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World-Wide Partners
2025-2026 Timeline
March 2025 - Next Step
Official launch of 2025 applications at SXSW EDU
Sept 15 2025
Deadline for startup submissions
Sept-Nov 2025
Regional semifinals
January 2026
Finals week at Bett Global, London
Competition Criteria
The product or service will be judged according to the following criteria
1
Address a clear pain point, relevant to the market
3
Offer a relevant user experience
5
Demonstrate product viability
2
Provide an innovative pedagogical approach
4
Show potential for growth based on a sustainable business model
GESAwards Prizes
2025 prizes are sponsored by
The Judges
Felix Lopez
Director at SEK Lab Edtech Accelerator
Avi Warshavsky
CEO of MindCET
Betsy Corcoran
Founder of Edsurge
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Jean Hammond
General Partner, Co-Founder LearnLaunch
Marcelo Burbano
Managing Partner & Co-founder, Prismapar
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Litzie Maarek
Managing Partner at Educapital
Tobias Himmerich
Founder and Managing Director, EDUvation
Caroline Wright
Director General BESA
Moshe Mor
Partner at aMoon Fund
Juan Luis Vilchez
EMEA EdTech Lead at AWS
Pierre-Antoine Ullmo
Marie Christine Levet
Founder & Partner Educapital
EdTech Founder & Investor
Erez Toker
CEO, Trinity College London
Rebeca Barbalat
EdTech R&D Expert
Norihisa Wada
Director, Global EdTech Acceleration Committee
Ash Kaluarachchi
CEO & Managing Director, Started
Donatella Solda
Director at FEM
Yossi Baidatz
CEO of CET
Patrick Hayes
Chief Development Officer, Times Higher Education
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Carla Aerts
Strategic Consultant
ErasmusX
Tamas Haiman
Co-Founder,
Supercharge
ventures
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Ronni Kenneth
CEO
mindcet Capital
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Harris Goodman
Senior VP Marketing
& Growth, BrainPOP
Hailey Carter
VP
Owl Ventures
Luís Rodrigues
Director
Startup Braga
Beth Havinga
Digital Education Expert
European EdTech Alliance
Ernest Gavor
Technology Entrepreneur and Innovator
Julia Himmerich
CEO
Eduvation
Fernando Valenzuela
Global Digital Education Thought Leader
Tim Lavery
Founder & CEO
EdTech Ireland
Michaël Bijaoui
Partner & COO
East Wind Advisors
Shlomy Kattan
Managing director
Tyton Partners
Hilla Ovil Brenner
CEO, Yazamiyot - Women
Entrepreneurs
Enrico Poli
CEO
Zanichelli Venture
Roy Zur
CEO, ThriveDX Enterprise
Michael Spencer
CEO, Global
Expansion Strategies
Mohamad Abo Nada
CEO of Ibtikar BaseCamp
Ofir Amami
Ministry of Economy and Industry, Foreign Trade Administration
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