Pando PR Tips No. 59
VC News and Funding in EdTech
NextEdu 2025 — Application deadline is Sept 22
This European accelerator supports 10 startups with high-impact, pedagogically grounded solutions for a 4-month program hosted at OGR Tech in Torino. Includes coaching, mentoring, bootcamps, and global visibility.
Pitch and Demo your AI Startup at Stanford
The Next Revolution in AI Summit at Stanford University is September 9. Sounds like an amazing event so if you have a connection to the university, go! You can also pitch your startup here, but again, a Stanford connection is required.
Boost VC $50k Fellowship
Boost VC Fellowship (an equity based Fellowship) will invest $50K at $1.5M Cap into a founder or founders looking to start a new Deep Tech company.
European EdTech Alliance EdTech Funding Database
A curated, growing database of grants and public funding opportunities available across Europe is currently available. You can access the Funding Database by having an organization on the European EdTech Map, or by being a member organization of the Alliance.
Fellowship Opportunity
EdTech MBA Community: Fall 2025 Fellowship — Applications for employers due Aug 15
The fellowship offers edtech employers the opportunity to hire high-performing graduate students for a ten-week project. Fellows spend ten hours/week contributing to projects and operations critical to the company.
Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship Program — Applications close on Aug 20
A full-time, hands-on workforce training and educational program that provides early career individuals with the opportunity to spend 12 weeks at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in Washington, DC learning about science and technology policy and the role that scientists and engineers play in advising the nation.
ACTE National Leadership Fellowship Program — Deadline for application is Sept 15
The 2026 cohort will run January to December 2026, with fellows receiving a $1,500 stipend, along with complimentary registration for ACTE's CareerTech VISION and National Policy Seminar.
Membership Opportunity
OMNI-AI Alliance
The Omni-AI Alliance is about uniting educators and edtech leaders to discuss and influence the future of learning through the convergence of AI types in the technology architectures of schooling.
Tech Awards and Conference Submissions
Stevie Awards for Women in Business — Late entry deadline is Aug 20
Stevie Awards have categories specifically for female entrepreneurs, executives, employees, and the organizations they run. Entry fees vary depending on the category.
The Cloud Awards — Entry deadline is Oct 24
These awards celebrate the brightest and the best in Cloud Computing. Open to organizations across the globe, the Cloud Awards is the first and largest recognition platform of its kind. Single category entry is $695 or unlimited categories for $795.
BrainStorm WI Dells 2026 — Submission deadline is Oct 31
BrainStorm is an IT technical conference geared toward those working in K-12 and Higher Education institutions. The focus is on technical content rather than curricular topics.
Tech and Learning Innovative Leaders Award — Deadlines vary based on region
T&L Awards honor district leaders who are reimagining and reinventing education with forward-thinking programs, policies, and best practices. Nominations are free.
Upcoming EdTech, Education, and PR Conferences
Muck Rack's State of PR 2025 report — Aug 14 at 2:30PM ET: Online
Amanda Rogers, Director of Comms at General Motors; Fatou B. Barry, Founder of PR Girl Manifesto; and Natalie Laukitis, Head of National Communications and Executive Thought Leadership at Teach for America explore what’s driving change in the industry and how you can stay ahead.
Chronicle Festival 2025 — Sept 16-19: Online
This free, virtual event is designed for Higher-Ed professionals—presidents, provosts, deans, faculty members, and student-facing leaders who are not only navigating change, but working to shape it.
Tech Tactics in Education: Overcoming Roadblocks to Innovation — Sept 25: Online
This one-day online conference, produced by Campus Technology and THE Journal, brings together the brightest minds in K–12 and Higher Education IT. From AI to cybersecurity, data to digital learning, attendees are focused on actionable insights—and they're ready to hear from companies that can help them lead the way.
AI For: Educators Summit — Oct 20: New York City
The AI for Educators Summit will have tactical workshops, conversations with AI training providers and employers, and real-world certification experiences designed to address the biggest topic in education today.
Resources
Market Snapshot: AI Procurement Trends in K-12
RYE Consulting gives insight into how district leaders are evaluating AI-powered tools—and what vendors should know as they prepare for upcoming conversations.
EdTech Top 40: K-12 EdTech Engagement
This is a great report to give a sense of edtech tools in schools as well as a list of those most accessed through Canvas from Instructure.
Community Voting
SXSW EDU 2026 PanelPicker community voting is open until August 24. Vote for your favorites to be featured at next year's event.
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I’m the founder and CEO of Pando Public Relations. If you liked this issue of PR Tips, subscribe to my LinkedIn newsletter here. I publish each Thursday on LinkedIn, alternating between articles with practical advice on the PR profession (like the one above) and PR in EdTech Tips (which you are receiving now).