Silicon Valley has long been synonymous with technology and innovation. However, when it comes to educational technology (EdTech), the most significant growth is happening outside the United States in countries such as India, Vietnam, Norway, China, Kenya, Ghana, etc. Across the world, EdTech companies are addressing unique educational challenges, leveraging local knowledge, and transforming how people learn in ways that are tailored to diverse educational needs and cultural contexts. Here are some compelling examples from around the globe that highlight this shift.
Why EdTech is Thriving in India? India has a large student population, and there is a strong emphasis on education for social mobility, leading to high demand for EdTech solutions. Affordable internet and increased smartphone penetration have made online learning accessible to students across the country, even in remote areas. India’s diverse population has unique educational needs, from regional language support to skill-based courses for employability. With intense competition for exams and job placements, students seek additional support outside traditional schooling, fueling demand for specialized EdTech platforms.
India has become a global hub for EdTech innovation, with a range of companies addressing diverse educational needs, from K-12 learning to professional skill development. The sector has seen rapid growth due to factors like widespread smartphone access, affordable internet, and a high demand for quality education and upskilling. Despite a massive plunge of valuation of Byju's valuation, it is still India’s largest EdTech company and one of the most valuable globally. Launched in 2011, it has become a leader in online learning for K-12 students and test prep. Byju’s uses interactive video lessons, gamification, and personalized learning to make complex subjects engaging and accessible. It has expanded to international markets and even acquired companies like Osmo, WhiteHat Jr, and Aakash Institute. With over 100 million registered students, Byju’s has transformed how millions of students approach learning in India and beyond.
Another EdTech behemoth is Unacademy. The company started as a YouTube channel in 2010, growing into a full-fledged online education platform in 2015. It focuses primarily on competitive exams, covering everything from civil services to engineering and medical entrance exams. The platform offers live classes, interactive quizzes, and structured courses, making quality exam preparation accessible to students across India. Unacademy has made high-quality education available to students in rural and urban areas alike, with over 50,000 educators and millions of active learners.
India's Vedantu is known for its live tutoring model, where students interact with teachers in real-time. Founded in 2011, Vedantu offers K-12 learning, test prep, and extracurricular courses. The platform provides interactive sessions, personalized teaching, and a mix of quizzes and tests to enhance learning outcomes. Its flagship offering is "Wave," a proprietary online learning technology designed to improve student engagement. Vedantu’s model has been particularly popular in smaller cities and towns, giving students access to top-tier educators without leaving their homes.
Launched in 2013, Toppr in India is an EdTech platform focused on K-12 education and competitive exam preparation. It provides personalized learning paths and covers various state boards in addition to the central curriculum. Toppr’s adaptive learning technology offers a personalized experience, with students receiving tailored content based on their performance. The platform also features live classes, mock tests, and assessments.
UpGrad, founded in 2015, focuses on higher education and professional skill development. Partnering with universities globally, it offers courses in fields like data science, machine learning, MBA programs, and more. The platform emphasizes practical, industry-relevant skills and provides networking opportunities, live projects, and mentorship, aimed at career advancement.
Founded in 2010, Simplilearn is a leading EdTech company focused on digital skills training. It offers online bootcamps, certifications, and courses across fields like IT, software development, data science, and cybersecurity. With hands-on projects, partnerships with global organizations, and professional certifications, Simplilearn is designed for both beginners and experienced professionals looking to expand their skill sets.
Doubtnut is an AI-driven platform that helps students solve math and science questions by uploading photos of their queries. The app then provides instant solutions and video explanations. Targeting K-12 students, Doubtnut offers explanations in regional languages, making it accessible to students from diverse linguistic backgrounds.
Norwegian company Kahoot! is transforming education with gamified learning. Launched in 2013, Kahoot! has gained popularity worldwide, reaching classrooms and corporate training sessions alike. The platform allows users to create and play educational quizzes, making learning interactive and fun. Kahoot! has found widespread use across Europe and beyond, as educators and trainers recognize the power of gamification to engage learners. The success of Kahoot! reflects a shift in EdTech from traditional, lecture-based instruction to interactive, student-centered learning. Kahoot!’s global reach illustrates how engaging, gamified learning tools can appeal to learners of all ages and backgrounds, making education more enjoyable and effective.
China’s EdTech landscape is massive, with companies like VIPKid leading the way. VIPKid connects native English-speaking teachers with Chinese students for one-on-one online English lessons. Founded in 2013, VIPKid has since grown rapidly, driven by the high demand for English language proficiency in China. By providing a platform where students can access quality language instruction from native speakers, VIPKid has addressed a major gap in traditional Chinese education, where English is taught in classrooms but with limited conversational practice. VIPKid exemplifies how EdTech can address specific cultural needs, such as the demand for language skills in a globally interconnected world, while also creating opportunities for teachers around the world.
