Getting Filthy Rich with EdTech?

The EdTech sector often finds itself under the suspicion to rather be about charity, than building large-scale, profitable enterprises.

And that’s for a reason.

While the industry is packed with good intentions and honorable aims like few others, it is not exactly known for its commercial drive.

However, I want to make two points:

1. No money → No Impact

I assume everyone seeing the virtues of market economies will agree with me on this (otherwise; I won’t try to convince you):

If we want EdTech to really enhance the way we educate, the industry needs to generate significant returns for investors, founders, employees and users (i.e. make people filthy rich).

2. EdTechs Indeed Have the Potential to Become Huge Commercial Successes

Making people smarter naturally creates economic benefits; for themselves and the companies they work for. But regardless of how much value the industry may create — it still fails to capture a lot of that.

Let’s Focus on Commercialising EdTech

I believe we need to shift the discussions much more to how we can build true outlier companies.

We have to get rid of the charity vibes and make EdTech ventures proper money-making-engines.

Accordingly there is no way around talking much more about how we can monetise education products more effectively.

That’s the reason why I set up a dedicated section of this blog that bundles all articles on commercial topics:

There we discuss how we can

• develop bold go-to-market approaches that outsmart the rigid education system

• proof the financial return of learning solutions to generate willingness to pay

• build up defensible moats shielding us from competitors and incumbents

Closing Remarks

Don’t get me wrong: I myself, ventured into EdTech for the impact in the first place. But I genuinely believe that will only happen, when we manage to build highly attractive businesses.

Hence, when people become wealthy with EdTech — that’s just like getting the molasses, when building a sugar factory — it is a by-product, but a compelling one, isn’t it?

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