A select group of EdTech CEOs and sector leaders recently came together for the first CEO Syndicate session of 2026: The Principal’s Perspective — What Will Shape Education in 2026.

The session featured Angela Falkenberg, President of the Australian Primary Principals Association, who shared direct insight into the realities shaping Australia’s 9,500 primary schools — from sector disparities and funding pressures to wellbeing, procurement, and what innovation truly means in a primary context.

Angela’s reflections grounded the conversation in the priorities school leaders are navigating today, including:

• The growing complexity of student and educator wellbeing

• The tension between policy, funding and school-level agency

• The realities of discretionary spend and digital adoption

• The signals principals look for when evaluating new solutions

• Where EdTech can genuinely reduce burden rather than add to it

The discussion was facilitated by Tim Power, CEO & Founder of Inquisitive, who guided a candid, peer-level conversation that moved beyond surface trends to explore the nuance of decision-making inside schools.

CEO Syndicate is designed as a trusted forum for EdTech leaders — a space where peers can engage in open dialogue, test ideas, and gain insight into the realities shaping the education sector. These conversations help bridge the gap between sector ambition and the lived experience of school leaders.

If innovation is to succeed in education, it must align with the needs, priorities and constraints of the schools it aims to serve.

Interested in joining a future CEO Syndicate session?
Contact [email protected] to express your interest.