Penn State Helps Launch Ed Tech Business Accelerator

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 12/15/15

Pennsylvania State University is partnering with a company to create a business "accelerator" focused entirely on educational technology. Those companies accepted into the program being managed by Dreamit — both start-ups and more seasoned firms that want to scale — participate in classroom training, networking events, customer access and advisory board guidance. Investment is also possible.

Dreamit is taking applications now for a program that will begin in March 2016. Participants may be working on products intended for college use or some other segment of learning — adult skills acquisition or primary or secondary education. Entrepreneurs will be selected based on an application process. Those accepted will spend four months working through their plans using Dreamit's curriculum and access to its global network.

Companies won't have to relocate their businesses to Philadelphia; however, they'll spend one week at the institution's University Park campus and up to a week each month at one of Dreamit's hubs in Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York City or Houston.

For its part, the university will hold seats on the Dreamit ed tech advisory board, and Penn State students will be recruited for internship opportunities with Dreamit and the startup companies it works with.

The roster of executives also serving as advisors includes Steven Hodas with Innovate NYC Schools, Laura Malcolm with Civitas Learning, Katie Blot with Blackboard, Sharon van Wyk with the Princeton Review and Tutor.com and Maia Sharpley with Kaplan.

"This partnership will advance the entrepreneurial and economic development strategies of Invent Penn State and the EdTech Network while helping to ensure Penn State maintains leadership in online learning," said Craig Weidemann, the school's vice president for outreach and vice provost for online education. "More importantly, the Dreamit collaboration will provide a platform for Penn State leaders, faculty, staff and students to gain a firsthand experience in learning about the entrepreneurial process."

More information about the application process is available on the Dreamit Web site.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • classroom scene with students gathered around a laptop showing a virtual tour interface

    Discovery Education Announces Spring Lineup of Free Virtual Field Trips

    This Spring, Discovery Education is collaborating with partners such as Warner Bros., DC Comics, National Science Foundation, NBA, and more to present a series of free virtual field trips for K-12 students.

  • glowing padlock shape integrated into a network of interconnected neon-blue lines and digital nodes, set against a soft, blurred geometric background

    3 in 4 Administrators Expect a Security Incident to Impact Their School This Year

    In an annual survey from education identity platform Clever, 74% of administrators admitted that they believe a security incident is likely to impact their school system in the coming year. That's up from 71% who said the same last year.

  • horizontal stack of U.S. dollar bills breaking in half

    ED Abruptly Cancels ESSER Funding Extensions

    The Department of Education has moved to close the door on COVID relief funding for schools, declaring that "extending deadlines for COVID-related grants, which are in fact taxpayer funds, years after the COVID pandemic ended is not consistent with the Department’s priorities and thus not a worthwhile exercise of its discretion."

  • pattern of icons for math and reading, including a pi symbol, calculator, and open book

    HMH Launches Personalized Path Solution

    Adaptive learning company HMH has introduced HMH Personalized Path, a K-8 ELA and math product that combines intervention curriculum, adaptive practice, and assessment for students of all achievement levels.