Send us a text

Brian Shaw is the CEO of Discovery Education, a global leader in educational technology that reaches over 45 million students and 4.5 million educators across 100+ countries. With a background in finance and corporate strategy from his roles at Red Ventures and Time Warner Cable, Brian has extensive experience in M&A and business integration. At Discovery Education, he drives innovation through acquisitions and partnerships, delivering impactful digital learning solutions.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How Discovery Education builds lasting school partnerships
• AI-powered tools transforming assessments for teachers
• Career Connect bridging classrooms and real-world careers
• The role of acquisitions in driving innovation and growth
• Adapting to budget shifts and consolidation in EdTech

✨ Episode Highlights:

[00:01:13] Brian Shaw explains Discovery’s mission to drive learning outcomes
[00:03:47] Discussion on interoperability with school systems
[00:05:25] EdTech consolidation and how Discovery stays ahead
[00:08:59] AI assessment generator making custom assessments easy
[00:11:25] Career Connect helping students explore careers early
[00:15:01] Identifying the right companies to acquire
[00:19:35] The importance of communication after acquisitions
[00:23:02] Advice for startups building relationships with Discovery

😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders! 

• Follow our Podcast on:
  • Apple Podcasts
  • Spotify
  • Amazon Music
• Sign up for the Edtech Insiders newsletter.
• Follow Edtech Insiders on LinkedIn!

🎉 Presenting Sponsor:

Innovation in preK to gray learning is powered by exceptional people. For over 15 years, EdTech companies of all sizes and stages have trusted HireEducation to find the talent that drives impact. When specific skills and experiences are mission-critical, HireEducation is a partner that delivers. Offering permanent, fractional, and executive recruitment, HireEducation knows the go-to-market talent you need. Learn more at HireEdu.com.

Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead.

As a tech-first company, Tuck Advisors has developed a suite of proprietary tools to serve its clients better. Tuck was the first firm in the world to launch a custom GPT around M&A.

If you haven’t already, try our proprietary M&A Analyzer, which assesses fit between your company and a specific buyer.

To explore this free tool and the rest of our technology, visit tuckadvisors.com.