What happens when the pursuit of scale collides with the soul of education? A veteran recruiter believes there’s still a way forward.
GUEST COLUMN | by Sarah Risch
ATANU TANMOY
Twenty years ago, I stepped into the world of EdTech. Back then, companies were small, scrappy, and built on a genuine desire to improve student outcomes. It was also a deeply personal space. Everyone knew everyone. Leaders came from the classroom. Many founders were former teachers. It was insular, but it had a strong sense of identity and mission.
Today, the landscape looks very different. Companies once led by educators are now backed by venture capital and private equity firms. Many have become part of broader portfolios with growth strategies and performance metrics that speak more to investors than to educators.
‘Companies once led by educators are now backed by venture capital and private equity firms. Many have become part of broader portfolios with growth strategies and performance metrics that speak more to investors than to educators.’
This is not a criticism. It is an evolution. And like most evolutions, it comes with trade-offs, especially when it comes to people, hiring, and culture.
Capital and Culture Collide
Over the past decade, EdTech has proven it can deliver both social impact and sustainable revenue. Subscription models, district contracts, and data-driven platforms made it an attractive market for venture and private equity investors. These firms brought scale, operational rigor, and a clear path to monetization.
But they also introduced a new tempo. A rhythm that doesn’t always match the pace of education. That shift in rhythm often lands hardest on the people inside these companies.
Culture in the Wake of Consolidation
When a mission-driven startup becomes part of a portfolio, culture often becomes collateral damage. I’ve seen it happen over and over in the talent market. Close-knit teams with shared values and deep trust get absorbed into new org charts with competing priorities.
Early EdTech felt almost tribal. People moved between companies together, building teams that felt like family. They hired people they had taught with, collaborated with, or met at conferences. There was passion, camaraderie, and a sense of purpose.
Now, new leadership often comes from outside the education sector. That is not inherently a bad thing, but it creates a gap. A lack of understanding about how schools make decisions, how long trust takes to build, and what truly matters to educators. When that’s missing, it shows. Districts recognize when a partner is chasing revenue instead of outcomes. Sales teams without education experience struggle to connect. Inside the company, what once felt like a mission becomes a set of quarterly targets.
As companies scale, that intimacy often fades. Culture becomes harder to protect. The human side of EdTech, the side that understands teachers, students, and the realities of classrooms, can get lost in translation.
Talent in Transition
These changes have deeply impacted hiring and retention. Culture, once a key differentiator, has been replaced by a focus on revenue and predictable growth.
As a recruiter in this space, I hear it constantly. “I loved this company before the acquisition.” Or, “I’m looking for a place where the mission drives the work.” Former educators who came into this field to make a difference often feel disoriented. The mission still matters, but it now has to compete with the margin.
Talent and Mission at the Center of Growth
Venture capital and private equity are not the villains in this story. Many firms have brought resources and discipline that helped EdTech companies grow in ways they couldn’t on their own. Some have even invested intentionally in leadership that honors the original mission.
But there is an art to scaling impact. And that art depends on people.
EdTech companies do best when hiring prioritizes not just performance, but passion. Preserving culture while scaling is a strategic edge. It protects what made a company successful in the first place, especially when that success came from trust, shared purpose, and a belief in what education can do.
Many companies have seen how mission and market can coexist. Building a financially successful EdTech business doesn’t have to mean losing the educational integrity of the business. The companies that do it best will be the ones that invest in their outcomes, mission and their people.
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Sarah Risch, as VP of Talent Acquisition, Educational Technology, for Rockwood Search Associates, builds rockstar teams for edtech. She is also a co-host for the highly-rated edtech podcast, “Two for the Hire” on Apple and Spotify. As a seasoned recruiter and industry expert, she specializes in nationwide talent acquisition for the K-12 edtech sector. Her mission is to connect visionary companies with transformative talent, ensuring the education technology space continues to innovate and thrive. With a deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities in K-12 education, she partners with organizations providing cutting-edge solutions in technology, publishing, services, learning environments, curriculum, professional development, data management, assessments, and beyond. Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn.
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