Jisc and Emerge Education have partnered to create a trusted and collaborative community of education leaders and edtech founders. Together, we are increasing innovation and supporting long term change in UK education.
Working with startups
Edtech startups are innovators. A growing number of them are helping solve the big strategic issues facing universities and colleges, such as improving the student experience.
Working with a startup while its solution is still in stages of development, means that institutions can help contribute to shaping a product around their own particular needs.
Engaging with step up assessed startups through the 2020 edtech hotlist is a reliable and trusted way for institutions to bring the most innovative edtech solutions to their students, staff and operations.
Check out the 2020 edtech hotlist.
Join the step up community
Is your university at the forefront of innovation? Are you looking to become a pioneer of edtech solutions within the sector, improving your offer for prospective students and staff? Would you like to help shape the future of edtech through collaboration with startups that are leading the way?
We’re looking for innovative institutions to join our step up community. You'll gain access to a range of benefits that will propel you to becoming more widely recognised within the sector as a leading innovator.
As a member of our step up community, you can expect to:
- Be asked to feature in our regular step up case studies as a leading, innovative university
- Find your perfect match: step up matches you with startups that have proven potential. You can take advantage of our guidance on developing mutually beneficial partnerships with startups
- Be invited to roundtable discussions with leading startups to help shape the step up programme and future Jisc research
- Have the opportunity to present at our step up virtual conference or kickstart your university’s digital innovation through meeting step up approved startups in a no pressure, no sales environment
- Provide insight and consultation for our sector research reports
Read more about becoming a Jisc innovative institution.
Partnerships in practice
Institutions are already building relationships with startups, including:
- Coventry University and Aula - a fresh take on student engagement (pdf)
- Swansea University and Unitu - supercharging the student feedback loop (pdf)
- University of Roehampton and BibliU - any time, anywhere access to e-textbooks (pdf)
The 2020 edtech hotlist
The step up team have handpicked a hotlist of edtech startups who have a proven track record of implementations within HE institutions and meet a stringent set of criteria, ensuring that they are ready for procurement and implementation within UK institutions
Assessed by our evaluation panel, all startups in the hotlist are solving the most pressing sector concerns, as identified in our recent report; Can edtech startups solve the biggest challenges faced by UK universities?
Register your interest and join the community
Our sector reports
Read the latest in our series of reports - from fixes to foresight: Jisc and Emerge Education insights for universities and startups:
- The future of revenue diversification in higher education
- Digital learning rebooted
- Employability rebooted: democratising the future of work
- Assessment rebooted
- Can edtech startups solve the biggest challenges faced by UK universities?
Read full terms and conditions for the step up programme (pdf).