Bett Futures returns for 2017

Start-ups invited to showcase edtech innovation at Bett

Posted by Hannah Oakman | June 24, 2016 | Events

• #bett-futures
• #event
• #edtech
• #innovation
• #excel-london

The UK’s largest edtech exhibition i2i Events Group, and the UK’s trade association for education suppliers, BESA, has announced the return of an enhanced version of the entrepreneur and edtech innovation zone, Bett Futures, to the Bett Show, the world’s largest edtech exhibition. 

Bett Futures 2017, in association with BESA, will feature a range of high profile partners to offer their insights and support to start-ups and help drive forward the next generation of learning. To date, the powerful Futures coalition includes Naace, Innovate My School,  EdSpace, WORLDwrite and EdTech Exchange.

Introduced at Bett in 2015, Bett Futures celebrates brave thinking, innovative new products and education 'game-changers'. Bett Futures was designed as a unique, global platform for emerging learning technologies that would improve the lives of students everywhere. Bett Futures 2017 now looks set to shape the global education landscape while supporting the British economy.

Bett Futures is open for submissions from start-up organisations and entrepreneurs that want to develop business opportunities within the national and international education sectors (http://www.bettshow.com/Content/Bett-Futures-2017). Inspirational ed-tech start-ups have the unprecedented opportunity to showcase their products and services to more than 35,000 education-sector visitors at Bett.

In response to rising demand following two years of success, the Bett Futures zone is set to expand to host 50 companies at Bett 2017. Start-ups that are ready to work directly with schools will have the opportunity to exhibit on the main show floor at a subsidised rate, whilst the companies in an earlier phase in development that are seeking to create valuable partnerships will feature in the dedicated Bett Futures zone. 

All UK applicants to Bett Futures will receive a four-month subscription to BESA’s Launchpad Service, which supports new and emerging companies serving the education sector, before they are eligible to apply for full flagship BESA membership benefits. The advantages include access to BESA’s market research reports and industry barometers, exclusive seminars ranging from procurement in Multi Academy Trusts (MATs) to training on how to use social media and how to take advantage of the growing international school market. In addition, training, industry insight from specialists, tender updates, mentoring and networking opportunities and a range of discounts negotiated by BESA are available. 

Debbie French, portfolio director of Bett comments: “Bett Futures has had a real groundswell of support since it began two  years ago. It has offered start-up companies the opportunity to get involved with Bett, get invaluable advice and access potential customers in a way that helps to create a buzz around the companies involved. Our revised offering has been tailored to ensure we address the individual needs of each start-up company, offering them the support they need at their current phase of development. We’re looking forward to a bigger and better Bett Futures 2017, and to hearing more about our latest start-ups and entrepreneurs!”

In previous years, the cohort has been made up of companies selected by a panel of education experts, based on the relevance of their solutions to today’s classroom challenges. The 2017 cohort will be a combination of both returning Bett Futures exhibitors and new start-up companies that have recently launched, who will be given the opportunity to apply directly, via a criteria-based application, available on the Bett website from Thursday 16 June 2016. 

Bett Futures will also feature as part of this year’s Bett Asia in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Following the successful launch of the start-up zone last year, Bett Asia is set to become an annual hub for regional edtech start-ups to present themselves to the Asian education market. Please check www.asia.bettshow.com for details of this year’s launch. 

Bett 2017 is free to attend and takes place from Wednesday 25 to Saturday 28 January 2017 at ExCeL London. For more information or to register, please visit www.bettshow.com