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John Gamba is Entrepreneur in Residence at Catalyst @ Penn GSE, where he mentors education entrepreneurs and leads the Milken-Penn GSE Education Business Plan Competition. Over 17 years, the competition has awarded $2M to ventures that have gone on to raise more than $200M in follow-on funding, with a strong focus on equity and research-to-practice impact.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode

1. How the Milken-Penn GSE Competition supports high-impact edtech founders
2. Why research-to-practice is critical for scalable education innovation
3. How AI in education is moving from experimentation to institutional adoption
4. What it takes to center equity while building sustainable edtech businesses
5. Why learning outcomes matter more than funding or reach alone

✨ Episode Highlights
[00:02:15] The evolution of the Milken-Penn GSE Competition
[00:09:26] From AI pilots to learning-science-driven implementation
[00:13:35] Responsible AI and avoiding “AI junk food” in education
[00:25:42] Keeping equity at the core of edtech innovation
[00:29:44] Measuring real impact beyond capital raised
[00:39:54] Why AI benchmarks and standards are the next frontier
[00:44:36] How founders can engage with Catalyst and Catapult

😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders!

Follow us on our podcast, newsletter & LinkedIn here.

🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:

Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead.

Tuck Advisors was founded by entrepreneurs who built and sold their own companies. Frustrated by other M&A firms, they created the one they wished they could have hired, but couldn’t find. One who understands what matters to founders, and whose northstar KPI is % of deals closed. If you’re thinking of selling your EdTech company or buying one, contact Tuck Advisors now!

This season of Edtech Insiders is brought to you by Cooley LLP. Cooley is the go-to law firm for education and edtech innovators, offering industry-informed counsel across the 'pre-K to gray' spectrum. With a multidisciplinary approach and a powerful edtech ecosystem, Cooley helps shape the future of education.

Innovation in preK to gray learning is powered by exceptional people. For over 15 years, EdTech companies of all sizes and stages have trusted HireEducation to find the talent that drives impact. When specific skills and experiences are mission-critical, HireEducation is a partner that delivers. Offering permanent, fractional, and executive recruitment, HireEducation knows the go-to-market talent you need. Learn more at HireEdu.com.

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Nicole Jarbo is the CEO of 4.0 Schools, one of the nation’s leading platforms for early-stage education founders. A former KIPP teacher, Teach For America Corps member, and fintech founder, Nicole brings deep experience across classrooms, startups, philanthropy, and systems-level education change. She is also the host of the award-winning podcast Pitch Playground.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1. Why education is facing an “imagination crisis” — and why technology alone won’t solve it
2. How 4.0 Schools supports founders beyond pilots to build durable, real-world impact
3. What successful education founders have in common across industries
4. Why “anti-scale but pro-impact” may be the right mindset for the future of education
5. How founders and educators can approach AI with greater intentionality and responsibility

✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:03:15] Nicole Jarbo on defining meaningful innovation as imaginable, viable, and reachable
[00:06:24] Lessons from 15 years of 4.0 Schools on what makes founders succeed
[00:09:57] Why founder ecosystems matter more than one-time programs or pilots
[00:16:10] Education’s identity crisis and the system’s fear of trying something new
[00:26:37] How founders should think about AI, equity, and responsible adoption
[00:30:30] Why imagination—not infrastructure—is the missing piece in education reform
[00:37:15] Nicole on why education is the most important yet slowest-moving institution

😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders!

Follow us on our podcast, newsletter & LinkedIn here.

🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:

Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead.

Tuck Advisors was founded by entrepreneurs who built and sold their own companies. Frustrated by other M&A firms, they created the one they wished they could have hired, but couldn’t find. One who understands what matters to founders, and whose northstar KPI is % of deals closed. If you’re thinking of selling your EdTech company or buying one, contact Tuck Advisors now!

This season of Edtech Insiders is brought to you by Cooley LLP. Cooley is the go-to law firm for education and edtech innovators, offering industry-informed counsel across the 'pre-K to gray' spectrum. With a multidisciplinary approach and a powerful edtech ecosystem, Cooley helps shape the future of education.

Innovation in preK to gray learning is powered by exceptional people. For over 15 years, EdTech companies of all sizes and stages have trusted HireEducation to find the talent that drives impact. When specific skills and experiences are mission-critical, HireEducation is a partner that delivers. Offering permanent, fractional, and executive recruitment, HireEducation knows the go-to-market talent you need. Learn more at HireEdu.com.

Send us a text

Dora Palfi is the Co-founder and CEO of imagi, an edtech company reimagining computer science education through creative coding and AI. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Dora has a background in neuroscience, human-computer interaction, and technology, and is a passionate advocate for equitable access to future-ready skills.

Special note: Free access to the Lovable × imagi collaboration has been extended through March 31, giving educators and students more time to explore professional AI tools in real classroom settings.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode

1. Why creative coding can unlock computer science for students who don’t see themselves as “technical”
2. How imagi partners with cutting-edge AI tools like Lovable to bring real-world tech into classrooms
3. What “vibe coding” teaches students about AI literacy, prompting, and debugging
4. How AI enables truly cross-curricular learning across subjects like history, art, and storytelling
5. Why constraints, scaffolding, and design thinking are essential for meaningful AI-powered learning

✨ Episode Highlights
[00:02:40] Dora Palfi on how education and coding changed her life—and inspired imagi
[00:07:13] Why imagi partners with professional AI tools instead of building replicas
[00:10:55] Making AI classroom-ready: compliance, safety, and curriculum design
[00:19:05] “Constraints breed creativity”: reframing coding as a creative act
[00:21:03] Real classroom examples—from Harry Potter sorting hats to interactive art projects
[00:27:40] Vibe coding, entrepreneurship, and preparing students for an AI-native future

😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders!

Follow us on our podcast, newsletter & LinkedIn here.

🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:

Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top ed

Tuck Advisors was founded by entrepreneurs who built and sold their own companies. Frustrated by other M&A firms, they created the one they wished they could have hired, but couldn’t find. One who understands what matters to founders, and whose northstar KPI is % of deals closed. If you’re thinking of selling your EdTech company or buying one, contact Tuck Advisors now!

This season of Edtech Insiders is brought to you by Cooley LLP. Cooley is the go-to law firm for education and edtech innovators, offering industry-informed counsel across the 'pre-K to gray' spectrum. With a multidisciplinary approach and a powerful edtech ecosystem, Cooley helps shape the future of education.

Innovation in preK to gray learning is powered by exceptional people. For over 15 years, EdTech companies of all sizes and stages have trusted HireEducation to find the talent that drives impact. When specific skills and experiences are mission-critical, HireEducation is a partner that delivers. Offering permanent, fractional, and executive recruitment, HireEducation knows the go-to-market talent you need. Learn more at HireEdu.com.