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Jomayra Herrera is a Partner at Reach Capital, where she leads investments in companies like Guild Education and Handshake. She is passionate about diversity in venture capital, serving on the board of SomosVC to promote Latino representation.

Lyman Missimer is the former Head of M&A and Partnerships at Newsela, where he led key acquisitions, including Formative. Now at Owl Ventures, Lyman focuses on corporate development and strategic investments in EdTech.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:

The biggest EdTech challenges and opportunities driving investments and acquisitions.
How AI is transforming education and what it means for schools and EdTech companies.
Strategic choices between building, buying, or partnering in today’s market.
The increasing importance of non-academic outcomes like mental health tools in K-12.
Why trust and relationships are crucial for successful exits in EdTech.

✨ Episode Highlights:

[00:03:56] Trends in EdTech Investments:
Jomayra shares how Reach Capital invests in solutions tackling big, systemic issues like labor shortages, mental health, and curriculum development.
[00:07:10] M&A Strategy in EdTech:
Lyman explains how companies decide whether to build, buy, or partner, focusing on data consolidation and interoperability in today’s fragmented landscape.
[00:14:46] Building Trust for M&A:
Both guests emphasize that long-term relationships between companies and acquirers are key to successful M&A deals.
[00:17:00] Go-to-Market Strategies:
Jomayra discusses how different products, like behavioral health tools versus AI-powered classroom tools, need tailored go-to-market approaches.
[00:20:25] The Role of AI in EdTech:
AI is a tool, not a category. Both guests agree that strong business models and proprietary data are key to long-term success.
[00:22:39] AI Adoption in Schools:
Jomayra predicts that AI will inevitably be adopted in education, but the real challenge will be training educators to use these tools effectively.

🎉 Special Event: StartEd’s EDTECH WEEK 2024!

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🎉 Presenting Sponsor:

This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for Education Entrepreneurs. Founded by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work just as hard as you do.

The Future of EdTech: AI, Mergers, and Strategic Investments with Reach Capital’s Jomayra Herrera and Owl Ventures’ Lyman Missimer

Edtech Insiders