AWS Public Sector Blog
AWS spotlights 50 early-stage startups shaping the future of education technology through the GSV Cup
From a student receiving algebra advice with an AI tutor to a mid-career professional reskilling for a new industry, the way people learn is changing fast. Education technology (EdTech) startups around the world are building tools to shape the future of learning. The 2026 GSV Cup 50, presented by Amazon Web Services (AWS) and GSV Ventures and supported by Pearson, is designed to highlight the 50 most promising pre-seed and seed-stage EdTech companies building for K12 classrooms, college campuses, and workplaces.
The GSV Cup honorees are featured each year at the ASU+GSV Summit, which brings together more than 7,000 educators, investors, and technology leaders focused on expanding access to quality education. This year’s Summit theme, “The Power of Fusion,” captures how technology, human ingenuity, and global collaboration are converging to reshape education and workforce development. AWS is now in its tenth year supporting the Summit and second year sponsoring the Cup, reflecting a deep commitment to the people and companies building the future of learning.
From pitch contest to global recognition program
In the Summit’s early days, EdTech founders took the stage in informal demo days to pitch their ideas. By 2017, those demos had been formalized into a pitch contest. Today, the GSV Cup functions more like a Forbes 30 Under 30 for EdTech companies; rather than a single winner, all 50 honorees are bestowed with global recognition for their potential to drive meaningful outcomes in education globally. Past honorees have gone on to raise significant funding, build global reach, and develop solutions serving millions of learners.
This year, judges evaluated over 3,000 nominations across five continents to select the top 50. The selection draws on the GSV 5 P’s framework: people, product, purpose, predictability, and potential. The committee evaluates the strength of the founding team, whether the product generates real enthusiasm from users, and whether there is a viable business model grounded in improving learning outcomes. “Our job is to separate the signal from the noise,” said Francis Rosenberg, vice president of the ASU+GSV Summit. “We want to identify the stars of tomorrow today.”
Why AWS invests in the next generation of EdTech companies
Identifying high-potential startups is only part of the equation. EdTech companies also need the right infrastructure and expertise to scale. Most EdTech companies already build on AWS, and many of this year’s GSV Cup honorees are among them. For AWS, getting engaged with EdTech startups early is key, and it means companies can establish a foundation for reliable scaling and secure product development right from the start.
“The startups today are the enterprises of tomorrow, and making sure we’re engaging with them early to build their solutions as they scale is really important,” said Mike Lombardi, EdTech vertical leader at AWS. “Given that the majority of EdTech companies run on AWS, we’ve got the experience to help them.”
The recognition comes with real support. Through programs such as the AWS Activate Startup Program, honorees receive access to cloud credits along with technical and business guidance. They also gain access to a dedicated AWS EdTech team that brings deep expertise and knowledge not only in cloud infrastructure, but in the education markets these companies serve—from K12 and higher education to workforce development.
“The startups have an AWS team that supports them, that knows the vertical,” said Juan Crispin, sales development manager at AWS. And with a long history of supporting EdTech companies through every stage of growth, AWS brings that specialized industry knowledge directly to first-time founders, many of whom are educators themselves.
From GSV’s perspective, AWS involvement adds weight and credibility to the Cup. “It drives legitimacy,” said Rosenberg. “These startups get access to real innovators who have helped EdTech businesses scale for more than a decade.”
AI-based startups with a human-centered focus
That credibility is on full display in this year’s class. The 2026 cohort stands out by the numbers:
- 1.6% acceptance rate from roughly 3,000 nominations worldwide
- $177 million plus in disclosed capital raised collectively
- 76% founded by women or people of color
- 60% built for global markets, with five continents and numerous countries represented
- Full “Pre-K to Gray” spectrum, with 38% K12, 16% higher education, 20% workforce and adult learning, and 26% across multiple segments
But these details only tell part of the story. What sets this year’s class apart is how these founders are building with AI. Companies aren’t merely bolting AI onto existing products; they’re designing AI-based solutions from the ground up, with a clear focus on the relationships that make learning work. Their tools connect students and teachers, help parents support learning at home, facilitate collaboration among peers, and pair workers with mentors. In each case, AI is meant to deepen human connection, not replace it.
“Decades of research show that learning is inherently social. It happens between people,” said Alex Sarlin, Global EdTech Lead on the ASU+GSV Summit team. “A lot of the companies in the GSV Cup this year are using AI as an enhancer of human relationships in the name of learning. That’s been incredibly exciting to see.”
Lombardi sees the same pattern in the broader AWS customer base. “Where we’ve seen the best success with AI is where it’s an accelerant,” he said, “Reducing the time an educator spends on administrative tasks so they can spend more time with students, or giving learners insights into where they should focus matters most.” When AI handles the repetitive work, educators reclaim time for the one-on-one engagement that makes the biggest difference.
AI, by providing support in coding, copywriting, and ideation, is also lowering traditional barriers to entrepreneurship, expanding the diversity of founder profiles. “You’re starting to see teachers come right out of the classroom and become entrepreneurs—smaller teams, different types of founders than in the past—because of the accelerants that come from AI tooling,” Sarlin observed.
What to watch at Demo Day in San Diego
All 50 GSV Cup companies will have the chance to present at Demo Day on April 14, 2026, during the ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego (April 12–15). The event draws thousands of investors, educators, enterprise leaders, and policymakers, giving early-stage founders a room full of people who can help them grow.
Lombardi called the Cup the “tip of the spear” for where EdTech is heading. Product roadmaps in AI are evolving so fast that even the selection committee might be surprised by what the honorees present on stage. Sarlin pointed to the collaborative energy that sets Demo Day apart. The founders aren’t really competing against one another, he said. They share notes, learn from each other’s approaches, and pull in the same direction.
“Our goal is to help our customers drive their outcomes,” Lombardi said. “The more they succeed, the more we succeed, which ultimately means better results for learners.”
To see the full class, explore the GSV Cup 50 company list. To learn how AWS works with EdTech startups at every stage of growth, connect with an AWS EdTech expert or get started with the AWS Activate Startup Program for credits and other resources.