The finalists for the Nordic Edtech Award 2019:

Denmark – PeaQs by Artventure

Digital learning tool for Business education centered around Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Startup processes. Accessed via browser Peaqs enables project-based learning in an collective online ecosystem akin to Kickstarter and couples it with a digital stockmarket for students to also critically asses peer projects via investing in the startup projects/strategies that the project groups have come up with.

Finland – Elias Robot by Utelias/Curious technologies

Allowing students to learn languages by having conversations with human-like robots and voice user interface.

Norway – MagiMake by Ludenso

3D-modeling and AR for creative and cross curricular work. It is a 3D-modeling tool that is tailored for kids, that works across platforms and can be used on PCs, tablets and phones.

Sweden – Humly (Studentvikarie Sverige AB)

A digital marketplace where schools quickly can get in touch with flexible educators, providing a digital toolbox for educators so that they are given the best possible opportunity to make a difference in the classroom.

Iceland – Mussila
A music learning app that teaches kids music through gamified and joyful exercises and classical music courses that keep kids motivated to learn more.

The awards final will take place at the XcitED event in Helsinki on Wednesday 20 November. The awards will identify, showcase and recognise the best of edtech from the Nordics. The winner will be picked by a top class jury, and prizes include fast track to the 2020 Milken-Penn GSE Education Business Plan Competition in Philadelphia, USA, a space in the final of the EdtechX Global series in London in June 2020, fast-track to the xEdu Spring 2020 program in Helsinki, Finland, and an Education Alliance Finland evaluation.

Edtech is one of the fastest growing markets in the world attracting heavy investments globally. Edtech startups from Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland and Sweden are starting to make some international noise. The countries ecosystems are partnering in The Nordic Edtech Alliance (NEA) to show the world the potential of Nordic Edtech. The awards are identifying, showcasing and recognizing the the Nordics most promising Edtech companies and solutions for 2019.

– The Nordics attracts a lot of capital. We are extremely good at innovation, userability, high technology and scaleability. Our strong gaming industry and fintech are examples of this. Adding our internationally renowned education system to the mix, where we are extremely good at developing future skills like collaboration, creativity and entreprenuership, and are leading in digitalising the education sector, we have all ingredients we need to be the home for the next edtech superstar, says Antti Korhonen, CEO of Xedu, a NEA partner.

Activity on the Nordic edtech scene is increasing with innovative new ideas coming up and companies paving the way to international markets and investments like Kahoot (N), Mightifier (SF), LABSTER (DK) and Lexplore (S) attracting large investments

-The time is right. The Nordic edtech community is getting in formation and we know how many talented entrepreneurs we have in our countries. We want to be their megaphone to the international investment world, says Hege Tollerud, CEO at Oslo Edtech Cluster, one of the partnering communities.

This is the third consecutive year the Nordic Edtech Awards are held and previous winners are Lexplore (S) 2017 and Strawbees (S) 2018. Both companies are now paving the way for innovative Nordic edtech in the U.S and Asian markets.

Nordic Edtech Alliance is a partnership between Nordic Edtech communities and actors. The aims of Nordic Edtech Alliance are to support and profile Nordic Edtech internationally, where the Nordic Values of Equality, Democracy, Quality, Motivational Learning and Efficiancy are core values. The goal is to attract Nordic and International investors to invest in Nordic Edtech companies and to build bridges to international markets for Nordic Edtech companies and suppliers. The Nordic Edtech Startup Award is NEAs first cooperative initiative.