More Than A Test

In this episode of the More Than a Test podcast, Amit Patel talks about topics like the role of EdTech in education and how his company is investing in this sector, globally. Amit is the Managing Director at Owl Ventures, a venture capital fund that invests in the world's leading education technology companies. He is deeply committed to creating sustainable and higher-quality education solutions.

Listen in to learn about the growth of EdTech over the last decade, plus how the pandemic introduced more people and institutions to what is possible with EdTech. You will also learn the importance of understanding the education system and what could work before investing in EdTech.

What You Will Discover:

• 00:56 How Owl Ventures invests in education & Amit’s day-to-day as Managing Director.

• 06:04 Amit explains why he knew Amira was special and why he then invited Laura to connect with them.

• 08:16 Three major buckets Owl Ventures looks at when investing in EdTech companies.

• 10:00 How early stage products are measured qualitatively vs. quantitively.

• 13:08 Amit on why Amira Learning is the right product that its founder created.

• 16:06 The growth of EdTech in the last decade and the value of investing in the sector.

• 18:49 How the pandemic introduced more people and institutions to EdTech’s possibilities.

• 21:34 Amit’s current favorite EdTech product and its impact on the education sector.

• 25:51 Types of solutions EdTech should be focused on to add value to students and teachers.

• 28:52 Where Amit’s interest in EdTech came from and the amazing things he’s done throughout his career.

• 36:07 The importance of understanding the education system before investing in EdTech.

• 37:42 How Amit ended up at Owl Ventures and how EdTech will shift education patterns.

• 42:48 Rapid fire questions with Amit

Connect with Amit:

• Website: https://owlvc.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amitashwinpatel/

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About More Than a Test

Our goal is to take a hard look at the shortcomings in literacy education and tech while still finding a sense of hope in what's possible in education through learning and technology.

Our guests include non-profit leaders, tech CEOs, state and district leadership, research leaders from top institutions, and a few teachers with stories that might bring you to tears.

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0JWhVG2nXZfC3FxOviFoR0 

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/more-than-a-test/id1685012543 

Listen on Other Platforms: https://more-than-a-test.captivate.fm/ 

About Amira Learning

Amira is the world’s first intelligent reading assistant that provides personalized tutoring to students at school, after school, or at home. Students working with Amira experience significant improvements in their reading fluency.

About your Host, Laura Glaab

Laura Glaab is a VP of Strategy at Amira Learning. She is a lifetime educator following behind educator parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents.

She's worked as a teacher and leader in public, private, and charter schools in places as far as India and as close to home as Boulder, Colorado. She holds degrees from Stanford, the University of Wyoming, and Kellogg School of Management.

She thinks everyone should read Saint Joan by George Bernard Shaw and the entire Piggie and Elephant Collection by Mo Willems.

Connect with Laura

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-glaab/ 

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Visit Amira Learning: https://www.amiralearning.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/amira-learning

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@amira-learning

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amira_learning/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Amira-Learning-App-100064672554061/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmiraLearning 

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