Many edtech entrepreneurs are jostling for position to become the top pioneers in the next-gen edtech market. The edtech market itself is poised to become a whopping $252 billion industry by 2020, which has entrepreneurs anxious to carve out a share of the market for themselves.

To do that, they will have to become problem-solvers at the grassroots level, have solid credentials, incorporate a variety of learning experiences, and look for opportunity in underdeveloped areas of the market.

Pioneers are problem-solvers

Those seeking to become next-gen edtech market pioneers must be problem-solvers in a variety of areas, including how they provide professional development for educators.

By taking on a grassroots approach to solving problems, those entrepreneurs who are developing edtech training solutions address the problem where it exists: with the people experiencing it. That means beginning in the classroom with students and their teachers.

Some pioneers are formalizing their education

Credentials matter in education.

The University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education offers a Master’s Degree in Education Entrepreneurship and conducts an annual business plan competition in the education industry. Faculty from the Graduate School of Education, the Wharton School of Business and the School of Engineering and Applied Science teach students how to approach problems in education with entrepreneurial solutions.

Formal education for next-gen edtech market solutions combines pedagogy with technology to teach and engage in ways that will create a bigger impact.

Authentic and seamless learning experiences

The next-gen edtech pioneers are already taking advantage of current technologies and incorporating them into the classroom. These experiences include:

• Virtual reality
• Augmented reality
• Blended learning
• Gamification

Also, the newest pioneers in this field are collaborators who know how to build teams and work in them collaboratively. They’ll also utilize blockchain technology.

Competition can come from anywhere

Some education technology forecasters point to Europe as the next epicenter of edtech pioneers, even though the U.S., especially Silicon Valley, is home to top edtech pioneers, and China is gaining on their heels.

European edtech pioneers think globally in the development and use of their edtech products, and they are willing to gain a foothold in smaller markets. This approach may well position them as next-gen edtech market pioneers.

The edtech industry is moving forward at an exponentially quick pace. Being one of its newest pioneers requires problem-solving skills, an entrepreneurial background, incorporation of emerging technologies, and a willingness to explore new and untapped markets.