Nordic EdTech News #1 : 2019-09-02
Your fortnightly news update from the Nordic & Baltic EdTech ecosystems
Welcome to the first issue of Nordic EdTech News! Your fortnightly news update from the Nordic & Baltic EdTech ecosystems.
It’s a bumper collection of news to kick things off after the long summer holiday (hurrah!) and the return to work (boo!)
If there are stories or sources that you think I should include in future issues, please email hello@10digits.org. Your comments and feedback are always welcome (just reply to the email or comment on the web archive).
Regional news
A perfectly-timed ‘Future of the Classroom’ report from Google, highlighting emerging global trends in EdTech and how they’re playing out in the Nordics. (Nordics report, global report)
The fifth annual Sanoma Learning Impact Framework (SLIF) powerfully shows how teachers in Belgium, Finland, The Netherlands, Poland and Sweden actually use digital resources. (Link)
Strength of the Nordic startup ecosystem clearly highlighted by this report from Founder Collective. (Link)
Excellent summary of Nordic Startup events to attend here. I’d also highlight Dare to Learn (19-20 September 2019), XcitED (20th November 2019) and the Arctic Education Forum (18-20 February 2020)
News from Denmark
Excellent summary of Copenhagen’s thriving EdTech (and Fintech) ecosystem (Link)
TechBBQ2019 and LEGO Ventures are looking for startups to speedpitch their idea at September’s event. If you’re interested, email hello@legoventures.com by Thursday, September 12th describing your idea in brief.
CanopyLAB join forces with Yopublico Startups to boost digital education in Latin America (Link)
Hopspots joins national innovation project in Lithuania (Danish, English)
Kubo Robotics launch their new Map Maker tool with coding challenges for students (Link)
LEGO announce Audio & Braille Building Instructions - a global pilot to make play more accessible for those with vision impairment. (Link)
News from Estonia
Clear evidence here of the importance attached to digital education in Estonia. (Link)
Important podcast highlighting the role of digital technology in education across the region featuring Märt Aro of DreamApply and N8. (Link)
Excellent summary of Estonian startup ecosystem. (Link)
Screen-time app, hoopy, launches on mobile network, Elisa, making it available to all Estonian parents and children. (Link)
News from Finland
Great review of 3DBear, highlighting its effectiveness at teaching literacy acquisition. (Link)
Chinese students learning to code with Code School Finland. (Link)
Eduten Playground is being used in Vietnam to ease pressure on students. (Link)
Helsinki’s hottest startups list for 2019. (Link)
International schools based on Finnish system open in Vietnam and agreed in India.
Kide Science was featured as the Editor’s Pick on EdTechX 360. (Link)
School Day prepares to roll out their Wellbeing Model 2.0 this month. (Link)
News from Iceland
Not strictly EdTech, but an interesting insight into local startup, BuddyPhones, aimed at children and teenagers via The Northstack Memo.
Latest edition of The Innovative Educator Podcast from Ingvi Omarsson featuring Micah Shippee, EdTech influencer.
Mussila, a gamified music learning app, featured on the UK App Store. (Link)
News from Latvia
Mentor-led teacher training programme launched to support delivery of computing courses to high school students. (Latvian)
Phonal, a public speaking AI app, is available for pre-order on App Store.
Following feedback from teachers and students, Uzdevumi.lv have introduced an improved test posting functionality. (Latvian, English)
News from Lithuania
BitDegree launch BitDegree Scholarships, the first transparent open-source micro scholarship system. (Link)
New entrepreneurship programme for startups launching in Kaunas. (Link)
News from Norway
Great piece from byFounders highlighting the strength of Norwegian startups. (Link)
EdTech Foundry’s Differ product is at the forefront of EU EDUBOTS programme to reduce student drop-out rates and unhappiness. (Nor, Eng)
MakeKit expands coding and programming pilot project in Oslo and prepares new Kickstarter campaign for Air:bit product.
Heidi Harju-Luukkainen, Professor, Nord University talks about assessment, teaching & learning in the Edtech Podcast. (Link)
News from Sweden
Axel Johnson Group sells its share of the Education Media Group in a deal worth around SEK 100 million (Swe, Eng)
Skellefteå municipality fined by the Swedish Data Protection Authority (DPA) for trialling facial recognition technology to monitor school attendance. (Link)
Soundtrap recognised as a “cool-tool” by respected US publication, edtech digest. (Link)
Stockholm’s schools’ platform has been hit by data, information and privacy breaches, (Swe, Eng)
Stockholm’s hottest startups list for 2019 was published (Link), featuring Gimi, who’ve announced the launch of Gimi Master, a premium version of their educational FinTech app. (Link)
Thanks for reading and see you again in two weeks!
Best regards, Jonathan
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