SHEntrepreneurs from classrooms to Ed-Tech
In today’s ever-evolving education ecosystem, education is undergoing significant changes. As women who are not only teachers and graduate students but also bold visionaries, we are making leading changes in the world of startups. While not just educating the next generation, we’re reshaping how educators collaborate, share resources, and build community with educators from across the nation.
Imagine balancing grading papers, preparing weekly lessons, writing IEPs, and managing IEP meetings while attending evening classes for a master’s degree at Harvard, and simultaneously pitching your first edtech startup idea to the Harvard Innovation Lab. This isn’t fiction — it’s the lived experience that we share. It has allowed us to identify a missing need and dare to dream of a way to fill it, while already juggling demanding roles in our busy day-to-day lives.
For many those who dare to take that leap, the transition from classroom teacher to startup founder begins with a spark — an idea that arises from questions, a problem encountered daily in schools: outdated or lack of resources, little to no support from school administration, or uninspiring curricula that simply is not a cookie cutter for every student especially those of specially education. Instead of waiting for solutions, as innovators with experience in this space, we create them. The classroom becomes our innovation lab. Our educators and educational support professionals are our inspiration for building a community that enhances the most critical work we do: teaching our students and providing the resources and support services that our students need whether you are a teacher, school psychologist, social worker, para-professional or more.
But the path is anything but easy. Time is scarce and there are limits to what we can do as we are educators with no coding background.. Doubts — both internal and external — are constant companions, trying to build a start-up with no code, how will this work, where to start, how to begin funding this on a teacher salary and just a vision for what it could be—often studying late at night, managing lesson plans by day, and hustling for funding in between. There's no instruction manual for this balancing act. Yet our drive and persistence to create an impact go on.
Through determination, we strive to create a platform that reflects the real needs of teachers and education professionals, as they are the ones who truly understand these needs.
The result? A startups that makes a difference. Ideas that don’t just disrupt — they uplift and are rooted with heart. Tools that foster inclusion, collaboration, and community.
To anyone sitting in a classroom wondering if their voice matters beyond those four walls: it does. To every educator sketching out ideas during staff meetings or lecture breaks: your perspective is your superpower. And to every aspiring founder afraid of failing: your journey can light the way for others, keep going.
In a world that needs innovation in education more than ever, start your idea, start your project, start your leadership journey, start with your story.
Imagine balancing grading papers, preparing weekly lessons, writing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and managing IEP meetings while attending evening classes for a master’s degree at Harvard. At the same time, you are pitching your first ed-tech startup idea to mentors at the Harvard Innovation Lab. This isn’t fiction; it’s the lived experience that we share.
This journey has allowed us to identify pressing needs and dare to find ways to meet them, all while juggling demanding roles in our busy lives. The transition from classroom teacher to startup founder begins with a spark—an idea born from questions and problems encountered daily in schools: outdated or lack there of resources, budget cuts, minimal support from school administration, or uninspiring curricula that fail to meet the diverse needs of students, especially those in special education (we see you!).
Rather than waiting for solutions to emerge, we, as innovators with experience in this space, create new opportunities for community. The classroom becomes our innovation lab, and our colleagues and educational support professionals inspire us to build a community that enhances our most critical work: teaching students and providing them with the resources and support they need to succeed.
However, the path is anything but easy. Time is scarce, and there are limits to what we can accomplish as educators without a coding background. Designing and explaining the vision so that we strive to build a startup driven by a meaningful purpose, while working with incredible tech experts to bring it to life.
There is no instruction manual for this balancing act, yet our drive and persistence to create an impact continue to propel us forward. Through our determination, we aim to create a platform that genuinely reflects the needs of teachers and education professionals, as they are the ones who truly understand these needs. The outcome? A startup that makes a difference.
TeachMeets, a platform that not only disrupts the status quo but also uplifts it; with tools that promote inclusion, collaboration, and community. For every education professional sitting in a classroom wondering if their voice matters beyond those four walls, it does. To every educator sketching out ideas, your perspective is your superpower. And to every aspiring founder who fears failure: your journey can light the way for others. In a world that needs innovation in education more than ever, take the first step—start your idea, launch your project, begin your leadership journey, start with your story, or simply “Start where you are”.
