Arizona State University, Draper Associates and Global Silicon Valley Partner To Pilot And Certify Learning Technology Ventures

SAN DIEGO, April 20, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For the first time, a comprehensive research university is joining leading venture capitalists and investment advisors to fund, pilot and credential higher education technology companies.

The ASU Draper GSV Accelerator will help the best learning technologies quickly enter the market by providing product validation and education focused on partnering with universities. It will also provide resources traditionally associated with an accelerator program: financial capital, mentorship and access to investors' networks.

The project was announced at the ASU GSV Summit. It is being led by:

• Arizona Technology Enterprises (AzTE) -- the exclusive intellectual property management and technology transfer organization affiliated with Arizona State University (ASU), the top ranked university for innovation by U.S. News & World Report.
• Draper Associates -- the San Mateo, CA-based early stage venture capital firm founded and led by Tim Draper.  As a founding partner of Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Draper invested in Skype, Tesla, Hotmail and many other successful technology ventures. His education experience includes founding Draper University.
• Global Silicon Valley (GSV) -- the principals of GSV have built and supported an entrepreneurial ecosystem in education and talent technology for 20 years. Having published the first education sector investment white paper in 1996, thought leaders at GSV have built a platform focused on scaled innovation driving a high return on education. They co-founded the ASU GSV Summit, an annual celebration of scaled innovation and innovators.

Throughout the program, accepted companies will be able to integrate their technology at ASU and to have their services tested and validated by university faculty, staff and students. Upon a company's successful completion of the highly selective program, it will be issued a certification of market-preparedness – signifying to colleges and universities that the product is immediately viable for adoption and use.

It was also announced that CampusLogic, a venture-backed company that developed a cloud-based engagement tool to simplify the student financial aid process, will be the Accelerator's first member. The Accelerator expects to accept four additional companies before August 1, 2016.

Though the ASU Draper GSV Accelerator is ideal for learning technology companies whose product is nearing commercialization, any venture that has received seed funding or beyond is qualified to apply for acceptance.

Full press release available at: https://asunow.asu.edu/content/major-research-university-leading-investors-partner-pilot-and-certify-new-learning.

Media contact:
Beth Giudicessi
ASU Media Relations & Strategic Communications
[email protected]
480-965-3502

SOURCE Arizona State University