Top 10 Startup Competitions for EdTech Startups in North America in 2025
As the EdTech landscape continues to evolve, startups are constantly seeking opportunities to showcase their innovations and secure funding. The competitions and programs available in 2025 can provide critical recognition and resources for emerging companies in this sector. Below is a curated list of the Top 10 Startup Competitions for EdTech Startups in North America in 2025, complete with comprehensive details.
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1. HolonIQ North America EdTech 200
Description: An annual list that highlights the most promising EdTech startups in North America, focusing on innovative companies in learning, teaching, and upskilling.
Selection Criteria: Utilizes data from HolonIQ's platform and insights from local market experts, with quantitative and qualitative assessments.
Categories: Covers management systems, workforce & skills, learning environments, and financing education.
Geographic Scope: Canada and the United States.
Evaluation Dimensions: Evaluates startups on five performance dimensions equally weighted.
2. Global EdTech Startup Awards (GESA)
Description: The largest EdTech startup competition globally, with regional semifinals including North America. Winners receive extensive exposure and support.
Global Reach: Competitions are held in 17 countries.
Semifinals: Features North American Semifinals providing local startups a platform on an international stage.
Exposure: Winners gain visibility within the global EdTech ecosystem and receive mentorship and business development opportunities.
Finals: Global winners present at the finals in London during the BETT Show.
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3. LearnLaunch Breakthrough to Scale Program
Description: An accelerator focused on mission-driven EdTech startups poised for scaling, offering mentorship and funding.
Investment: Provides an initial investment of $50k with eligibility to earn up to an additional $150k.
Focus Areas: K12 education, higher education, workforce development, and lifelong learning.
Track Record: Past cohorts have raised $275 million and impacted over 50 million learners.
4. Tools Competition
Description: A funding opportunity designed for EdTech tools that catalyze learning science research and address significant challenges in education.
Funding: This program awards millions of dollars to various EdTech startups.
Impact: Targets crucial learning issues and includes specific tracks for K-12 education and higher education.
Launch Event: Kicks off with an annual virtual event that initiates the competition cycle.
5. SXSW EDU Launch Competition
Description: Part of the SXSW EDU Conference, this competition showcases innovative EdTech startups.
Exposure: Offers startups major visibility within the education technology community.
Networking Opportunities: Provides participants significant chances to connect with industry professionals and peers.
Competition Format: Startups present their ideas and innovations in front of an audience, seeking recognition and potential funding.
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6. Go-Together EdTech Accelerator
Description: Designed to empower EdTech startups through a structured two-phase process focused on diagnosis and growth acceleration.
Phases: Comprised of a 4-week diagnosis followed by a 20-week accelerated growth phase.
Coaching: Includes weekly 1:1 coaching sessions tailored to the startup’s needs.
Global Reach: Open to startups looking for growth opportunities across regions, including North America.
7. EdTech Week
Description: A major event in New York City that unites diverse stakeholders within the EdTech industry.
Networking: Offers substantial networking opportunities for entrepreneurs, VCs, institutions, and more.
Focus: Emphasizes personalized learning and effective project management in educational contexts.
Stakeholder Engagement: Connects boards of education with innovative software solutions.
8. Anthology Together Conference
Description: An influential EdTech conference that gathers educators and technology professionals for connection and collaboration.
Networking: Facilitates networking within the EdTech community, targeting partnerships and innovation.
Geographic Location: Takes place in Las Vegas, attracting a diverse range of participants.
Participants: Comprises educators, institutions, and technology providers.
9. FETC (Future of Education Technology Conference)
Description: A large conference focusing on education technology that occasionally features startup showcases and pitches.
Location: Miami, FL
Focus: Covers a wide range of education technology trends and innovations.
Networking Opportunities: Connects startups with educators and EdTech professionals.
Exhibits: Showcases various educational technologies and potential startup competitions.
10. ASU+GSV Summit
Description: A landmark event that merges leaders in education with technology for networking and dialogue.
Focus: Concentrates on innovation in education, gathering experts from across sectors.
Networking Opportunities: High-level networking is a key feature of this summit.
Content: Involves discussions on future educational strategies and potential solutions.
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FAQ
Q: What is the HolonIQ North America EdTech 200?
A: The HolonIQ North America EdTech 200 is an annual list that recognizes promising EdTech startups in North America, focusing on innovative companies in learning, teaching, and upskilling sectors. Learn more about HolonIQ.
Q: How does the Global EdTech Startup Awards benefit participants?
A: The Global EdTech Startup Awards offer exposure, PR, mentorship, and business development opportunities to winners, with a North American semifinals event as part of the global competition. Discover more about GESA.
Q: What does the LearnLaunch Breakthrough to Scale Program provide to startups?
A: The LearnLaunch Breakthrough to Scale Program provides tailored mentorship, initial funding of $50k, and access to a network of industry experts and investors for early-stage EdTech startups. Find out more about LearnLaunch.
Q: What type of EdTech tools does the Tools Competition focus on?
A: The Tools Competition seeks EdTech tools that address critical learning issues and catalyze research in learning science, offering significant funding opportunities. Explore the Tools Competition.
Q: Where can startups showcase their ideas at SXSW EDU?
A: Startups can showcase their innovative ideas at the SXSW EDU Launch Competition, which is part of the larger SXSW EDU conference, providing networking and visibility in the education community. Learn more about SXSW EDU.
Q: What is the structure of the Go-Together EdTech Accelerator?
A: The Go-Together EdTech Accelerator follows a two-phase approach: four weeks for diagnosing needs followed by twenty weeks for accelerating growth, including weekly coaching sessions. Discover the Go-Together EdTech Accelerator.
Q: When and where is EdTech Week held?
A: EdTech Week takes place in New York City, bringing together various stakeholders in the industry for networking and collaboration opportunities. Find out more about EdTech Week.
Q: What opportunities does the Anthology Together Conference offer?
A: The Anthology Together Conference offers networking opportunities for educators and technology professionals within the EdTech community, though it is not exclusively a startup competition. Explore Anthology Together.
Q: What is the purpose of the FETC (Future of Education Technology Conference)?
A: The FETC conference, held in Miami, focuses on broad educational technology trends and provides networking and showcase opportunities for EdTech startups, occasionally featuring specific startup competitions. Learn more about FETC.
Q: What makes the ASU+GSV Summit significant for EdTech startups?
A: The ASU+GSV Summit is significant for EdTech startups as it gathers leaders in education technology, providing high-level networking opportunities and the potential to showcase innovative solutions. Discover the ASU+GSV Summit.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.
