"I think there are different ways to educate people, and different interests play a role. Yes, education obviously emanates from the parent—whatever they feel is important for their child, they will lean towards. But these other aspects of education, like travel, experiential learning, and nature, are also important. Even though we primarily focus on edtech, I find this aspect increasingly interesting, especially as we become more integrated with technology. Anything that emphasizes the human part of learning—connection, communication, and interaction—is going to fare well moving forward.” - Mike Michalec, Founder and Managing Director at EdTech Asia" - Mike Michalec
"We say “cradle to career” or “K to gray,” and that’s my first way of dividing the education sector into segments. Education is an odd sector because it’s so encompassing. When you look at fintech or logistics, it’s much clearer what you’re referring to. Education, however, is so vast that you really have to focus on a specific area just to communicate effectively with others.” - Mike Michalec, Founder and Managing Director at EdTech Asia" - Mike Michalec
"K-12 programs like Teach for All and Teach for America have a high number of alumni who have gone on to start and successfully exit decent-sized companies. These programs include workshops, cohorts, or similar structures that help build the capacity for participants to become solution providers within the education sector. I would love to see this model replicated in other countries, as these individuals are often better suited for the space—partly because they truly understand the educational aspect.” - Mike Michalec, Founder and Managing Director at EdTech Asia" - Mike Michalec
In this episode, Jeremy Au speaks on $1B+ edtech investments, market due diligence failures, and real-world education gaps.
Keywords: Mike Michalec, $1B+ Edtech Investments, Market Due Diligence Failures, Real-World Education Gaps, VC Education Tech Gamble, Singapore, Southeast Asia, Education, VC, Founder Story
