143 Women CEOs and Founders leading Global EdTech Startups

In honor of International Women’s Day, we’re spotlighting the women who are leading the world’s most promising EdTech Startups.

143 CEOs from our 2021 Global EdTech 1000 are women. We're celebrating this inspirational cohort and hoping this spotlight inspires action and support for more women entrepreneurs around the world to lead us towards a cleaner, more sustainable future.

Through 2021, HolonIQ identified the top 1000 EdTech startups around the world. Region by region, we mapped the most promising EdTech startups, both early and late stage. We mapped the Africa EdTech 50, Australia and New Zealand EdTech 50, Europe EdTech 100, India and South Asia EdTech 100, LATAM EdTech 100, Nordic and Baltic EdTech 50, North America EdTech 200, East Asia EdTech 150, Russia and CIS EdTech 100, Israel EdTech 50 and finally the Southeast Asia EdTech 50. To be eligible, these companies had to be startups (i.e. not acquired, controlled or listed), operating in the field of education, learning or training technology, and generally less than 10 years old.

We’re celebrating the women leading these incredible startups as CEOs or Co-CEOs, and the work they are doing to transform the way the world learns. Through our work at HolonIQ, which is also co-founded and co-led by a woman, we are determined to play our part in eliminating the gender gap in leadership, entrepreneurship and education.

Despite the progress made in parity for women, there’s still an enormous amount to be done. Our Global State of Play Report on Women CEOs and Leadership (from last International Women’s day) around the world deep dives into the numbers across different industries to highlight the areas making most progress and where much work is still to be done.

143 Women CEOs and Founders leading Global EdTech Startups

The following amazing women have Founded or Lead the most promising Edtech Startups globally. Building and running a startup is not for the faint hearted with an estimated 90% failure rate and research shows that barriers for women to start or lead a successful business are higher than normal. The women you see below have not only overcome significant odds but are focused on making a difference in the lives of millions of learners worldwide. Congratulations on your impact so far and we look forward to tracking your progress over the coming years.

If by chance we have missed a female CEO or Founder/Co-Founder who leads an EdTech company selected in HolonIQ’s Global EdTech 1000 Series, please contact us immediately and we will update the list.

Hui (Grace) Zhi

CEO at DaDaABC

Jane Ding

Co-CEO at Yunxuetang

Jenni Vartiainen

Co-Founder and Head of Pedagogies & Research at Kide Science

Jessica Butcher

Co-Founder at Blippar

Jill Snape

Co-Founder at Teach Starter

Julia Spiridonova-Mikeda

Co-Founder at Netologiya

Julie Hansen

CEO and CRO at Babbel

Julie Yoo

CSO and Co-Founder at Pymetrics

Kayee Au

Co-Founder at Mosabi

Ketika Kapoor

CEO and Co-Founder at ProEves

Ketty Lie

Co-Founder at ErudiFi

Lane Litz

CEO and Co-Founder at Chatterize

Lauma Kazaka

COO and Co-Founder at Solfeg

Leticia Lyle

Founding Partner and Chief Education Officer at Camino Education

Lina Ahmed

Co-Founder at Dot & Line

Lucy Lloyd

CEO and Co-Founder at Mentorloop

Maheen Adamjee

CEO and Co-Founder at Verto Education

Mallory Meiser

Co-Founder and VP of Student Experience at Verto Education

Margret Juliana Sigurdardottir

Founder at Mussila

Maria Gårdlund

CEO at Dugga

Maria Velez

CEO and Founder at Crack the Code

Mariana Costa Checa

CEO and Co-Founder at Laboratoria

Mariana Garza Villalobos

CEO and Founder at Inverkids

Marie Lauvås

CEO and Co-Founder at Capeesh

Marie Lou Papazian

CEO at Tumo

Marija Mitrovic

Owner and Teacher at Algoritmika

Marisa Conway

Co-Founder at Arifu

Marta Helena Forero Sepúlveda

Co-Founder at Ubits

Masha Konopelko

CEO and Co-Founder at Solvery

Meghan Fitzgerald

CLO and Co-Founder at Tinkergarten

Mervi Palander

CEO and Co-Founder at GraphoGame, Founder at Claned

Mila Semeshkina

CEO and Founder at Lectera

Milda Juonė

Managing Director at Eduka

Miora Randriambeloma

Co-Founder at Chalkboard Education

Natalie Mactier

CEO at Vivi

Natasha Klimchuk

CEO and Co-Founder at Bang Bang Education

Nikki Bonus

CEO and Founder at Life Skills Go

Nisha Ligon

CEO and Co-Founder at Ubongo

Nitzan Pelman

Co-Founder at ReUp Education

Noelle Millholt

CRO and Co-Founder at BEGiN

Noemi Valencia de Trainor

Founder and Chief Learning & Inspiration Officer at Knotion

Oksana Selendeeva

Founder at CODDY

Olya Marazova

Co-Founder at Bang Bang Education

Parita Parekh

Co-Founder and Head of Learning at Toddle

Parul Gupta

CEO and Co-Founder at Springboard

Patricia Scanlon

CEO and Founder at SoapBox Labs

Paula Cardenau

Co-Founder and Director at Arbusta

Pia Ella Elmegård

Co-Founder and Managing Director at Growth Tribe

Pia Jormalainen

CEO and Co-Founder at New Nordic School

Priya Lakhani

CEO and Founder at CENTURY

Rachel Carlson

CEO and Co-Founder at Guild Education

Raffaela Rein

Founder at CareerFoundry

Raphaelle Covilette

CEO and Co-Founder at Kokoroe

Renee Mang

Co-Founder and Senior Vice President, Originations and Servicing at Vemo Education

Rupika Taneja

Co-Founder at CodeYoung

Sahra Josephine Hjorth

CEO and Co-Founder at CanopyLAB

Sandi Lin

CEO and Co-Founder at SkillJar

Sarah Horn

CEO and Co-Founder at ReUp Education

Sari Hurme-Mehtälä

CEO and Co-Founder at Kide Science

Sharndre Kushore

Co-Founder and Director at Crimson Education

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