In Latin America, where there’s a growing demand for skills in technology and digital industries, Platzi has emerged as a leading EdTech platform. Based in Colombia and Mexico, Platzi offers courses in software development, digital marketing, and entrepreneurship, with a focus on helping Latin American students gain skills that are in demand in the job market. Unlike many traditional education platforms, Platzi emphasizes practical skills and has seen success by tailoring its courses to the regional job landscape. Platzi’s approach is helping bridge the skills gap in Latin America, where traditional education systems often lag behind industry needs. Platzi is equipping students with skills that match local job market demands, highlighting how EdTech can fuel economic growth by creating a workforce ready for the digital economy.
In Africa, where access to high-quality education is a significant challenge, companies like Eneza Education are making a difference. Based in Kenya, Eneza provides affordable mobile-based learning solutions, reaching students in rural areas with limited access to schools or teachers. Eneza’s platform offers lessons via basic SMS, allowing even students without smartphones to access educational content. With a focus on subjects like math, science, and language, Eneza serves millions of students across Kenya, Ghana, and Côte d'Ivoire, making education accessible in areas where internet infrastructure is lacking. Eneza demonstrates the power of simple technology—such as SMS—to bring education to underserved communities, showing that innovation in EdTech doesn’t require the latest gadgets or high-speed internet.
Vietnamese educational institutions and EdTech companies are actively partnering with foreign universities and colleges to offer joint degree programs, access advanced curricula, and leverage innovative teaching methods, with a significant focus on fields like business, engineering, technology, and computer science, thereby improving the quality of education available to Vietnamese students and attracting foreign investment to the country; notable examples include collaborations with RMIT, Fulbright University Vietnam, British University Vietnam, and institutions from Japan and the US. Spanish institutions such as C3S Business School, a top business school in Barcelona, are certainly well disposed to the idea of big expansion in Vietnam.
In recent years, a growing number of education providers and investors across geographies have turned their attention to Vietnam's education sector, particularly the EdTech market, which is well past its early stages of development. The Vietnamese government has actively supported e-learning initiatives, encouraging parents and students to embrace online education and digital learning resources. According to the PISA ranking released by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Vietnam secured second place in Southeast Asia, coming just behind Singapore. The EdTech companies certainly seem to have seen this as an encouraging trend.
The EdTech market in Vietnam is valued at around 4 billion US dollars. There are multiple segments in EdTech. The space known as ''Broad Online Learning Platform'' is dominated by Kyna.vn, Unica, Edumall, Brands Việt Nam, Wikilady, Adabook, Testbank, Alada, etc. The Language Learning space in Edtech boasts of big ticket players such as Akira, Antoree, VOOA, Tienganh123, hellochao, TFlat, Leerit, Dekiru.vn, etc. Similarly, the Tech Learning space in Edtech has accommodated companies such as Code4Startup, CoderSchool, MClass, etc.
‘’The rise of educational technology (EdTech ) companies in Vietnam presents a unique opportunity for international institutions, such as C3S Business School, to expand their reach by offering online and hybrid courses,’’ says Hiren Raval, CEO of C3S Business School, a top business school in Barcelona, adding, ‘’Vietnam's fast-growing digital economy, an increasing number of internet users, and high demand for quality education create the ideal conditions for international institutions to explore partnerships and provide accessible education solutions.’’
‘’C3S Business School, renowned for its diverse portfolio of Master and Bachelor Program in Barcelona, and its stature as a top business school in Spain, can leverage this trend through various approaches including partnerships with local institutions or offering hybrid learning models that combine online education with campus immersion experiences,’’ asserts Dr. Maria Fernanda Dugarte, dean and director of Institutional Affairs at C3S Business School, a top business school in Barcelona.
Vietnam’s exponential rise in EdTech startups over the past few years is owing to the country's commitment to digital transformation across sectors, including education. In 2021, EdTech in Vietnam attracted more than $100 million in investment, making it one of the most promising markets for education technology in Southeast Asia. As of 2022, approximately 70% of Vietnam's population was connected to the Internet, and that number is expected to rise even further as the country’s digital infrastructure continues to improve.
Vietnam's growing demand for education, particularly higher education, is another factor fueling the EdTech boom. Vietnamese students are increasingly looking for quality programs, not only in domestic institutions but also from international providers. ‘’This demand creates a perfect window for foreign business schools to enter the market, especially those that can offer flexible, hybrid, and online learning programs that fit with the needs of the local population,’’ says Prof Sarat C Das, director of research, collaborations and publications at C3S Business School, a top business school in Barcelona, adding ‘’C3S Business School, with its established Bachelor and Master Program in Spain, is well-positioned to capitalize on this trend.
