MIT Enterprise Forum: The Future of Digital Learning, Part 4

Investment Opportunities

The panel offered these ideas for investment opportunities in the digital learning industry.

• Companies making homeschooling software for K-12.
  
• Tutoring software. No Child Left Behind has created a market for tutoring software so that young people can pass the high-stakes tests, especially the high-school test that determines whether the student will graduate from high school. Companies that make math instruction software, especially Algebra and Algebra II were mentioned as prime candidates.
• Companies making laptop computers selling for <=$100. for sale to developing nations.
• There will be consolidation in this industry. Smaller companies that are profitable, and that have a growing market, are good acquisition candidates and could be good investment opportunities.

Companies such as Webex that make web conferencing solutions are notable in their absence from this list. For me as a consultant, web-based virtual seminars are an effective and cost-effective way to gain new knowledge and stay current. I am a frequent-flyer. The offerings seem to be growing rapidly, as does the choice of applications.  My most recent web-based seminar was: Enterprise companies adopting virtual learning for training.

Based on the data and capabilities of virtual learning this seminar offered, companies that provide virtual training solutions may be worth investigating as investment opportunities. It's  increasingly being used as a way to cut costs, increase effectivesness and maximize a company's human capital resources. Both the companies providing effective virtual learning solutions, as well as those employing these solutions to increase their profitability, may be worth investigating.

Caveat emptor applies. The above ideas are offered for educational purposes only and should not be construed as investment recommendations.

Your comments on these and other ideas for investment opportunities in the digital learning arena are welcome.

Comments

[Web developer]

That was inspiring,

Some really great ideas!

Thanks for bringing this up