This article is cross-posted from edtechtimes.com, where I currently serve as editor-in-chief.
Yesterday, seven startups from the LearnLaunchX accelerator made their mark on the education technology community at their inaugural demo day. Held at the nearly-completed District Hall at the center of Boston’s Innovation District, the startup companies spoke to a packed house of investors, educators, and other ed-tech stakeholders, including Massachusetts’ Governor Deval Patrick, who stopped by to meet the companies individually.
The LearnLaunchX founders pose together for a picture with Governor Deval Patrick. From L to R: Mark Miller, Eileen Rudden, Jean Hammond, Governor Patrick, Hakan Satiroglu, Vinit Nijhawan
The founders at LearnLaunchX were excited about the crowd that gathered to see these companies’ debut. Founder Eileen Rudden was “pleased to see such broad support from the investment community for emerging ed tech companies.”
Founder Mark Miller invoked Boston’s roots in education, noting that “if there is anything that Boston should lead the way on it is the education and publishing companies of the future.”
“After a few years of planning for the creation of LearnLaunchX, we now see the progress of the first cohort of learning companies,” added Miller. “This event draws on the investor community in Boston and beyond to support and retain ed tech talent and innovation in Boston.”
Other founders praised the hard work that the companies have put in during their months at the accelerator. Founder Hakan Satiroglu said, “We are very excited to have had the opportunity to work with such talented entrepreneurs to build our ecosystem together.”
Founder Jean Hammond spoke about the collaboration at LearnLaunchX, saying, “Working hand-in-hand with ed-tech startups everyday gives us here at LearnLaunchX a perfect view to watch the growth and evolution of the education field. We think that innovation such as we see in these companies offers a once in a generation opportunity to revolutionize the way that people learn and make education more effective and available. ”
Monica Brady-Myerov of Listen Edition describes her product to Governor Deval Patrick
Governor Patrick’s attendance created a palpable buzz at the event, with many eager people awaiting a turn to greet the governor. The LearnLaunchX companies each connected with Governor Patrick at their tables, getting an opportunity to speak with him personally and answer his questions about their products and their progress. The governor also sat in the main room to catch the pitch for Monica Brady-Myerov’s Listen Edition, a company that curates and creates lesson plans from public radio stories.
LearnLaunchX’s Director of Operations Asad Butt, was appreciative of the individual conversations that Patrick had with the companies, saying, “we were thrilled that the governor was not only able to attend our event but also spent quality time with each of our companies.”
To hear more about the companies, check out this article, and also stay tuned for new Q&As.
To hear from Demo Day attendees, check out this article.
To get a better look, check out our picture gallery. (Click on an individual photo to enlarge and open the gallery.)
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