New York, NY (April 10, 2026) – EdTech Chronicle, the online publication covering education and education technology, today announced the winners of the 2025 “Best in Education” awards.
The Best in Education awards recognize outstanding effort and accomplishments in education and edtech, but go beyond the companies and products, instead elevating the people and the tactics that make this crucial market thrive.
“The work and leadership exhibited by this year’s award winners are really exceptional,” said Derek Newton, publisher of EdTech Chronicle. “They deserve every possible recognition, including, but in no way limited to, being named among the very best in education.”
Winners of the EdTech Chronicle 2025 Best in Education Awards are:
Investments & Deals
Best M&A Deal
- Coursera acquires Udemy
Best Partnership
- InStride and Advocate Health partner to reimagine education in healthcare
Best Funding Deal (Early, Midstage, Late)
- Pathify Secures $25 Million in Growth Equity Funding (and)
- Honor Education Raises $38 Million Series A
Best Education Investor
- Global Expansion Strategies / Michael Spencer
Best Education Investment Firm or Supporting Service Firm
- Brighteye Ventures
Best Education Deal: Higher Education
- Kollegio Announces $2.8MM Seed Round
Best Education Deal: CTE/Workforce Development
- Hyperbound Raises $15 Million Series A
Media & Podcasts
Best Press Release or Press Announcement
- Outschool’s partnership with Audrey Nuna
Best Product Launch: K-12
- Scholar Education
Best Product Launch: Higher Education
- Copyleaks AI Logic
Best Thought Leadership Piece
- Penn Foster: Can a Book Stop a Bullet?
Best Podcast Series: K-12
- What Counts: A limited-series podcast on relationships and math learning (Impact Florida + De LeCourt)
Best Podcast Series: Higher Education
- Get Down to College Business with Sarah Holtan, PHD (and)
- FreshEd Podcast
Best Podcast Episode: K-12
- All Things Marketing and Education with Elana Leoni – What Districts Actually Want from EdTech Partners (and)
- Monica Burns’ – Easy EdTech Podcast – Things to Watch in AI in Education in 2025 with Dan Fitzpatrick
Best Podcast Episode: Higher Education
- The Higher Ed Geek Podcast – Episode #276: The Next 50 Years of Higher Ed – What Leaders Need to Know
Best Blog or Newsletter by an Individual in K-12 or Higher Education
- Al Kingsley’s – Al Edu Recommends LinkedIn Newsletter
Best Blog from an EdTech Service Company
- Pando Public Relations – PR in EdTech LinkedIn Newsletter
Best Corporate Blog in Education
- Reading Eggs, Where Children Learn to Read! – by 3P Learning
Best Education Book, ebook, Flipbook or Similar
- 95 Percent Group’s The Science of Reading 3.0: Widening the lens on literacy
Leadership
Best Education/EdTech CEO (Corporate)
- Stephen Laster, CEO of Panopto (and)
- Kim Mazzuca, CEO of 10,000 Degrees
Best C-Level Officer in Education/EdTech
- Sam Burgio, President and COO of Jenzabar (and)
- Diana Cano, CIO of Cambium Learning Group
Best Leader of an Academic Institution
- Trey Devey, President of Interlochen Center of the Arts
Best Leader of a K-12 School/District
- Sam Verghese, Chief Operating Officer and acting Deputy Superintendent of Florida Virtual School
Education/EdTech Person of the Year
- Sam Burgio, President and COO of Jenzabar
Education/EdTech Company of the Year
- Proximity Learning Inc. (and)
- AddEvent (and)
- Ellucian
Best Education/EdTech Rising Star
- Cambium Learning Group VP of DEIB, Dr. Zachary Shirley, Ed.D., CDP, CDE
Best Education Service Firm, In-House Team, or Company (PR, Marketing, Research, and related)
- Nickel Communications (and)
- Young & Associates
Marketing & Events
Best Webinar or In-Person Panel
- WGU Labs’ JFF Horizons Summit Session: The Missing Rung: Rebuilding Career Pathways in the Age of AI
Best Research, White Paper, or Supportive Material
- The Economic and Social Benefits of Re-Engaging High School Dropouts – A White Paper by Acceleration Academies (and)
- Penn Foster: How AI Is Redefining the Path After High School
Best Advertisement/Direct Mail/Email and Other Marketing Collateral
- FlexPoint Marketing Guide
Best Campaign
- From Gen Z to Gen Alpha: A New Era of Digital Expectations — AppsAnywhere Research-Driven Higher Ed Campaign (and)
- Teachers’ Curriculum Institute (TCI)
Best Use of Graphic Design (print, digital, video)
- HipMaps: Enhancing the Student, Parent & Alumni Experience Via Custom-Designed Maps with an Interactive App
Miscellaneous
Best Product or Service Supporting Academic Integrity
- Cognisense (and)
- Luxor CellGuard™ Cell Phone Storage Cabinet
Award winners are listed at EdTech Chronicle.