As Australia’s EdTech industry hub, EduGrowth is uniquely placed to connect all components of the Australian education and innovation sector. This function of introductions to “connect” comes in many forms and is a key service EduGrowth offers members.
Enabling synergistic connection, leads to productive collaboration and can ultimately accelerate the industry as a whole.
Key points
- Introductions lead to collaboration
- Collaboration will accelerate Australian EdTech
- How EduGrowth connected Kym Hunter, Champion Life and Craig Simon, Zomo Consulting
EduGrowth Managing Director, David Linke says its about “helping our members progress on their pathway”. Introductions that EduGrowth facilitate are based on recognised synergies; “there needs to be a match between the organisations growth stage, the sector they are selling to and the mentor” says David, “the goal in our model is to make the introduction and then allow the parties to work out what the framework and engagement model looks like”.
When Kym Hunter, founder of Champion Life, reached out to EduGrowth, David recalls, “she was looking for an education sector expert who could help her on her journey”. Kym realised she had a gap in her knowledge base. She wanted to create a digital marketing strategy, but was unsure how to do it or what it might look like. David says, of making a good introduction, “it’s important to have someone who knows and has deep experience with the problem you are trying to tackle.”
Kym was subsequently connected to a seasoned EdTech executive, Craig Simon.
Craig’s entire career has been focussed on the education and EdTech sector. Starting as a teacher, Craig then worked for Apple Education, he moved into Enterprise Education and in his capacity working for 3P Learning, worked closely with the investor community and EdTech entrepreneur community. He established Zomo Consulting in 2017 to provide dedicated support to EdTech startups.
“We have completed the first stage of our project and Craig has now become indispensable to Champion Life” says Kym.
Entering a mutually beneficial business relationship, Kym and Craig have now extended their original engagement. “Craig’s education sector experience and ability to articulate the challenges or uniqueness of the education sector has been invaluable,” says Kym.
Craig says education sector knowledge shouldn’t be underestimated when competing in the EdTech space. “I haven’t seen a startup be successful without education sector expertise in the founding team or built in as support around them,” says Craig.
What started as working on a digital marketing strategy has since extended to other areas of the business including sales, product development and investor relations.
We look forward to seeing the full impact of this EduGrowth introduction unfold.
Champion Life is a SaaS platform for K-12 to engage young people in physical and health activity and facilitate the development of lifelong healthy habits. Champion Life is a whole school resource consisting of 3 age appropriate elements built on a foundation of content delivered by “real-life” role models. Champion Life role models provide the ideal figures for students to aspire to and emulate. Their diversity in age, gender, ethnicity, skills, life experiences and personalities caters for the diversity of characteristics in participating students. Being able to relate to the role models and hold them in high esteem allows students to engage with Champion Life and embrace positive health and wellbeing practices that then develop into lifelong healthy habits.
Zomo Consulting provide services primarily to EdTech startups. Product development services help ensure startups are building the right product, market research to ensure product market fit and provide advice in the design phase. Customer strategy services help startups identify core customers i.e. parents, teachers, schools. Capital raising services include seeking interest via Zomo Consulting’s network of investors and VCs. In addition, Zomo consulting work with investors; to seek out opportunities or to complete due diligence.