So, who are these education entrepreneurs? Co-founder Chris Rose is a former high school math teacher who taught Algebra and Pre-Calculus and understands the challenges of the classroom. He has a passion for providing educators with good design, engineering, and development to help them help students. Chris is currently the SVP of Product & Technology at Abre, an all-in-one education management platform built for improving outcomes and unleashing the potential of everyone in the learning community.

Co-founder Zach Vander Veen has worn many hats in education, including History Teacher, Technology Coach, Administrator, and Director of Technology. He is an experienced educator and EdTech director with history both in the classroom and supporting other teachers. His goal at Abre is to use technology to enhance the experience for the whole learning community. This means not just simplifying day-to-day administrative tasks, but also creating smart systems to connect students, families, educators, and partners, reducing the burden on educators and supporting the whole child through holistic analysis and development of lifelong skills.

What separates Chris and Zach from the founders of most other education technology companies is the understanding that with enough information, an educator can move mountains. With that in mind, you would think that mountains are moved every moment of every day in American schools, because every moment, unbelievable quantities are data are collected in these schools. For example, when behaviors occur in the classroom, they are noted. When a student aces a test, the score is logged. When a child is absent, the date is recorded. Every day, schools collect mountains of data on each student that walks through their doors.

The truth in the majority of schools is, not much at all. Most schools file all that data away on different platforms, in separate folders, and binders of one category or another. The data stays (relatively) safe and sound in its own little section.