In December 2020, HolonIQ announced the annual North America EdTech 100 — a list of the 100 most promising EdTech startups headquartered in North America. As we open applications for the annual North America EdTech 200, we take a look at where the 2020 cohort are now.
North America represents one of the most longstanding and mature EdTech markets globally and at the same time, continues to be a powerhouse of innovation both in technology, market and business model. There are thousands of EdTech companies across North America supporting learners, teachers, schools, institutions and companies to positively impact educational outcomes, support access to learning and increase the efficiency of educational processes and systems.
The HolonIQ North America EdTech 100 recognises the most promising EdTech teams based across Canada and the United States. This annual list helps to surface the innovations occurring across all parts of the market, and the teams who are supporting institutions, teachers, parents, learners and employers.
Eligibility for the list covers areas including:
Age. The company is less than 10 years old, with few exceptions in circumstances such as bootstrapped or academic/philanthropic projects that have spun out to become startups. Mature incumbents are generally not eligible as this list is focused on young and fast growing start-ups.
Geography. Headquartered in the USA or Canada, or predominately focused on these markets (e.g. > 80% revenue/customers)
Status. Pre exit, EdTech start-ups, (not acquired or listed), not a subsidiary of a larger company or controlled by an investor group (e.g. via private equity buyout or controlling investment)
Scope. Technology, not just Software. JobTech/HRTech focused on upskilling/learning.
The annual North America EdTech 200 is focused on identifying young, fast growing and innovative learning and up-skilling start-ups based in North America.
Governments and the media, institutions and investors, schools and educators, influencers and talented leaders from across North America and around the world look to HolonIQ’s North America EdTech 200 as the benchmark for education innovation in the region.
HolonIQ's Scoring Fingerprint
In 2020, HolonIQ’s Education Intelligence Unit evaluated 1000+ submissions from across the United States and Canada, powered by data and insights from our Impact Intelligence Platform and local experts. Each organization was assessed using our proprietary scoring engine and following HolonIQ’s startup scoring rubric. Our normalization algorithm ensures that individual scoring bias is eliminated to create an equitable baseline and allows experts to review their own ‘scoring fingerprint’ relative to other experts. HolonIQ’s startup scoring rubric covers the following dimensions:
Market. The quality and relative attractiveness of the specific market in which the company competes.
Product. The quality and uniqueness of the product itself.
Team. The expertise and diversity of the team.
Capital. The financial health of the company and in particular its ability to generate or secure sufficient funding.
Momentum. Positive changes in the size and velocity of the company over time.
