Nepris and LinkedIn: A Win-Win Partnership to Engage Professionals to Inspire the Next Generation

According to LinkedIn surveys, 1 in 5 managers hire someone because of their volunteer experience. As the skills-based volunteering movement gains momentum, many people are looking for opportunities to use their skills and talents to effect change. Yet, many professionals struggle with finding these types of opportunities. LinkedIn is addressing this need by engaging professionals […]

Philanthropy’s Essential Role in K-12 Edtech and Strategies for Impact

Although “Record Levels of Edtech Funding” has been a recurring headline, there hasn’t been a focus on the role of philanthropy as the majority of funding is coming from the private sector. From our front line view as an active edtech seed investor, we see the need for diverse forms of capital to realize the […]

Seed Fund Spotlight at Summit 2014

Wondering how education technology is shaping the future of K-12 education? Interested in learning about the innovative NewSchools portfolio companies whose technology solutions are reaching millions of students, teachers, and parents? Be sure to visit the Seed Fund Spotlight right across from NewSchools Summit 2014 registration and demo 24 products that are transforming teaching and […]

Sparking Student Interest in STEM By Bringing Industry Experts into the Classroom

I vividly remember scouring my bathroom and kitchen cabinets to identify chemicals in the products I used everyday. Sure enough the chemical formulas I was learning to write in chemistry class were listed as ingredients in my toothpaste, shampoo, and laundry detergent. I was fascinated that chemistry had real world application and was inspired to become a chemical engineer at Procter and Gamble. According to a Microsoft STEM Perceptions Study, 57% of boys and 68% of girls who chose a career in science technology engineering and math (STEM) had a teacher or class that sparked their interest.

Real Pain Points, Real Solutions: Oakland Startup Weekend Education

When we met Nina Portugal two weeks ago at a Teach For America information session about Oakland’s first-ever Startup Weekend EDU, she described the specific struggles of her long-term English learner students at Castlemont High School in Oakland. Nina was on the fence about pitching her idea in front of hundreds of strangers, but eventually joined the other 32 brave souls who pitched ideas to improve education. Little did Nina expect that over the course of just 54 hours, her team, Rock Your Voice, would create a product she could put to use on Monday morning in her classroom. Nina now has a voice transcription tool to better assess her students’ language and literacy skills.

Who’s Funding K-12 Edtech?

“What other funders do you recommend?” This is one of the most common questions I get from edtech founders so I have compiled this list to help entrepreneurs navigate the edtech investor landscape and identify potential funders. This list is by no means exhaustive and is aligned to our focus on the U.S. K-12 student population.

Beyond Data to Insights and Action

“Big Data” has become a buzzword within edtech circles and learning analytics is a Top Edtech Trend driven in part by increased accountability. However, the overwhelming amount of education data can often be inaccessible to those that need it most, educators and school leaders. This may be the reason that only 50% of administrators surveyed by the Center for Digital Education see improved student outcomes from the use of big data.

Elevating the Educator Voice: Reflections on SXSWedu 2013

Now that I have recovered from the flurry of activity that took place at this year’s SXSWedu conference, I have started to reflect on what I hope to see at next year’s conference as well as what I personally would have done differently. I enjoyed hearing the latest on personalization, data analytics, game-based learning, and the Maker movement and was impressed with the passionate entrepreneurs who went through great lengths to pitch to me. However, I left the conference wishing I had built more connections with educators and school leaders.