Andrew Ackerman
MR,
Dreamit
Dreamit and Penn State: A New Model for Engaging with Edtech Start-Ups
Wednesday, October 26 | 12:30PM–1:20PM | Learning Theater, Exhibit Hall B/C, Level One
Session Type:
Breakout Session
What do Starwood, Hertz, Blockbuster, and Western Union all have in common? They were all blindsided by start-ups that didn't exist just a few years ago. Dreamit and Penn State will show you how education organizations can proactively and effectively engage with start-ups.
Dreamit, a top 10 global accelerator and early-stage venture fund, and Penn State, a leader in public online higher ed, have partnered to create a leading edtech accelerator program that leverages the extensive industry strengths, experience, and leadership of both organizations. This is a new model for recruiting and screening more mature, pilot-ready start-ups, connecting them to key decisions makers via "customer immersions" to accelerate their sales process and introducing them to stage-appropriate institutional investors. We will also preview the new initiatives expanding this engagement all the way back to rapid validation of concept-stage protostart-ups (for example, the venture studio model) and forward to postaccelerator support. If you think your organization is doing a great job of engaging with cutting-edge edtech start-ups, you can skip this one. If not, you can't afford to miss this session.
Dreamit, a top 10 global accelerator and early-stage venture fund, and Penn State, a leader in public online higher ed, have partnered to create a leading edtech accelerator program that leverages the extensive industry strengths, experience, and leadership of both organizations. This is a new model for recruiting and screening more mature, pilot-ready start-ups, connecting them to key decisions makers via "customer immersions" to accelerate their sales process and introducing them to stage-appropriate institutional investors. We will also preview the new initiatives expanding this engagement all the way back to rapid validation of concept-stage protostart-ups (for example, the venture studio model) and forward to postaccelerator support. If you think your organization is doing a great job of engaging with cutting-edge edtech start-ups, you can skip this one. If not, you can't afford to miss this session.
