Inversores 2

Summary

The video script features a discussion on the impact of AWS on edtech startups, with a focus on Spain and Latin America. Victor Ramos from AWS highlights their support for startups through the Activate program, emphasizing infrastructure and tools for innovation. Fernando Valenzuela discusses the Latin American market's potential and the importance of regional business strategies. The script also includes insights from various investors on edtech trends, the importance of pedagogy, and the unique challenges and opportunities in scaling edtech businesses globally.

Takeaways

• 🌟 AWS is a strong supporter of edtech startups, providing infrastructure, mentorship, and market entry support through programs like AWS Activate.
• 📈 There is a significant trend in AI applications within higher education, focusing on improving internal processes, teacher support, and personalized student experiences.
• 🚀 AWS does not directly target the education sector but instead empowers startups to innovate and build their own solutions, positioning AWS as a key player in the edtech ecosystem.
• 🌏 Latin America is recognized as a large, youthful market with a growing potential for edtech, with a focus on regional strategies rather than individual countries due to linguistic and cultural similarities.
• 🔍 Startup Explore is a successful crowdfunding platform that has funded numerous companies, emphasizing its role in the early-stage funding landscape in Europe.
• 💡 K Fund is a pioneer in impact investing in Spain, focusing on sectors like health care, environment, and education technology, and is currently raising a new fund targeted at €70 million.
• 🌱 Transcend Network runs a fellowship for early-stage edtech founders, helping them find product-market fit and providing early-stage funding, showcasing a hands-on approach to startup support.
• 🌐 The importance of global ambition in startups is highlighted, with investors encouraging founders to think beyond their local markets from the outset.
• 🤝 The value of co-investment and collaboration among investors is underscored, with the potential to reduce risk and provide more comprehensive support to startups.
• 📊 There is an emphasis on the importance of proving the effectiveness of edtech products through pedagogy and assessment before scaling, to ensure long-term sustainability and impact.
• 💼 Investors shared insights on the traits they value in founders, such as adaptability, resilience, and the ability to demonstrate the impact of their solutions effectively.

Q & A

What is AWS's value proposition for edtech startups according to Victor Ramos?

AWS provides infrastructure and tools for edtech startups to innovate and build their own solutions. They offer a program called Activate, which supports early-stage startups with mentorships, funds, support with MVPs, and assistance with go-to-market strategies.

How is AWS supporting the use of AI in higher education?

AWS is seeing three trends in AI use within universities: improving internal processes like contact centers with real-time suggestions, supporting teachers with AI to build content, and providing personalized learning experiences for students.

What is Fernando Valenzuela's perspective on the Latin American market for startups?

Fernando Valenzuela sees Latin America as a large, young market with a growing number of edtech startups. He emphasizes the importance of entering Latin America regionally, focusing on key cities in different countries, and leveraging the region's open innovation network.

What is the role of Startup Explore in crowdfunding for startups?

Startup Explore is a crowdfunding platform that has funded 87 companies, raised an aggregate of 22 million euros, and has the highest success rate in Europe. It is focused on various sectors, including edtech, and operates within the European Union.

How does K Impacto differentiate itself in the impact investing space?

K Impacto differentiates itself by being one of the pioneers in impact investing in Spain. It focuses on three verticals: healthcare and elderly care, environment and climate tech, and empowering individuals through edtech and labor tech. They invest in series A and beyond, with tickets between 1 and 3 million euros.

What is the Transcend Network and how does it support edtech founders?

The Transcend Network runs a fellowship for early-stage edtech founders, helping them find product-market fit through weekly experiments, mentorship, and connection with potential customers. They also have a fund that invests in companies that go through the fellowship.

What are the key technology trends that investors are currently looking at in the edtech space?

The script does not specify the exact technology trends that investors are looking at, but it suggests that investors are cautious about startups adding 'AI' to their pitch without a clear unique selling point or problem to solve.

How does Sonia Fernandez from Kibo Ventures define edtech?

Sonia Fernandez defines edtech as any technology that improves learning and education at any stage of lifelong learning, from early childhood to adulthood, and includes areas such as reskilling for the future of work.

What advice do investors give to Spanish startups looking to raise their Series A round?

Investors advise Spanish startups to have a global ambition from the beginning and to find the right fit with investors. They also emphasize the importance of proving product-market fit before scaling and being on the radar of the investors they want to target.

How do European investors view the potential of the Latin American market for edtech?

European investors see the Latin American market as having a lot of potential due to demographic trends and increasing investments in education by both corporates and parents. They are open to investing in Latin American startups and look for founders with adaptability and the ability to take advantage of the market situation.

What is the importance of having a global ambition for edtech startups according to the investors?

Having a global ambition is important for edtech startups because it allows them to generate more impact and attract investment from a broader range of sources. It also prepares them for the future when they may need to expand beyond their initial market.