Pando PR in EdTech Tips No. 75
Funding & Accelerators
AI2 Incubator — Apply for $500k investment with up to $1M in free cloud credits to train models and build infrastructure and network of AI founders and researchers to grow your idea. Applications are accepted at any time for their rolling admissions.
Y Combinator Summer 2026 — Deadline to apply is May 4 at 8pm PT
Y Combinator is accepting applications for the Summer 2026 Batch funding cycle. The batch will take place from July to September in San Francisco.
Education & EdTech Awards Deadline
The SaaS Awards — Deadline is due May 22
Covers over 30 categories, recognizing outstanding SaaS solutions supporting various business processes and industry verticals.
ILA's 30 Under 30 list 2027 — Submissions due June 1
ILA’s 30 Under 30 list is released biennially and nominations are accepted on a rolling basis. Honorees will be announced in the January/February/March 2027 issue of Literacy Today and will be promoted across ILA's platforms.
TCEA 2027 — Speaking submissions due June 1
TCEA has over 80,000 members and has been working with educators and legislators for 40+ years. Submit proposals to their annual conference by June 1. They have various topic categories and presentation formats to choose from.
22nd Annual Davey Awards — Early entry deadline is June 5
These awards honors small teams, boutique agencies, and independent creators bringing big ideas to life without big budgets across media, marketing, and creativity.
FETC 2027 — Call for presentations closes June 7
FETC invites K12 education professionals representing all content areas and specialties, as well as industry leaders and technology experts, to submit cutting-edge presentations for their annual conference. There is a webinar to help you craft the best submission on May 13 at 4pm ET.
Tech & Learning Best of Show Awards at ISTE 2026 — Entries close June 12
Recognizing the most innovative products shaping education worldwide, these awards celebrate the tools and technologies transforming classrooms and learning experiences across K–12 and beyond. $625 for single entry, discounts for multiple entries.
HR’s Rising Stars of 2026 — Submission deadline is July 6
These awards highlights rising HR leaders who have demonstrated leadership excellence, an ability to innovate and have a proven record of driving HR success through effective strategy and program development.
K-12 Tech Infrastructure Survey
Project Unicorn's 2026 School System Data Survey
This feels important: Project Unicorn is a collaborative effort to survey tech infrastructure in schools. The Council of Chief State School Officers, the Council of Great City Schools, the Consortium for School Networking, and Digital Promise support the effort. It asks K-12 leaders to assess their data infrastructure to help inform national conversations around privacy, interoperability, and digital equity.
Events & Webinars
2025 PR Trends webinar — May 5 at 2pm UTC
Prezly will be breaking down their newly released report (report available here) where they analyzed millions of newsroom visits and emails sent through Prezly in 2025.
Education Week's Virtual Leadership Symposium 2026 — May 7 from 11am-5pm ET
Join district and school leaders to discuss some of the most pressing issues in education today. Get actionable strategies and insights to help you make smart decisions about district-wide policies, classroom practice, relationships with your communities, and more.
The Chronicle Festival 2026: Building Trust During Change — September 10, 15, and 17 from 12:30–4:00 p.m. EDT each day
The events will bring together leading thinkers, campus leaders, and Chronicle journalists for three afternoons of timely conversations.
My Latest LinkedIn Article
I’m the founder and CEO of Pando Public Relations, recently named the Best EdTech PR Firm by EdTech Digest. If you liked this issue of PR Tips, subscribe here. New issues publish on Thursdays alternating between articles with insights and advice on the PR profession and PR in EdTech Tips.