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§ Private Profile · Portland, OR, USA
News and information platform for educators and school leaders, providing independent journalism and edtech research.
EdSurge is an education technology news and information platform based in Burlingame, California, that delivers independent journalism, research, newsletters, events, and job listings for classroom teachers, school administrators, and edtech innovators. Prior to its acquisition, the organization operated as a venture-backed entity that raised over $8 million in funding and maintained a workforce of approximately 30 employees. The platform secured financial backing from venture capital firms like Reach Capital and GSV Capital, alongside grant funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. In November 2019, the nonprofit organization ISTE acquired the company, transitioning its operations to a nonprofit model while maintaining its independent publishing brand and an extensive online catalog of edtech products. The media enterprise EdSurge was originally founded in 2011 by former chief executive officer and co-founder Betsy Corcoran.
EdSurge has raised $9.4M across 5 funding rounds.
EdSurge has raised $9.4M in total across 5 funding rounds.
EdSurge has raised $9.4M in total across 5 funding rounds.
EdSurge's investors include AAF Management Ltd., Album VC, Bam Ventures, DBL Partners, Founder Collective, Future Africa, Future Perfect Ventures, GSV Acceleration, Infinite Capital, New Markets Venture Partners, Norwest Venture Partners, Outlander Labs.
EdSurge has raised $9.4M across 5 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $3.0M Series B in December 2018.
EdSurge is an education journalism and research platform focused on edtech, delivering news, in-depth research, product catalogs, job listings, and events to educators, entrepreneurs, investors, and learners. It illuminates trends in teaching and learning, particularly for underserved populations, through human-centered storytelling and actionable insights on topics like adaptive learning, professional development, and student well-being[1][2][4]. Originally for-profit, it became a nonprofit in 2019 under the International Society for Technology in Education, emphasizing community-building and evidence-based practices amid challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic[3][4].
EdSurge was founded in 2011 by Elizabeth "Betsy" Corcoran, a former executive editor at Forbes, and Nick Punt, a former product vice president at Inigral[2][3]. Corcoran brought journalism expertise, while Punt contributed product development skills, launching the site as a news hub for the burgeoning edtech sector to help educators and entrepreneurs navigate products and trends[2][5]. Early milestones included raising $5.6 million by 2015, recognition like Brookings naming it a top "innovation spotter" in 2018, and its 2019 acquisition by the nonprofit International Society for Technology in Education, shifting it to a mission-driven model[3].
EdSurge stands out in edtech journalism through these key strengths:
EdSurge rides the edtech maturation wave, demystifying tools amid post-pandemic shifts like tutoring investments ($2B federal, $300M VC in 2022), VR adoption, and data-driven learner analytics[6]. Its timing aligns with global edtech growth—more sophisticated, common, and international—helping stakeholders prioritize efficacy over hype as companies consolidate and focus on outcomes[6]. Market forces like reliable internet access and emphasis on measurable student impact favor its research, while it influences the ecosystem by bridging educators, investors, and innovators, as seen in IES contracts for tools like Concierge and its role in spotlighting trends for hundreds of thousands of users[2][5].
EdSurge will likely expand its nonprofit research arm, deepening AI-infused efficacy studies, global tutoring models, and workforce analytics amid edtech's pivot to reproducible outcomes and granular data[1][6]. Trends like tech-infused schools and personalized professional development will shape it, potentially amplifying its Concierge platform with federal backing[2]. Its influence may evolve as a neutral convener, guiding sustainable investments and practices—echoing its founding spark to ignite curiosity in a more outcome-focused edtech era[4][6].