I live in the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina – one of the coolest, most beautiful towns on the planet. There’s incredible hiking, biking, a vibrant arts scene, and great restaurants. And it’s only a four-hour drive to beautiful beaches in South Carolina. About twice a week, someone from (pick one: California; Florida; New York; Texas) contacts me and tells me that they are desperate to move to North Carolina because they need to get away from (pick one: climate change; their state’s political environment; overcrowding; their ex).
Can I help them find a job in edtech in North Carolina? (Well, no, because SRI does retained search, so we find senior level-talent for companies looking to hire, rather than working with candidates who are looking for a new job.) But for all you edtech people who want to move to paradise, I can tell you that North Carolina is home to a growing number of edtech companies that are transforming the way that students learn, teachers teach, and schools operate. From learning management systems to adaptive assessments and digital content, these companies are leveraging technology to enhance the education experience for millions of students across the country. While there are many start-ups, here are six of the larger and more successful edtech companies in sweet North Cackalacky:
Measurement, Inc. (Durham) is a provider of educational assessments and evaluation services for K-12 and higher ed. Its services include test development, scoring, reporting and data analysis, and they cover a range of subjects including reading, writing, math, science, and social studies. Measurement, Inc. also provides customized assessment solutions to help schools and districts meet their unique educational goals.
LearnPlatform by Instructure (Raleigh) is a cloud-based learning management system that empowers teachers to track student progress and manage classroom activities. It features a range of tools such as gradebooks, quizzes, assignments, and analytics to help educators optimize their teaching strategies and improve student outcomes. LearnPlatform is designed to work seamlessly with other tools and applications, making it easy for teachers to integrate it into their existing workflows.
Soomo Learning (Asheville) is an edtech company that specializes in creating interactive and engaging digital content for higher education. Its platform offers a range of products, including e-books, videos and quizzes designed to enhance student learning and engagement. Soomo Learning’s content is fully customizable, making it easy for instructors to align their teaching materials with course objectives. They have a terrific CEO, Mary Jane Lindrum. And in the spirit of full disclosure, I must confess that one of my two smart and beautiful daughters, Rachel Garzarelli , works there as a Content Production Editor.
Discovery Education (Charlotte) is a leading provider of digital curriculum resources and professional development services for K-12 educators. Its platform offers a wide range of content, including videos, interactive activities, and assessments designed to engage and inspire students. Discovery Education also provides personalized professional development to help teachers integrate technology into their classrooms and develop their skills. Our company, SRI Executive, had the pleasure of placing Discovery Education’s new Chief Revenue Officer, Jill Hedrick, last year. Discovery Education has a brand new (as of March) CEO, Jeremy Cowdrey, who previously was CEO of Imagine Learning.
VitalSource Technologies (Raleigh) is a provider of digital textbooks and educational materials for higher education institutions. Its platform offers a wide range of content, including textbooks, e-books, courseware, and study guides, all accessible through a single platform. VitalSource offers flexible licensing options and integrations with learning management systems to enable institutions to tailor their education offerings to meet the needs of their students.
MetaMetrics (Durham), founded by CEO Malbert Smith, is a research-based edtech company that provides assessments and tools to help educators and students better understand and improve reading proficiency. Its flagship product, the Lexile Framework for Reading, provides a quantitative measure of reading ability that can be used to match students with appropriate reading materials. MetaMetrics also offers other assessment tools, such as the Quantile Framework for Mathematics, which measures math proficiency. SRI Executive was very fortunate to have placed three of their senior executives: Luci Willits, SVP of Government Relations ; Susan Steinkamp, SVP of Research and Development, and Mike Crepeau, SVP of Corporate Partnerships .
These edtech companies in North Carolina are playing a critical role is shaping the future of education. Through their innovative products and services, they are empowering teachers, improving student outcomes, and creating more personalized and engaging learning experiences for students of all ages.
