Smart List: 30 Innovation Investors

Getting Smart is acknowledging people and organizations making a difference with a series of back to school top 10 lists. During August we will run about 40 ‘best of’ lists, not in order, not exhaustive, just people we appreciate.

Today we are recognizing 30 investors, incubators, and new school engines powering the learning revolution.

Funders: Charters & Innovation

Arnold Foundation: charters and innovation
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: Compact Cities, Next Generation Learning Challenge, teacher development
Broad Foundation: talent development, governance, and charters
Carnegie Corporation: innovation, high school redesign
Michael & Susan Dell Foundation: charters, performance management, Ed-Fi data standard & tools
Fisher Fund & Silicon Schools: KIPP and new blended learning schools
Hewlett Foundation: deeper learning, open education resources
Nellie Mae Education Foundation: deeper, student-centered experience
KnowledgeWorks Foundation: EdWorks, New Tech Network, Strive
Walton Family Foundation: charters

Incubators, Accelerators, & New School Engines

LearnLaunch: edtech accelerator, Boston
ImagineK12: edtech accelerator, Mountain View
4.0 Schools: nonprofit incubator, New Orleans
Charter School Growth Fund: nonprofit CMO investor, Broomfield CO
New Schools for Chicago: school developer
New Schools for New Orleans (& New Schools for Baton Rouge): school developer
New Visions for Public Education: new/improved school engine, NYC
Next Generation Learning Challenge: new school grants, Washington D.C.
Get Smart Schools: new school developer, Denver
MindTrust: education innovation network, Indianapolis

EdTech Venture Funders

City Light Capital: high growth impact investments, NYC
Expansion Venture Capital: edtech seed investor, NYC
Learn Capital: early stage investments, San Mateo
Kapor Capital: seed stage investments in information technology companies, Oakland
NewSchools Venture Fund: nonprofit venture philanthropy, Oakland
Rethink Education: growth stage companies in edtech, NYC
GSV Capital: growth investing, HQ in Woodside, CA
Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers: early & growth stage investments, Menlo Park
New Enterprise Associates (NEA): early & growth stage investments, Menlo Park
New Markets Venture Partners: early & growth stage investments, Fulton MD

We left a bunch of important organizations off this list. Who would you add?

Tom is a partner at Learn Capital.

	Beginning	Piloting	Implementing
From Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery	BeginningFrom Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery Beginning	PilotingFrom Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery Piloting	ImplementingFrom Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery Implementing
From One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning	BeginningFrom One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning Beginning	PilotingFrom One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning Piloting	ImplementingFrom One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning Implementing
From Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry	BeginningFrom Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry Beginning	PilotingFrom Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry Piloting	ImplementingFrom Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry Implementing
From Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning	BeginningFrom Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning Beginning	PilotingFrom Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning Piloting	ImplementingFrom Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning Implementing
From Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities	BeginningFrom Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities Beginning	PilotingFrom Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities Piloting	ImplementingFrom Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities Implementing
From Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment	BeginningFrom Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment Beginning	PilotingFrom Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment Piloting	ImplementingFrom Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment Implementing
From Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets	BeginningFrom Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets Beginning	PilotingFrom Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets Piloting	ImplementingFrom Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets Implementing

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Funders: Charters & Innovation

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