The University of Arizona has taken a proactive approach to digital education by partnering with online platforms like Coursera to focus on countries such as Vietnam. Through Coursera, they offer a variety of degree programs that students from around the world can complete online. This allows the university to reach a global audience, including students in countries like Vietnam, without needing a physical presence in each market.
C3S Business School, the top business school in Barcelona, is adopting similar strategies by partnering with multiple EdTech platforms to take its Master or Bachelor Program in Spain beyond its frontiers. ‘’By providing online options, now C3S targets Vietnam's rapidly expanding pool of students seeking international education,’’ says Prof Renato Valer, faculty at C3 Business School, a top business school in Barcelona.
Harvard Business School (HBS) has partnered with the online platform 2U to deliver its online certificate programs. While HBS maintains its premium on-campus MBA, its online programs enable the institution to reach working professionals and international students who may not have the ability to attend in-person classes. This hybrid approach offers flexibility without compromising the institution's reputation for academic excellence.
‘’C3S Business School, the top business school in Barcelona is adopting this model to provide an excellent opportunity to market its hybrid programs to Vietnamese professionals, many of whom are looking for flexible, career-oriented education without the need to relocate,’’ Dr. Fernando Velasquez Villalba, a senior faculty at C3 Business School, a top business school in Barcelona.
A shining example of an international partnership in Vietnam is VinUni’s collaboration with Cornell University. VinUni, a newly established university under the VinGroup conglomerate, partnered with Ivy League institution Cornell to offer world-class education in Vietnam. This partnership covers curriculum design, faculty exchange, and joint research, significantly enhancing VinUni’s reputation.
‘’Inspired by this, C3S Business School, the top business school in Barcelona, currently explores similar partnerships with local Vietnamese universities to build its presence in the market,’’ Dr. Jose Bifano, a prominent academician and researcher and a visiting faculty at C3S Business School, a top business school in Barcelona.
‘’While the opportunities are vast, there are also challenges that C3S Business School must navigate as it expands into Vietnam,’’ Dr. Yelena V. Smirnova at C3S Business School, a top business school in Barcelona, adding ‘’One key issue is ensuring that the quality of education remains consistent across all delivery methods, whether online, hybrid, or classroom-based. Vietnamese students are highly discerning, and any perceived drop in quality could negatively impact the school’s reputation.
Another challenge is navigating Vietnam’s regulatory environment. As mentioned earlier, foreign institutions need to adhere to the guidelines set by the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET), which can sometimes be a lengthy and bureaucratic process. However, the government has shown a strong willingness to collaborate with international institutions, particularly those that bring innovation and global perspectives to the local market.
‘’As Vietnam’s EdTech sector continues to grow, business schools like C3S have a unique opportunity to expand their reach by offering flexible, high-quality education to Vietnamese students,‘’ says Professor Xavier Puertas at C3S Business School, a top business school in Barcelona, adding, ‘’By offering hybrid courses with campus immersion options and forming strategic partnerships with local institutions, C3S Business School can position itself as a leading provider of international business education in Vietnam.
Dr. Sergey Yablonsky at C3S Business School, a top business school in Barcelona, says, ‘’With its strong reputation as a Top Business School in Barcelona and its comprehensive range of Master Programs in Barcelona and Bachelor Programs in Spain, C3S Business School is well-equipped to meet the needs of the Vietnamese market. ‘’ ‘’By seizing this opportunity, C3S can not only broaden its global footprint but also play a crucial role in shaping the future of business education in Vietnam,’’ adds says Professor Maud Christophe, who is known for popularizing gender equality in the business tech industry and faculty at C3S Business School, a top business school in Barcelona.
The success of these international EdTech companies can be attributed to several factors. Many of these companies design their products specifically for the unique challenges of their regions, from language learning needs in China to access issues in Africa.In areas with limited infrastructure, mobile devices are often the primary means of internet access, leading companies to create mobile-optimized platforms that are accessible and affordable. In regions where traditional education may not align with market demands, EdTech companies like Platzi in Latin America are filling the gap by offering career-oriented skills training. By understanding local cultures and educational expectations, these companies create products that resonate deeply with their audiences, as seen with VIPKid’s focus on English learning in China or Ruangguru’s alignment with Indonesia’s exam-focused education system.
It can be concluded that the growth of EdTech is not confined to Silicon Valley; it’s thriving in diverse regions worldwide. These companies are shaping the future of education by addressing the specific needs of their communities, proving that innovation in EdTech can succeed anywhere in the world. By focusing on accessibility, cultural relevance, and practical skills, global EdTech companies are not only expanding educational opportunities but are also contributing to economic development and social equity ona massive scale.
By Sarat C. Das
(The content of this article reflects the views of writers and contributors, not necessarily those of the publisher and editor. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Delhi/New Delhi only)
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