THE NEXT GENERATION ACCELERATOR: INTERVIEW WITH BART EPSTEIN, JEFFERSON EDUCATION ACCELERATOR

These days, the power of the internet has enabled all sorts of unexpected candidates, like teachers, parents, even students, to become entrepreneurs. In education technology particularly, many of the people discovering the best solutions for the educational problems of today have little experience in the world of business. Fortunately, edtech accelerators, programs that help to foster startups through mentorship, education, connections, exposure, and even investment, help to bring many of these early stage products to the students who need them most.

But what do startups do after the seed acceleration phase, when mentorship and entrepreneurship info-sessions are no longer a part of their routine? As customers start pouring in, some startups may need even more guidance as they tackle the next phase.

While most accelerators are known for focusing on early stage companies, Jefferson Education Accelerator, affiliated with the University of Virginia, is tackling those much later in the game, using testing, data, and customer feedback to refine results and help later stage companies grow.

So what kind of companies is Jefferson looking for? Listen to our latest interview with Bart Epstein, the founder and CEO of the Jefferson Education Accelerator, to find out just what kind of companies they’re looking for, and how they’re just a little different from other accelerators.