Every year, HolonIQ’s Education Intelligence Unit identifies the most promising 1000 EdTech startups around the world. The global 1000 is built region by region from over 10,000 nominations, applications and screening to ensure the global cohort is diverse and to shine a light on the inspiring innovation happening all around the world.

Each regional list is focused on identifying young, fast growing, and innovative learning and upskilling start-ups. To be eligible, startups are generally less than 10 years old (though there are some exceptions), are either headquartered in the region, or predominately focused on the market (e.g. > 80% revenue/customers), are pre exit (not acquired or listed) and not a subsidiary of a larger company or controlled by an investor group (e.g. via private equity buyout or controlling investment).

The HolonIQ Education Intelligence Unit and select market experts assess each organization based on HolonIQ’s startup scoring rubric, which covers the following dimensions:

Market. The quality and relative attractiveness of the specific market category in which the company competes.

Product. The quality, uniqueness and impact of the product itself.

Team. The expertise and diversity of the leadership team.

Capital. The financial health of the company and its ability to generate or secure sufficient funding.

Momentum. Positive changes in the size, velocity and impact of the company over time.

Fewer Early-Stage Startups. Regional Disparities Persist.

The 2024 Global EdTech 1000 illustrates a notable shift in the age distribution of startups. Only 17% of the cohort were founded within the last three years, compared to 23% in 2023. This decline reflects tightening funding conditions, with venture capital increasingly prioritizing profitability and growth metrics. Regional variations stand out: Oceania, East Asia, and South Asia host the most mature cohorts, while over 20% of startups in Latin America, Europe, North America, and Sub-Saharan Africa are under three years old. This regional diversity underscores the influence of local funding ecosystems and entrepreneurial support in shaping EdTech innovation. Notable examples include Mockingbird, a mentoring platform from East Asia, and Teachy, a K-12 instructional support solution from Latin America.

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Navigating Direct-to-Consumer and B2B strategies.

EdTech startups continue to adopt a mix of business models, with significant regional differences. Emerging markets like the Middle East, Africa, and parts of Asia lean toward direct-to-consumer models, driven by growing youth demographics and school systems with developing technical infrastructure, along with fierce competition for placement in elite schools, international universities or government jobs, leading to many tutoring, test prep and English language solutions. Advanced economies, such as Europe, showcase a heavier preference toward B2B solutions, particularly in Workforce Training & Development, where nearly half the startups target corporate upskilling needs. For example, Storayls in the Nordic-Baltic area, offers short course upskilling programs. These contrasts highlight how local market dynamics and funding structures inform business model preferences.

Start-up solutions for workforce training lead in advanced economies, with K-12 dominating emerging markets.

Sector trends show a dominant focus on K-12 Education (40%) and Workforce Training & Development (36%), followed by Post-Secondary Education (20%) and Early Childhood Education (4%). However, regional differences are stark. The Nordic-Baltic region and South Asia lead in K-12 and Post-Secondary solutions, featuring companies such as student support tool, Curipod and higher education service provider, Upgrad while Europe emphasizes Workforce Training, reflecting urgent reskilling needs and aging populations. Early Childhood Education remains underrepresented, though demand is growing for digital tools like STEAM resources and literacy solutions such as Yuna and Lirvana Labs.

Education content and emerging technology drive growth.

Subsector analysis identifies nuanced growth areas. In K-12, content and curriculum solutions lead the cohort, alongside tutoring, instructional support, and life skills learning, with MagicSchool AI gaining traction in North America. A notable example includes Playtag from East Asia, specializing in early childhood behavioral analytics.

Post-Secondary startups are excelling in systems like student records management and access tools, with players such as Unibuddy supporting recruitment and admissions. Workforce Training sees a strong focus on upskilling via bootcamps and immersive platforms—like Apprentify in the United Kingdom. Early Childhood Education startups explore emerging categories such as support services and digitized delivery models.

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Track the most promising EdTech startups globally.

HolonIQ customers can track the data for the most promising EdTech startups globally on the HolonIQ Intelligence Platform. Look for the 2024 Global EdTech 1000 list and double click into the data behind the charts. Request a Demo if you are not a customer and would like to learn more.

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