Stop Chasing Efficacy—Start Scaling What Works in EdTech

Why the best way to drive impact isn’t proving what works post-launch—it’s building ventures that embed research from day one.

TL;DR:

• The current approach to efficacy in EdTech is inefficient

• I’ve joined Diffusion Venture Studio to build research-backed, for-profit ventures based on existing and compelling research

• We’re looking for entrepreneurs interested in becoming founding CEOs of our portfolio companies or bringing impactful ideas to build within the studio.

• Funders and researchers interested in scaling evidence-based solutions—let’s connect at ASU+GSV!

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Rethinking Efficacy in EdTech: From Proving Impact to Scaling What Works

If you've followed my writing, you know that efficacy in EdTech has long been a central theme for me. It’s the question that lurks behind every decision in this space: Does this actually work? And if so, for whom, and under what conditions?

But after years of working with EdTech companies, funders, and researchers, my thinking has evolved. I’ve come to believe that we’ve been asking the wrong question—or at least asking it at the wrong time. The typical approach to efficacy in EdTech is retrospective: an intervention is implemented, and then the burden falls on the company to generate evidence that it works. This is inefficient at best and, at worst, a recipe for wasted resources and needless experimentation with our teachers and students.

Instead, we should be flipping the model. Asking EdTech companies to prove efficacy after launching is an inefficient and costly approach. A far better way to drive impact is to start with research-backed interventions and scale what we already know works. This shifts the focus from proving impact to expanding it, ensuring that successful models don’t remain trapped in academic papers or pilots but instead reach the students and educators who need them.

Introducing Diffusion Venture Studio

I recently joined Diffusion Venture Studio because it is built on the belief that research-backed educational innovations shouldn’t be stuck in academic papers or small pilots. We take the best evidence-based interventions and systematically turn them into scalable, market-ready solutions. Rather than chasing efficacy post-launch, we embed it from the very beginning.

At Diffusion, we believe the best way to scale impact is by building for-profit, mission-driven ventures that combine the discipline of business execution with the power of research-backed interventions. Philanthropy alone isn’t enough to bring transformational solutions to scale, and venture capital often prioritizes growth over efficacy. Our approach strikes the right balance: we blend various types of capital to build businesses that are financially sustainable while ensuring they create meaningful and measurable outcomes.

This model enables us to drive impact across the full education spectrum—from early childhood to K-12, higher education, and workforce development. Whether it’s leveraging AI for school redistricting, creating more equitable college and career advising tools, or designing AI-powered workforce training platforms, we are focused on translating rigorous research into ventures that make a real difference.

But we don’t stop at inception—research should be continuous. That’s why we’re advocating for a stronger role for Chief Science Officers (CSOs) in EdTech companies. These leaders ensure that continuous R&D informs product roadmaps, measures impact, and generates new data that benefits not just the company but the entire field. By embedding the CSO role into our ventures, we aim to set a new standard for how EdTech companies integrate research into their DNA.

Let’s Connect at ASU+GSV

I’ll be in San Diego for this year’s ASU+GSV Summit, and I’m looking forward to meeting entrepreneurs who want to build impactful, research-backed companies. If you’re:

• Interested in becoming a founding CEO of one of our portfolio companies;

• An entrepreneur with a strong idea and looking for the right place to build it;

Let’s talk. We’re actively seeking ambitious founders who want to turn rigorous research into scalable ventures.

We’re also eager to connect with funders and researchers who believe in scaling evidence-based solutions. Looking forward to seeing many of you there!

If you want to support or collaborate with us, reach out—I’d love to explore how we can work together.

Follow Diffusion Venture Studio

The themes I am dealing with at Diffusion are an evolution of what we started writing about here in Tech in Ed. I’ll still write here periodically, and I will write more regularly through the Diffusion Venture Studio newsletter.

I’m truly excited for the work I’ll be leading at Diffusion Venture Studio, and everything we can do to advance the notion that technology can have a critical role in creating equitable outcomes for all learners. Join Us!