Last month, we published several new resources for EdTech startups, including a two-part series on EdTech sales strategies from WGU Labs Lead Consultant
Jessica Cornell, MBA
, as well as blogs on investment and audience strategies. Senior Research Scientist
Audrieanna Burgin, Ph.D.
shared four strategies to develop successful micro-credentials programs in our latest research brief. We also published our Director of Learning Innovation
Omid Fotuhi
’s insights on navigating AI disruption in higher education. And Senior Research Scientist
Stephanie Reeves
spoke with QS Insights Magazine about faculty’s role in EdTech decision-making.?
- If You Build EdTech, Will They Come? (Hint: Not Without the Right Business Strategy)
: What’s the difference between a customer and a consumer? As an EdTech incubator, we’ve frequently encountered startups that focus too much energy on one audience at the expense of the other. This blog covers why adopting an audience-based business model better positions your EdTech startup for success.
- 4 Strategies to Develop Successful Micro-Credential Programs | Research Brief
: From 2021 to 2023, the WGU Labs team collaborated with three leading micro-credential companies to delve deep into the efficacy and outcomes of their offerings. Through this exploration, we’ve uncovered various challenges associated with micro-credentials — and strategies to mitigate them. In our latest research brief, WGU Labs Senior Research Scientist Audrieanna Burgin shares insights that can empower micro-credential organizations to differentiate themselves and attract new learners.
- Founder-Led Sales Key to EdTech Startup Success
: WGU Labs Lead Consultant Jessica Cornell explores how founder-led sales can give EdTech startups an edge — from courting investors to captivating customers — in this blog post.?
- Timing the Hire: When to Expand Your EdTech Sales Team and the Risks of Moving Too Fast
: In Part 2 of her series on EdTech sales strategies, Jessica Cornell breaks down the indicators that signal it’s time to hire your first salesperson — from recognizing when your product-market fit is optimal in the evolving educational landscape to understanding your own limits in managing sales amid the unique challenges of the EdTech sector — as well as the risks associated with premature hiring.?
- Adopting a Think-Small Mindset in EdTech Investing
: This blog explores how incorporating a "think small" approach into your portfolio strategy — focusing on the specific products, their target users, and the conditions under which they succeed — can build a more robust education market, leading to stable, long-term returns.
- Navigating AI Disruption in Higher Education
: Reflecting on this year’s
ASU+GSV Summit
, WGU Labs’ Director of Learning Innovation Omid Fotuhi identified several key themes around AI — and outlined 5 strategic imperatives institutions should pursue as they navigate AI transformation,
- Building boundaries | QS Insights Magazine
: The results of our recent Faculty EdTech Survey indicate many institutions are struggling with successfully integrating technology across higher education. Not only are the majority of faculty experiencing tech fatigue, they also perceive that those furthest from the classroom have the greatest influence on EdTech decisions. “From our survey, we see that faculty don’t feel they have a voice and want to have more of a seat at the table in those conversations,” WGU Labs Senior Research Scientist Dr. Stephanie Reeves said in an interview for this article.
Collaboration, diverse perspectives, and ideas that challenge the status quo are critical to solving higher education’s Wicked Problems. We’d love to hear from you. Leave us a comment to let us know what’s on your mind. And consider sharing this newsletter
with your network to help us maximize our impact.?
