The Launch Pad: What it is & Why it's Important

The Launch Pad (#LaunchPad)

Sloan-C MERLOT Emerging Technologies Symposium for Online Learning

April 9-11, 2014 in Dallas, TX

As emerging technologies continue to open new opportunities for improving education around the world, increasing the interaction and learning between educators and edtech entrepreneurs becomes more essential.  The gap between the minds that conceptualize and create the tools and the minds who facilitate teaching and learning must be minimized to increase the quality of emerging technologies moving forward.  If constant efforts are not made to bridge this gap, edtech startups will well, in the finessed words of Reynol Junco, "suck."

In the past several years, there have been an array of new "spaces" that have brought startups and educators closer together including Educause's Start Up Alley, SXSW LAUNCHedu, and the no fluff, no frills (meant in a good way) events put together by the dynamic community at EdSurge which includes the upcoming K12 EdSurge Tech for Schools Summit in Silicon Valley scheduled for November 2nd.  Each of these events acknowledge that we are all learners.  Entrepreneurs are business people with a quest to be successful and, yes, be profitable but to do so with the goal of developing a product that meets the needs and interests of real teachers and students.  Educators are continuously learning about the newest tools available to them and seeking to identify how they may improve the learning environments they have cultivated for their students.

Last year, the Sloan-C MERLOT International Symposium for Emerging Technologies for Online Learning (@ET4Online) stepped into the learning space, as well by crafting the Launch Pad.  It was a new, refreshing change for the conference and one that we are continuing again this year.

The 2nd Annual Launch Pad is now open.  Early startups in the edtech space are invited to attend the conference and, this year, learn with top online educators and Michael Staton, of Learn Capital.  If you are an early startup with a product focused on improving online learning, consider applying for the Launch Pad.

Applying is free.  Those who are selected will receive a deeply discounted rate to attend and a fabulous array of benefits (see site for details).

The Launch Pad application period closes on January 31, 2014. 

Launch Pad: Startups Apply Now for ET4Online

The 6th Annual Sloan-C/MERLOT International Symposium for Emerging Technologies in Online Learning (@ET4Online) has been moved from July to April 9-11 this year in Las Vegas!  Also new to this year's festivities is The Launch Pad, a chance for a small group of leading edge educational technology startups to be featured in a showcase role at the conference for a special price. Read more about the event and the cool ways EdSurge's Tony Wan will be partnering with us on their awesome site here.

I have the great pleasure to be the Chair of the Launch Pad committee this year and it's been an exciting opportunity to cultivate this new dimension into the ecosystem of the conference.  As an online educator myself, I believe the overcoming many of our current educational challenges will require a more fluid dialogue between educators and entrepreneurs.  Those who are envisioning the tools with which we, as teachers, will use to facilitate our learning environments, must understand the challenges and obstacles educators face on a daily basis. The Launch Pad is one step towards improving this dialogue and fostering a learning community between educators and entrepreneurs.

6-8 companies will be selected to attend the ET4OL conference in Las Vegas on April 9-11, 2013. 

The lucky Launch Pad participants will receive:

• A booth in the specially designated “Launch Pad” area within the conference floor plan
• Full conference registration (a $575 value)
• A seat on the “Art of Innovation” conference plenary panel, moderated by EdSurge’s Tony Wan, on the morning of Thursday, April 11th
• An invitation to attend "The Art of the Startup", a workshop on Tuesday, April 9th featuring presentations by:
  
  • Frank Bonsal, General Partner, New Market Venture Partners
  • Harris Goodman, VP of Development, Late Nite Labs
  • Michael Hageloh of Michael Hageloh, Inc.
  • Phil Ice, VP of Research & Development, American Public University System
• Spotlight promotions on the ET4Online website and EdSurge newsletter
• The priceless opportunity to speak with and the world’s leading online educators and learn how to improve your product to meet their teaching needs
• Special Introductory Launch Pad Price: $400*

(*There is no fee to apply. The fee will be paid by selected participants only.)

Apply for the Launch Pad now! Application period closes January 23rd.