Planes, Trains and That Bus!

A USA EdTech Mission Across Four Cities, Two Coasts and a Massive Conference

On a very cold Boston morning 13 Australian EdTech entrepreneurs and a team of five from Austrade gathered at LearnLaunch in Boston to kick off the 2018 USA EdTech Trade Mission.  In those very first moments we learnt that a trade mission is not a junket.

Austrade, with EduGrowth’s support, outlined an incredible program of events that would take us from Boston, through New York, onto San Diego and conclude in San Francisco.

Each member of this gathering had different objectives from the program to come.  Our group included academics seeking US market insight, entrepreneurs assessing capital raising, companies planning how to sell to the US Education market and even more.  But we were united in a single cause – taking Australian Education Technology and Innovation global.

Over 10 days the 2018 US EdTech mission met with, were briefed by, or visited many organisations, companies and individuals.  In total we engaged with six education ecosystem coordinators, eight global education companies, five venture capitalists, four universities and participated in four pitching sessions.

A key highlight of the trade mission was three days at the ASU GSV conference in San Diego.  It is not possible to adequately describe the enormity of this event. ASU GSV is the intersection, and collision, between business, education, venture capital and everything in between.  The conference consumes the Grand Hyatt San Diego hotel for three days, with more than 5,000 delegates and more sessions than I can count. The conference is a true deep dive into education technology and innovation – the real conference happens in the side meetings not the plenary program.

After 10 days on the road using planes, trains and a dodgy bus, this gathering of 13 Australian entrepreneurs and five from Austrade had become a true force.  We had moved across the USA creating positive energy as we went with lots of companies wanting to meet members of the team to investigate collaborations and partnerships.

The 2018 US Trade Mission was a huge credit to the organisers at Austrade, who with EduGrowth’s support designed a fantastic program.  EduGrowth will lead additional missions in 2018, and certainly will put the USA back on our agenda for 2019 – mark your diaries!

 

Companies on the 2018 USA EdTech Mission were –