Education Technology Innovators Sought for Incubation Program at ...
Education Technology Innovators Sought for Incubation Program at ...
Education Technology Innovators Sought for Incubation Program at ...
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
For Immedi<strong>at</strong>e Release: <br />
SIIA Communic<strong>at</strong>ions Contact: Laura Greenback, 410.533.1943, lgreenback@siia.net <br />
PR Contact: Saul Hafenbredl, C. Blohm & Associ<strong>at</strong>es, 608.216.7300, saul@cblohm.com <br />
<strong>Educ<strong>at</strong>ion</strong> <strong>Technology</strong> <strong>Innov<strong>at</strong>ors</strong> <strong>Sought</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Incub<strong>at</strong>ion</strong> <strong>Program</strong> <br />
<strong>at</strong> 2013 SIIA Ed Tech Industry Summit <br />
Finalists Will Receive One-‐on-‐One Access to Industry Leaders <strong>for</strong> Expert Advice, <br />
Mentorship, and Growth <br />
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 23, 2013) – The <strong>Educ<strong>at</strong>ion</strong> Division of the Software & In<strong>for</strong>m<strong>at</strong>ion Industry <br />
Associ<strong>at</strong>ion (SIIA) is accepting applicants <strong>for</strong> its Innov<strong>at</strong>ion Incub<strong>at</strong>or <strong>Program</strong>. Selected developers of <br />
promising new technologies in the K-‐12 and postsecondary space will be invited to particip<strong>at</strong>e in the <br />
Innov<strong>at</strong>ion Incub<strong>at</strong>or <strong>Program</strong> <strong>at</strong> the 10th annual SIIA Ed Tech Industry Summit in San Francisco, May 5-‐<br />
7, 2013. The deadline to apply <strong>for</strong> the Innov<strong>at</strong>ion Incub<strong>at</strong>or <strong>Program</strong> is March 8, 2013. <br />
The SIIA Innov<strong>at</strong>ion Incub<strong>at</strong>or <strong>Program</strong> identifies and supports entrepreneurs in their development and <br />
distribution of innov<strong>at</strong>ive learning technologies. The program began in 2006, and has provided <br />
incub<strong>at</strong>ion <strong>for</strong> dozens of successful products and companies in their ef<strong>for</strong>ts to improve educ<strong>at</strong>ion <br />
through the use of software, digital content, and rel<strong>at</strong>ed technologies. The program is open to <br />
applicants from academic and non-‐profit institutions, pre-‐revenue and early-‐stage companies, as well as <br />
established companies with newly developed technologies. <br />
“We are eager to learn about all of the original and exciting companies th<strong>at</strong> will compete in this <br />
Innov<strong>at</strong>ion Incub<strong>at</strong>or <strong>Program</strong> cycle,” said Karen Billings, vice president <strong>for</strong> the <strong>Educ<strong>at</strong>ion</strong> Division <strong>at</strong> <br />
SIIA. “Our SIIA members value having early access to these technologies.” <br />
All educ<strong>at</strong>ion technology companies are encouraged to apply – from start-‐ups to established innov<strong>at</strong>ors. <br />
A panel of industry professional judges will then select 10 participants and one altern<strong>at</strong>e to present their <br />
products during the Ed Tech Industry Summit. One winner and one runner-‐up will be selected in the <br />
Most Innov<strong>at</strong>ive and Most Likely to Succeed c<strong>at</strong>egories by conference <strong>at</strong>tendees. Educ<strong>at</strong>ors and <br />
administr<strong>at</strong>ors from around the U.S. will vote <strong>for</strong> the Educ<strong>at</strong>or’s Choice Award after online present<strong>at</strong>ions <br />
from the selected participants. Classroom, Inc. had the distinction of receiving the first-‐ever Educ<strong>at</strong>or’s <br />
Choice Award <strong>at</strong> the Ed Tech Business Forum in New York City last November.<br />
Innov<strong>at</strong>ion Incub<strong>at</strong>or <strong>Program</strong> participants will be selected from the applicant pool based on key <br />
selection criteria, including: <br />
• The extent to which their innov<strong>at</strong>ion represents a “sea change” in thinking
• Potential to positively impact educ<strong>at</strong>ion by way of enhanced student achievement, teacher <br />
effectiveness, cost reduction, and efficiency <br />
• <strong>Educ<strong>at</strong>ion</strong> focus and end-‐user impact/market need <strong>for</strong> the innov<strong>at</strong>ion <br />
• Represent<strong>at</strong>ion of K-‐12/postsecondary market levels <br />
• Level of originality and innov<strong>at</strong>ion <br />
The Innov<strong>at</strong>ion Incub<strong>at</strong>or winners <strong>at</strong> last year’s Ed Tech Industry Summit were: <br />
• The Language Express, which teaches social and life skills to 3-‐21-‐year-‐olds <br />
• Game-‐enhanced Interactive Science, which promotes scientific literacy and student interest in <br />
science careers <br />
Clever, which provides a modern set of APIs th<strong>at</strong> allow ISVs to – <strong>for</strong> the first time – plug directly into a <br />
school’s existing d<strong>at</strong>a infrastructure, won Most Innov<strong>at</strong>ive and Most Likely to Succeed <strong>at</strong> the recent Ed <br />
Tech Business Forum. <br />
For more in<strong>for</strong>m<strong>at</strong>ion about the Innov<strong>at</strong>ion Incub<strong>at</strong>or <strong>Program</strong>, or to apply, visit <br />
http://siia.net/etis/2013/incub<strong>at</strong>or.asp. <br />
About SIIA <br />
The Software & In<strong>for</strong>m<strong>at</strong>ion Industry Associ<strong>at</strong>ion (SIIA) is the principal trade associ<strong>at</strong>ion <strong>for</strong> the software <br />
and digital content industry. SIIA provides global services in government rel<strong>at</strong>ions, business <br />
development, corpor<strong>at</strong>e educ<strong>at</strong>ion, and intellectual property protection to more than 500 leading <br />
software and in<strong>for</strong>m<strong>at</strong>ion companies. The SIIA <strong>Educ<strong>at</strong>ion</strong> Division serves and represents more than 200 <br />
member companies th<strong>at</strong> provide software, digital content and other technologies th<strong>at</strong> address <br />
educ<strong>at</strong>ional needs. The Division shapes and supports the industry by providing leadership, advocacy, <br />
business development opportunities and critical market in<strong>for</strong>m<strong>at</strong>ion. For more in<strong>for</strong>m<strong>at</strong>ion, visit <br />
www.siia.net/educ<strong>at</strong>ion. <br />
###
Change language