2025 Australia & New Zealand EdTech 50

The Australia & New Zealand EdTech 50 is aligned to the Global Learning Landscape, an Open-Source Taxonomy that maps the education and talent market

Systems & Support are the new center of gravity.

Startups in Australia and New Zealand are clustering around solutions that activate large-scale systems and enhance student support. This is more than backend plumbing; it’s about building for teaching and learning impact at scale. AI is likely the quiet engine here, optimizing learner-facing products, virtual learning, and teacher productivity. Notable support solutions in this year’s cohort are Start Beyond, a VR training solution for supporting frontline workers and Tutero, a personalized learning EdTech with plans to expand to the US this year. Mypass Global, a start up ‘veteran’ in Workforce Training that recently closed a Series A for $7.5M to underpin digital skills passports for workplace systems. Efficiency and personalization are converging into a combined strategy for institutions and employers. Startups are betting that scalable systems can deliver both.

Workforce Training has overtaken K-12

A long-anticipated crossover, workforce and training startups have edged past K–12 in volume capturing 42% of this year’s cohort. This six-year climb mirrors the global pivot to employability and upskilling. For founders and funders, the future of education is employability. Partnerships, investment, and fresh ideas lead the way in this sector. For example, Go1, a 9+ year old B2B business, didn’t report a cash injection this year, but partnered with Decidr to build AI into its on-demand training platform. Peeplcoach, GetMee and Maxme are Career Support platforms with recent deals, and Mypass Global is worth noting again, as workforce compliance via skills passports are steadily being adopted as employers increasingly accept new credentials for employability metrics.

Exhibit 2. Alignment with the Global Learning Landscape Taxonomy

Sub-Sector shifts signal strategic repositioning.

Systems and infrastructure are gaining ground, along with K–12 and career support, while K–12 content and curriculum is losing share, dropping from 16% in 2024 to just 9% in 2025. That’s a sharp reversal for a category once on the rise. The message is clear: content alone isn’t enough. Buyers want integrated, data-rich solutions, and AI-driven disruption is accelerating the shift.

Skills platforms like eSkilled in vocational training are gaining traction, while K–12 Support continues to expand with players like Toolbox Education in teen mental health. Again, K–12 Content & Curriculum looks increasingly stagnant, even with Polymath’s new deal, many solutions in the space are aging. The rebalancing suggests where capital is headed next: toward systems, support, and skills, and away from standalone content.

Exhibit 3. 2020-2025 Cohort Distribution by Sub-Sector

‍

Business models hold steady.

Business model distribution remains balanced, with no dramatic shifts. Don’t mistake stability for stagnation. The funding environment is maturing fast. Startups that were seven or eight years old are now entering their ninth and tenth years, and they’re setting a high bar. For early-stage entrants, this means tougher competition and longer runways to traction. The market is rewarding depth but new ideas are challenging the older guard.

Exhibit 4. Business Model

Age is more than just a number.

The age profile of this year’s cohort underscores a sobering reality: the ecosystem is aging, and that’s making it harder for new players to break in. Legacy startups are entrenched, better-funded, and increasingly dominant. The cohort tilts older where 9–10-year players have deals logged or funding in the bank (Cred Vault, AMY) and set the tone for what “traction” looks like. That longevity means they’ve earned trust and a larger addressable base. Mid-aged names such as Paperly are iterating on their product and customer mix to stay in game. At the other end, the younger startups (Blueroom Simulation and Red Velvet AI ), might not yet have bigger deals attached, but they have novel approaches and fresh ideas to address educational challenges. 

Exhibit 5. Age of Organisation

Track the 2025 Cohort

Customers can track the data for the most promising EdTech startups in the region on the HolonIQ by QS Analytics Platform. Look for the 2025 Australia and New Zealand EdTech 50 list and double click into the data behind the charts. Request a Demo if you are not a customer and would like to learn more.