founder shares how their breakthrough approach is transforming learning, teaching, and workforce development across K–12, higher education, and global training environments.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1. Lirvana Labs’ multilingual, trauma-informed AI companion.
2. Socrait’s voice-powered automation of teacher admin work.
3. Skillmaker.ai’s XR training that cuts years to days.
4. Glimmer’s personalized formative assessment and insights.
5. How these innovators are scaling impact across continents and industries.

✨ Episode Highlights:

[00:03:18] Christie Pang, CEO & Co-Founder of Lirvana Labs on Global AI learning companion & teacher “Mission Control”
[00:21:42] Jason Palmer, Co-Founder & President of Socrait on Turning teacher talk into structured data
[00:35:53] Robin Cowie, Founder & CEO of Skillmaker.ai on XR & smart glasses accelerating technical training
[00:50:48] Neel Rao, Co-Founder & CEO of Glimmer on AI-powered personalized math scaffolding and insights

😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders! 

Follow us on our podcast, newsletter & LinkedIn here.

🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:

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 brought to you by Cooley LLP. Cooley is the go-to law firm for education and edtech innovators, offering industry-informed counsel across the 'pre-K to gray' spectrum. With a multidisciplinary approach and a powerful edtech ecosystem, Cooley helps shape the future of education.

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.

As a tech-first company, Tuck Advisors has developed a suite of proprietary tools to serve its clients better. Tuck was the first firm in the world to launch a custom GPT around M&A. If you haven’t already, try our proprietary M&A Analyzer, which assesses fit between your company and a specific buyer. To explore this free tool and the rest of our technology, visit tuckadvisors.com.

Send us a text

Rohan Mahimker is Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Prodigy Education, a global leader in digital game-based learning.

Rohan launched Prodigy alongside his fellow Co-Founder and Co-CEO Alex Peters in 2011. Today, Prodigy’s flagship math game is used by more than 20 million 1st-8th Grade students and is one of the most popular supplemental classroom tools in the United States.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1. How a university project evolved into one of the world’s most popular math games
2. The secret behind Prodigy’s “motivation first” approach to learning
3. Why Prodigy’s freemium model reshaped EdTech’s business playbook
4. How the Prodigy State Challenge became the world’s largest math competition
5. Where AI and personalization fit into the future of game-based learning

✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:02:24] Rohan on turning childhood gaming inspiration into Prodigy’s origin story
[00:07:29] How “motivation first” drives deeper math engagement
[00:13:09] The adaptive algorithm that personalizes every student’s learning path
[00:17:27] Innovating the freemium model to keep learning free for teachers and schools
[00:27:53] Inside the Prodigy State Challenge: 4.2M students and 70,000 schools
[00:31:04] Using AI for smarter content creation and future tutoring potential
[00:43:30] What’s next: expanding beyond math to English and global game-based learning

😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders! 

Follow us on our podcast, newsletter & LinkedIn here.

🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:

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 brought to you by Cooley LLP. Cooley is the go-to law firm for education and edtech innovators, offering industry-informed counsel across the 'pre-K to gray' spectrum. With a multidisciplinary approach and a powerful edtech ecosystem, Cooley helps shape the future of education.

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.

As a tech-first company, Tuck Advisors has developed a suite of proprietary tools to serve its clients better. Tuck was the first firm in the world to launch a custom GPT around M&A. If you haven’t already, try our proprietary M&A Analyzer, which assesses fit between your company and a specific buyer. To explore this free tool and the rest of our technology, visit tuckadvisors.com.

Send us a text

Mireia Torello is the CEO and co-founder of Aikreate, an EdTech company revolutionizing AI Literacy for students and educators worldwide. With a PhD in Earth Sciences and an Executive MBA from IESE Business School, Mireia brings a unique mix of scientific and entrepreneurial experience. She has led Aikreate through partnerships with schools, universities, and governments and has been recognized at top innovation forums like SXSW EDU and ASU+GSV’s Women in AI. Her mission: make AI accessible, ethical, and empowering for the next generation.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1. Why AI literacy is a mindset, not just a skill
2. How educators can teach ethics, data, and creativity with AI
3. The importance of human skills in an AI-driven world
4. Ways to train teachers and students to learn AI together
5. How Aikreate is expanding global access to AI education

✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:02:32] Teaching AI literacy as a mindset, not just a toolset.
[00:06:34] How Aikreate scaled from a local school to a global platform.
[00:08:37] Training students to solve problems in collaboration with AI.
[00:11:51] Why AI belongs across subjects—not in a separate class.
[00:13:06] Supporting teachers with approachable, synchronized training.
[00:23:57] Balancing safety, ethics, and student empowerment in AI use.
[00:42:01] Helping students become AI pilots, not passive passengers.

😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders! 

Follow us on our podcast, newsletter & LinkedIn here.

🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:

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 brought to you by Cooley LLP. Cooley is the go-to law firm for education and edtech innovators, offering industry-informed counsel across the 'pre-K to gray' spectrum. With a multidisciplinary approach and a powerful edtech ecosystem, Cooley helps shape the future of education.

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.

As a tech-first company, Tuck Advisors has developed a suite of proprietary tools to serve its clients better. Tuck was the first firm in the world to launch a custom GPT around M&A. If you haven’t already, try our proprietary M&A Analyzer, which assesses fit between your company and a specific buyer. To explore this free tool and the rest of our technology, visit tuckadvisors.com.

Send us a text

Adam Mangana is the Co-Founder and CEO of Optima Ed, the first full-time VR homeschool backed by Meta. With over 15 years in edtech leadership, he’s pioneering immersive, AI-driven learning experiences that expand access to quality education and reimagine how, where, and why students learn.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1. How Optima Ed blends classical education with cutting-edge VR technology.
2. Why the future of learning is immersive, individualized, and accessible.
3. The role of AI tutors and digital twins in supporting teachers and students.
4. How education savings accounts (ESAs) and policy innovation are enabling new school models.
5. Why Adam believes the next era of schooling will liberate learning and bring world-class education anywhere.

✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:02:37] Entering a cell, not just watching one — the power of immersive learning.
[00:07:36] Optima Ed brings top teachers to every home through VR.
[00:11:33] Solving online school loneliness with metaverse classrooms.
[00:16:25] Teachers gain flexibility to teach from anywhere in the world.
[00:20:07] ESAs and spatial computing are transforming school choice.
[00:43:56] AI-powered tutors enable personalized, multilingual learning.
[00:49:20] “Learning liberated” — Optima Ed’s mission for global access.

😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders! 

Follow us on our podcast, newsletter & LinkedIn here.

🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:

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 brought to you by Cooley LLP. Cooley is the go-to law firm for education and edtech innovators, offering industry-informed counsel across the 'pre-K to gray' spectrum. With a multidisciplinary approach and a powerful edtech ecosystem, Cooley helps shape the future of education.

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.

As a tech-first company, Tuck Advisors has developed a suite of proprietary tools to serve its clients better. Tuck was the first firm in the world to launch a custom GPT around M&A. If you haven’t already, try our proprietary M&A Analyzer, which assesses fit between your company and a specific buyer. To explore this free tool and the rest of our technology, visit tuckadvisors.com.