Nordic EdTech News #23 : 2020-08-03
Your Week 27 - 31 update from the Nordic & Baltic EdTech ecosystems
Welcome back! It’s great to bring you this round up of everything that’s been happening across Nordic and Baltic EdTech over the past few weeks. I hope that everyone’s had a good break.
As we start to head back to work, the sector’s attention inevitably moves to schools restarting. Much is uncertain but it’s clear that the Nordic reopening experience (Link) will help lead the way in the coming weeks. Similarly, as schools prepare for hybrid teaching models, Nordic providers are again well placed - examples from Beedle, Dugga and School Day are highlighted here by Microsoft as best practice. Sifted also identified Cyttraction and Edventures as shaping the post-pandemic EdTech world (Link).
These will be key themes for Google’s forthcoming back to school event - The Anywhere School 2020 - which takes place on 12 August. Register now for tickets and don’t miss the ‘Finland: Innovation and Creativity in the Time of Covid-19’ session (Link) or Fredrik Linnander, CEO of Online Partner, presenting on digital exams (Link).
Equally, don’t miss out on applying for The EdVentures Global Business Acceleration Fellowship - deadline extended to 24th August 2020. The deadline for the 2020 Nordic-Baltic EdTech 50 is also fast approaching. Nordic EdTech News is working with HolonIQ on this great initiative. Entries must be in by 8 August 2020. Apply here now!
Cheers and thanks for your support, Jonathan
News from Denmark
Great review of Danish EdTech excellence, outlining how the lessons of Covid-19 are being learnt across education. (Link)
How Koncentrat’s interactive TV show kept young people informed during lockdown. (Link)
KUBO’s launch beta version of the KUBO Academy (Link) as their teacher community goes from strength to strength. (Link)
Lectio have been reported to Datatilsynet for sharing student data and breaching GDPR. (Den, Eng)
LEGO launch Build & Talk to help parents discuss digital safety and wellbeing with their children. (Link)
Unable to find a market, Lix decide to close digital textbook solution. (Link)
Shape Robotics get European patent for the Fable robot system (Link) and announce strong sales growth. (Link)
News from Estonia
99Math co-founder Timo Timmi recognised as a teen entrepreneur to watch (Link) as the site announces increased global reach/usage. (Link)
Hüppelaud programme enables young people to develop digital learning products. (Est, Eng)
Drops win Adaptive Learning Solution Provider of the Year at the EdTech Breakthrough Awards. Congrats! (Link)
HITSA issues Spring 2020 update (Est, Eng) as their responsibilities are taken over by a new Education and Youth Board. (Est, Eng)
Estonian-born cybersecurity training startup RangeForce raises €13.46M. (Link)
News from Finland
Fantastic review of how Finnish EdTech companies turned pandemic challenges into new business opportunities. (Link)
Two perspectives on why Finnish education is so successful. (Link, Link)
Learn about Hokema’s approach to early years language learning. (Link)
HEI Schools launch new Teacher Toolkit. (Link)
Kide Science announce deal with TCL Communications, which puts their resources onto 3 million tablets by the end of the year. (Link)
Sanako announce new partnership with Oxford Education in Latin America (Link) and launch Language Ambassadors scheme to support language educators. (Link)
Sanoma Learning’s H1 numbers remain strong as they report “no major impacts on net sales and profitability are currently expected due to the pandemic.” (Link)
School Day demonstrate how they support social and emotional wellbeing with Kuopio City Schools. (Link)
News from Iceland
Iceland Venture Studio raises additional $2 million to build Icelandic tech ecosystem. (Link)
Kara Connect’s CEO, Thorbjorg Helga, details their response to the Covid-19 pandemic. (Link)
Sweden’s Storytel acquires a 70% majority interest in Forlagið, Iceland’s largest publishing house. (Link)
News from Latvia
Homestudy - new online assessment tool has been launched. (Latvian)
How computer programming classes can tackle a national shortage of programmers. (Latvian)
Results published of national parent, teacher and student survey on the impact of emergency online learning. (Lat, Eng)
The OECD includes Tava Klase (Your Classroom) among the world's best educational solutions during the Covid-19 pandemic. (Lat, Eng)
News from Lithuania
BitDegree launch new messaging system (Link) and publish monthly update for June. (Link)
Google.org announces supports for Women Go Tech and for Riga Tech Girls in Latvia. (Lith)
Experts agree that Lithuania needs an integrated electronic learning system. (Lith, Eng)
Numerous research studies published on the impact of emergency online learning. (Lith, Eng and Lith, Eng)
News from Norway
National government initiative ‘Den teknologiske skolesekken’ provides NOK 20 million to support programming in schools. (Nor, Eng and Nor, Eng)
Digitalisation or digital transformation? Three interesting perspectives on the Norwegian experience. (Link, Link, Link)
Capeesh receive loans and support from Innovasjon Norge to foster growth. (Nor, Eng)
Strong Q2 numbers for Kahoot (Link) as a global literature review shows its impact on learning outcomes. (Link)
Lær Kidsa Koding seek support to continue their mission to promote computer programming in schools. (Nor, Eng)
EdTech Romania interview Mihaela Tabacaru, founder & CEO of Newschool. (Link - in Romanian)
Pickatale raises NOK 120 million and pilots schools product. (Nor, Eng)
News from Sweden
Book your place here for AcadeMedia's webinar on school digitisation (2nd September).
Clio’s ‘Digitization in Swedish schools 2020’ report is full of amazingly useful insights. (Swe, Eng)
Dugga named as Microsoft’s 2020 Education Partner of the Year. Grattis! (Link)
imagiLabs are featured in CNET and reveal plans to build a social network for girl coders. (Link)
Sana Labs’ CEO Joel Hellermark highlights how AI can reimagine learning. (Link)
Lidingö Stad chooses Skolon as its digital learning resource platform. (Swe, Eng)
Criticism grows for Stockholm's learning platform. (Swe, Eng)
Ugglo signs agreement to supply Helsingborg schools. (Swe, Eng)
Zimify inks deal with Karlstad University. (Swe, Eng)
Thanks for reading and see you again on 17th August 2020!
Many thanks, Jonathan
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