Meet the LEADERSHIP Team

CEO & Co-Founder, StartEd. Producer, EDTECH WEEK

ASH KALUARACHCHI

Ash Kaluarachchi is the CEO and co-founder of StartEd, the year-round support system and community for EdTech founders, and Producer of EDTECH WEEK, the #1 festival for education leaders, founders, and investors in New York. Before founding StartEd in 2015, Ash managed Techstars' EdTech-focused cohorts, helping build what became the most financially successful EdTech accelerator to date. Over more than a decade, he has grown StartEd into a network of hundreds of senior executives who grow, invest in, and acquire companies solving problems across Pre-K12, HigherEd, Workforce, and Adult Learning — advising, launching, and operating programs that have enabled 3,000+ education companies globally. Ash holds an MBA in International Business and Entrepreneurship from Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business and a BA in Psychology and Economics from Grinnell College.

StartEd Stats

  • Ash has supported fundraising, growth, and exit for 3,000+ education companies

  • Accelerated the most financially successful EdTech cohorts to date at Techstars

  • Produces EDTECH WEEK — the #1 festival for education leaders, founders, and investors in New York

  • 12 years building StartEd’s mentor and investor network

  • Named one of EdTech Digest’s Top 100 Influencers in Education Technology

  • Programs run in partnership with Techstars, Google, Amazon, Kaplan, Intel, NYU, and Columbia University

Companies Advised / Accelerated

Chairman, StartEd

JONATHAN HARBER

Jonathan D. Harber is the Chairman of StartEd and has been a pioneer in education technology for more than 25 years. He was the CEO and co-founder of Schoolnet, which helped school systems use data and assessment to raise student achievement and was acquired by Pearson for $230 million. As CEO of Pearson K12 Technology, he led a team of 1,000 and oversaw platforms — including PowerSchool and Schoolnet — serving more than 25 million students. An Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Jonathan teaches EdTech entrepreneurship as an Adjunct Professor at NYU Steinhardt and serves on the boards of Finalsite, Cognota, EPS Learning, and the Fund for NYC Public Schools, among others. He holds a master’s degree from MIT — where he completed a joint thesis with the Sloan School and the Media Lab — and a BA with honors in Cognitive Science from Wesleyan University.

StartEd Stats

  • Co-founded Schoolnet — acquired by Pearson for $230 million

  • As CEO of Pearson K12 Technology, led 1,000 employees and platforms serving 25M+ students

  • 30+ years pioneering education technology

  • Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year (NYC)

  • Schoolnet was used by roughly one-third of the largest U.S. urban districts

  • Adjunct Professor, NYU Steinhardt — EdTech Entrepreneurship

  • Senior Advisor, Bridge Growth Partners

Companies Built / Advised / On boards

Vice Chairman, StartEd

ALAN TODD

Alan Todd is the Vice Chairman of StartEd and one of the most accomplished entrepreneurs in learning and leadership technology. Over three decades, he has founded and led three EdTech companies, each acquired by a larger company: KnowledgeSoft (acquired by Randstad), KnowledgePlanet (which grew to serve millions of learners across 150+ countries before its acquisition), and CorpU (acquired by Udemy). His work in leadership development and Strategy Activation has powered growth for Fortune 1000 enterprises — including Walmart, Coca-Cola, Boeing, and Johnson & Johnson — with combined annual revenues exceeding $1 trillion. He is the co-founder and a founding trustee of Harrisburg University, the first new nonprofit university in Pennsylvania in more than 100 years, has served on Pennsylvania’s Higher Education Commission, and was Wharton’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence.

StartEd Stats

  • Founded three EdTech companies. Each acquired by a larger company

    • KnowledgeSoft → Randstad

    • KnowledgePlanet → private-equity group (W Capital)

    • CorpU → Udemy

  • 30+ years building learning & leadership technology

  • KnowledgePlanet grew to serve millions of learners in 150+ countries and reached $150M+ in value

  • His Strategy Activation work powers enterprises with combined revenues exceeding $1 trillion (Walmart, Coca-Cola, Boeing, J&J)

  • Inc. Magazine / EY Entrepreneur of the Year (High Technology)

  • Co-founder & founding trustee of Harrisburg University — first new nonprofit university in PA in 100+ years

  • Wharton Entrepreneur-in-Residence  ·  PA Higher Education Commission

Companies Built / Clients