EEA at the Helsinki Education Hub kick-off
The Helsinki Education Hub (HEH) launched its Autumn 2025 incubation programme on 15 September, and the European EdTech Alliance (EEA) is proud to be actively involved. Our researcher, Anna Lindroos Cermakova, is delivering a new module, “Designing for Impact: Evidence-Informed Pathways in EdTech Innovation,” focusing on building a Theory of Change.
This year, ten innovative EdTech founders based in Finland from Finland, India, Denmark, Ethiopia, Jordan, Brazil, and Nigeria have joined HEH. Alongside the Lean Launchpad methodology, a structured business and product development phase in program, they benefit from the Hub’s dynamic environment and the University of Helsinki Faculty of Education’s research expertise.
The 5 part Designing for Impact module series was created specifically for HEH to help early-stage founders integrate evidence and evaluation into product design. Too often, start-ups concentrate on features and user growth but struggle to demonstrate real learning impact. This module reframes evaluation as part of the creative process, not as a final test. HEH aims to experiment and test how evaluation, typically considered as “post-usage”, can actually be incorporated into the product design process. Several evaluation frameworks, for example, the UNICEF Edtech for Good, emphasize the importance of Theory of Change (ToC). HEH has therefore included in the design of its incubation program support for the companies in developing their ToC. HEH incubator founders thus will be equipped with solid knowledge even before they encounter the concept of ToC out in the wild. This is a shift from a traditional product design and development process to one where The Hub prepares the developers to a world where they need to present and deliver impact.
Through practical methods and collaborative activities, participants will learn to surface assumptions, connect ideas to learning theory, and identify ways to gather meaningful feedback. Starting with logic models and culminating in a clear ToC, each start-up will leave with a living roadmap linking innovation to educational impact — supporting both growth and investment. Lastly, the entrepreneurs have the possibility to test and/or co-develop their ToC in Helsinki schools through the Helsinki Edtech Testbed.
By embedding evaluation into the incubation journey, the programme not only strengthens the participating start-ups but also contributes to a wider conversation on how evidence can drive innovation in education. The Helsinki Education Hub wants to be at the forefront of this shift, by developing new models on how to support Edtech entrepreneurs to develop pedagogically meaningful solutions. This work reflects the EEA’s commitment to advancing evidence-based, impactful, and trustworthy EdTech across Europe and beyond.
