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Michelle Rhee is currently a Venture Partner at Equal Opportunity Ventures, investing in companies driving social mobility and impact. Previously, she served as Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of BuildWithin, a workforce learning platform transforming hiring and development, as well as CEO of StudentsFirst, an education advocacy nonprofit that successfully advanced 140+ pieces of new legislation across 18 states. Ms. Rhee was DC’s first Chancellor under Mayoral control of the 50,000-student public school district. She also founded The New Teacher Project to help public school districts and states recruit and train teachers for hard-to-staff schools.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1. How alternative pathways and skills-based hiring are reshaping the future of education and work.
2. The role of AI in connecting young people to meaningful careers beyond the traditional college route.
3. Why potential over credential is becoming a powerful investment thesis for workforce startups.
4. The investment opportunities in workforce development and non-college track solutions.
5. How education savings accounts (ESAs) and innovative partnerships might transform K-12 education.

✨ Episode Highlights:

[00:02:51] The shift from college-for-all to workforce readiness.
[00:05:42] Why skills-based hiring is the future of work.
[00:07:29] Investment opportunities in alternative education paths.
[00:10:20] Using AI to connect young people to careers.
[00:12:10] Stepful's success in accelerated healthcare training.
[00:15:43] The impact of new education policies on K-12.
[00:19:37] AI and ESAs as tools to future-proof education.
[00:20:38] Michelle Rhee's career advice for the next generation.

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🎉 Presenting Sponsor:

This season of Edtech Insiders is brought to you by Starbridge. 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.

This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for EdTech companies. Run by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work as hard as you do.