The Business of Education | S01E21 | Aatash Parikh

Summary

Aatash Parikh, founder of Inkwire, discusses the importance of building a portfolio of work for students and how Inkwire helps facilitate that. He shares his background as a teacher and how it influenced his decision to start Inkwire. Aatash also talks about his experiences at Google and Khan Academy and the impact they had on his career. He highlights the challenges of implementing EdTech products in schools and the need for teacher adoption. Aatash discusses the role of technology in simplifying the classroom and offers advice on networking and fundraising in the EdTech space.

Takeaways

- Inkwire aims to help students build a portfolio of projects and work that can connect them to future opportunities.
- Aatash Parikh's experience as a teacher influenced his perspective on the skills that matter and how to align education with the professional world.
- Implementing edtech products in schools requires addressing the challenges of teacher adoption and changing workflows.
- Technology can simplify the classroom by automating mundane tasks and allowing teachers to focus on their core competencies.
- Building relationships and networking are crucial for success in the edtech space, both for customer acquisition and fundraising.

Sound Bites

"What matters in tomorrow's economy will not be your GPA. It will be your portfolio of work."
"The education system is a little old school or outdated or needs to be updated a little bit."
"Technology can help teachers do more of what they do best."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Overview of Inkwire

01:10 Aatash's Background and Transition into Teaching

05:47 The Importance of Portfolios in Tomorrow's Economy

06:33 Project-Based Learning and Real-World Impact

08:08 Implementing Inkwire in Schools

09:53 Challenges of EdTech Adoption and Behavior Change

10:48 Technology's Role in Simplifying the Classroom

13:10 Networking and Building Relationships in EdTech

15:25 Challenges and Opportunities for Young Founders

20:01 Preparing for Fundraising and Navigating the Process

About Aatash
Aatash is a software engineer turned educator, dedicated to empowering students through Inkwire. His mission is to help every student build a portfolio of work and skills that connect them to postsecondary opportunities.

Connect with Aatash
LinkedIn: [@aatashparikh]
X: [@AatashParikh]

Company Website: inkwire.co