Tory Patterson EdTech Plenary Presentation | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Owl Ventures is the largest venture capital fund in the world exclusively investing in education technology. They believe that the education market is underfunded compared to the healthcare market, and EdTech has the potential to create significant market value. Owl Ventures focuses on sourcing advantage and has invested in companies that provide superior science curriculum, innovative reading assessment tools, telemedicine portals in schools, virtual science labs, and a scholarship discovery platform.

Key Insights

• 🌥️ Owl Ventures is the largest venture capital fund exclusively focused on education technology.
• 👲 EdTech has the potential to create significant market cap value, much like the healthcare industry.
• 🎓 The education market is underfunded compared to the healthcare market, making it an attractive investment opportunity for Owl Ventures.
• 🔬 Owl Ventures' investments range from science curriculum and reading assessment tools to telemedicine portals and virtual labs.
• 😒 The use of technology in education allows for scalability, broader access, and improved outcomes.
• 🤨 Companies like accelerate learning, A Mirror technology, Hazel Health, Labster, and Raise Me are making a significant impact in education through their innovative solutions.
• ❤️‍🩹 Owl Ventures takes diversity seriously and ensures that the boards of the companies they invest in are representative of the end-users.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: What is the focus of Owl Ventures' investments?

Owl Ventures exclusively invests in education technology companies that are developing solutions for various educational needs, including science curriculum, reading assessment, telemedicine, virtual labs, and scholarship discovery platforms.

Q: How does Owl Ventures differentiate itself in the education technology space?

Owl Ventures stands out as the largest venture capital fund solely focused on education technology. They have a sourcing advantage and a deep understanding of the market, allowing them to make informed investment decisions.

Q: Why does Owl Ventures believe that the education market is underfunded?

Owl Ventures compares the funding in the education market to the healthcare market, stating that the total volume of capital spent on education globally is close to healthcare spending. They believe that the market cap creation in education is relatively insignificant compared to healthcare, and there is a significant opportunity for growth and investment in EdTech.

Q: What are some examples of companies that Owl Ventures has invested in?

Owl Ventures has invested in companies like accelerate learning, which provides cost-effective, superior science curriculum; A Mirror technology, which uses Amazon Alexa-style technology to evaluate second graders' reading progress; Hazel Health, which offers telemedicine portals in K-12 schools, improving student attendance; Labster, which develops virtual science labs; and Raise Me, a scholarship discovery platform.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Owl Ventures is a venture capital fund solely focused on investing in education technology, with $600 million under management, making them the largest fund of its kind in the world.

• They invest in education technology companies that are creating innovative solutions for various educational needs, such as science curriculum, reading assessment, telemedicine, virtual labs, and scholarship discovery platforms.

• Owl Ventures believes that the education market is underfunded compared to the healthcare market and sees EdTech as a potential source of significant market cap creation and social impact.