CLIMBING UP THE LADDER: Much of edtech is about empowering teachers--and quite a handful of startups are hoping that these teachers will ultimately have more say in where their schools spend their money. But Jason Tomassini at EdWeek asks, "Can Ed-Tech Companies Survive Marketing Only to Teachers?" (Our short answer: probably not.) The larger question is, can selling to teachers (what Tomassini calls the "consumerization" trend) ultimately pave the way for enterprise sales to schools and districts? Many companies need stable revenue flow to stay afloat or attract further investment capital--which means going after the big wallets. Just how edtech startups make this jump may likely determine their fate. Hopefully, current efforts like NYDOE's iZone will soon make that leap a little less scary.
