Eight founders, selected from 57 semifinalists across eight investor-judged tanks, will pitch live to pledged Sharks from Owl Ventures, ASU, GSV, Rethink, and more at the EdTech Week 2026 Shark Tank Finale, October 15 at Teachers College, Columbia University.
NEW YORK, Oct. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Twelve months ago, Skillmaker walked onto the EdTech Week Shark Tank stage as a Future of Work finalist. It walked off with a win, a $100,000 investment from Workshop Venture Partners, and the momentum that carried it to a $4.5 million seed round in 2026 led by Potencia Ventures and IDEA Fund.
Today, StartEd, producer of EdTech Week, announced the eight founders who get their shot next. The EdTech Week 2026 Shark Tank Finale takes place Thursday, October 15, from 4:00 to 5:15 PM ET at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Each finalist won their tank in September, beating out a field of 57 semifinalists across eight Tanks judged by active education and workforce investors. On October 15 they pitch to a single room of 50+ Sharks, with $250,000 in pledged capital on the line.
The 2026 Shark Tank Finalists
- Coraltalk (Toronto) — Higher Education — In an era when AI can write anything, Coraltalk gives universities and business schools a scalable way to verify a student actually understands what they've submitted. CEO: Melissa Morgan.
- Druid Learning (New York) — Reskilling + Upskilling — AI-powered learning technology built in partnership with educational publishers. CEO: Niamh Faller.
- Mia & Codie (Nyack, NY) — PreK Innovation — Nearly 70% of U.S. fourth graders can't read proficiently. Mia & Codie is building the fix for the kids the system reaches last. CEO: Don Moody.
- Jinso Labs (Durham, NC) — AI in Education — Governments spend billions on workforce training and almost nothing proving it works. Jinso brings rigorous evaluation to a sector running on faith. CEO: Jay Lee-Gopalan.
- RxPharmacist (Tampa) — Health + EdTech — Pharmacists and allied health professionals carry $200,000 in debt into a licensure exam that decides whether they ever get a first job. RxPharmacist gets them across the line. Founder: Maryam Khazraee.
- Legit Leader (Oceanside, CA) — K-12: School Operations — The principal is the highest-leverage role in a school and the least supported. Legit Leader is changing that for 100,000 of them. CEO: Judy Nguyen.
- DAIGON Esports (Malta) — K-12: Curriculum Innovation — Esports for elementary and middle schools, without the gaming rigs, specialist coaches, or high-school-only playbook. CEO: Elliot Mack.
- Valoi (Chicago) — Rising EdTech — 40% of American students can't read at a basic level. Valoi is reimagining reading for them, starting with learners with dyslexia. CEO: Tristan Nevotne.
The 2026 Shark roster reflects that investor depth, with partners and principals from 50+ specialist investors, including Owl Ventures, Workshop Ventures, Reach Capital, JFFVentures, GSV Ventures, Rethink Education, Pearson Ventures, Strada Education Foundation, Potencia Ventures, ECMC Foundation, Transcend Fund, EdTechnical, Edovate Capital, Juvo Ventures, and Equal Opportunity Ventures.
The Finale is open to EdTech Week 2026 registrants. The full Shark roster and program details are at edtechweek.com.
About EdTech Week
EdTech Week is StartEd's annual gathering of founders, investors, educators, and institutional leaders shaping the future of learning and work, held each October at Columbia University in New York City. The Shark Tank is its finale.
About StartEd
StartEd Companies Inc. is an membership and advisory network focused on EdTech and Future of Work technology. StartEd has supported hundreds of education companies, including a notable share of global EdTech unicorns, and produces EdTech Week. Learn more at started.com.
Media Contact
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Alyssa Miller, AM Mediaworks, [email protected]
SOURCE StartEd
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