Blog.
The Private Equity Playbook: How Wall Street is Quietly Reshaping EdTech
If you’ve felt like the EdTech landscape is becoming more crowded yet more consolidated at the same time, you aren’t imagining things. We are currently witnessing a fundamental shift in how educational technology is funded, built, and sold. For years, the narrative was about “disruption” from scrappy startups. Today, the story is increasingly written by ... The Private Equity Playbook: How Wall Street is Quietly Reshaping EdTech Read More
Reflections on Alliance 2026: Data, Reality, and the Future of HigherEd IT
Last week, I had the pleasure of attending HEUG’s Alliance 2026 conference in Orlando, Florida. It was a milestone event for the ListEdTech team; marking our second year with a booth, my first time attending the conference, and my very first keynote presentation. The energy at the Orlando World Center Marriott was incredible, and the ... Reflections on Alliance 2026: Data, Reality, and the Future of HigherEd IT Read More
Blackboard Reborn: Is this EdTech’s “Steve Jobs Moment”?
Today marks a definitive turning point for one of the most recognized names in education technology. After successfully emerging from a 14-month financial restructuring process, Anthology has officially rebranded as Blackboard, launching as a debt-free, stand-alone entity focused exclusively on the future of the learning environment. The “Steve Jobs Moment” of EdTech In a move ... Blackboard Reborn: Is this EdTech’s “Steve Jobs Moment”? Read More
Redefining the HigherEd Chatbot Market: It’s No Longer About Market Share
The higher education chatbot market has moved well beyond its “early adopter” phase. It has now entered a profound structural transition. As a result, we are no longer talking about installation counts or leaderboard rankings. Instead, the focus has shifted toward high-stakes territory. This includes platform control, AI orchestration, governance, and total lifecycle ownership. The ... Redefining the HigherEd Chatbot Market: It’s No Longer About Market Share Read More
Beyond the Binary: A Better Way to Visualize Market Saturation
In the world of EdTech, “saturation” is a word that gets thrown around constantly. You’ve heard the refrains in boardrooms and at conferences: “That category is saturated,” “There’s no more room to grow,” or “Everyone already has a solution.” The problem? Most of these conversations happen at the surface level. We treat market saturation like a light switch—it’s ... Beyond the Binary: A Better Way to Visualize Market Saturation Read More
Education’s Cognitive Effect
Thanks to Morgan at Phil Hill & Associates for surfacing a thoughtful piece by Kirsten Green at Forerunner on the shift from network effects to cognitive effects, and why this change may quietly rewrite the rules of platform dominance. Her argument is simple but profound: the most powerful platforms going forward won’t just connect users; they’ll understand them. And once you ... Education’s Cognitive Effect Read More
The 2026 IT Strategic Landscape in Higher Education
The trajectory of Higher Education technology has undergone a pivotal transformation over the last three years. In 2024, the sector was defined by post-pandemic stabilization. By 2025, that focus transitioned toward infrastructure maturity, with a heavy emphasis on cloud migration. As we enter 2026, digital transformation has moved from a theoretical future-state goal to a permanent operational reality. Today’s IT leaders are managing ... The 2026 IT Strategic Landscape in Higher Education Read More
Identity and Access Management in HigherEd: A Market in Transition
This month, we rolled out Identity and Access Management (IAM) as a new product group in the ListEdTech database, with support from the team at Unicon. As part of that launch, we analyzed nearly 3,000 IAM implementations across higher education institutions in North America, segmented by enrollment band—and the results highlight a market that is consolidating at the top ... Identity and Access Management in HigherEd: A Market in Transition Read More
The SIS Tipping Point: Cloud as the New Standard for Education
For years, the education sector has been cautiously eyeing the horizon of digital transformation. While many administrative tools made the leap early, the Student Information System (SIS) remained anchored in traditional on-premises environments. However, recent market data confirms that we have reached a definitive tipping point. The shift to the cloud is no longer a ... The SIS Tipping Point: Cloud as the New Standard for Education Read More
RFP Trends & Market Priorities – December 2025 Update
What five years of RFP activity tells us about shifting institutional needs in HigherEd and K–12 As this will be our last post of the year, we wanted to take a moment to look back at RFP activity across Higher Education and K–12. Each year, RFP patterns give us an early indication of where institutions ... RFP Trends & Market Priorities – December 2025 Update Read More
Student First: Born from Scratch to Deliver the Future‑Ready SIS
Founded in 2021 by EdTech veteran David Meek, Student First is a brand-new Student Information System built entirely from the ground up. Unlike legacy SIS providers, it was conceived with modern technology and a clear purpose: to empower non‑traditional institutions through a truly future‑ready platform. Origins and Purpose David Meek, who previously founded Campus Management Corporation ... Student First: Born from Scratch to Deliver the Future‑Ready SIS Read More