A new permanent track of the Global EdTech Startup Awards

Closing the skills gap won’t come from hiring. It comes from learning faster than work changes.

The GESA Workforce Learning Track finds the startups building better ways to learn at work — and connects them with the companies that need them.

Become a partner Apply as a startup Back to the GESA Track homepage

Powered by MindCET and Sharptext  ·  8,000+ startups, 130+ countries since 2014  ·  Finals at BETT Arena, London, January 2027

Work is changing faster than hiring can keep up with.

39%

of core skills will change by 2030.

Source: WEF Future of Jobs 2025.

59%

of the global workforce will need reskilling by 2030.

Source: WEF Future of Jobs 2025.

63%

of employers call the skills gap the single biggest barrier to transforming their business.

Source: WEF Future of Jobs 2025.

Corporate L&D is a $400B+ global market, and yet employers still say they can’t close the gap. Hiring can’t close it. Buying another LMS can’t close it.

Better learning tools can. This track exists to find them, check that they work, and put them in front of companies ready to use them.

For Partners

Partner with the track that finds the next wave of workforce learning startups.

Corporate training is a $400 billion global market, and demand is rising fast. By 2030, 59% of the global workforce will need reskilling. At the same time, only 0.5% of global GDP is spent on adult lifelong learning. And the skills gap remains the single biggest barrier to business transformation, cited by 63% of employers.

Sources: WEF Future of Jobs 2025 (39% / 59% / 63%); WEF Reskilling Revolution (0.5% of GDP); Training Industry 2025 (market size).

That gap is creating room for new workforce learning solutions. Startups around the world are building products across skills intelligence, adaptive training, work-integrated learning, simulation, credentialing, and more.

This track is built to find the strongest of them. Partners don’t just lend their name — they shape the criteria, sit on the judging panel, and meet finalists directly.

What partners get

  • Applicant pipeline insight, drawn from workforce learning startups across more than 130 countries
  • A seat on the judging panel and direct interaction with shortlisted founders
  • Early access to partnership conversations with finalists
  • Your logo across track communications, events, and the wider GESAwards platform
  • A chance to share your expertise across the network
  • Market insight drawn from hundreds of applications and founder conversations

Lead

Lead Partner

One per cycle.

  • ·Full applicant pipeline from all participating countries, filtered to your criteria
  • ·Logo across all track communications — website, social, press, outreach
  • ·Present the prize on stage at BETT London, January 2027
  • ·Input into the cycle’s evaluation criteria and judging process

Track

Track Partner

  • ·Access to the shortlist of selected winners across regions
  • ·A seat on the judging panel alongside international experts
  • ·Mentor finalists in your focus area
  • ·Co-branded visibility across track materials
  • ·Opportunity to take part in MindCET Bootcamp

Supporting

Supporting Partner

  • ·A trend report on the workforce-learning startup landscape after each cycle
  • ·A place to share your perspective in the track’s communications
  • ·Named as a partner in the track’s prize description
  • ·Logo on the track website as a supporting partner

In good company

  • Amazon Web Services
  • HP
Talk to the track curator

Why this track exists.

Global, not US-anchored

GESA already runs regional semifinals on six continents. The track has that reach from day one — most workforce-learning competitions don’t.

More than an award

Most awards stop at recognition. This one introduces winners directly to a major employer — because an award on its own doesn’t move a startup forward.

Workforce-specific, not generic EdTech

AI is one driver here, not the whole story. Skills intelligence, simulation, credentialing, and work-integrated learning all sit inside the scope — built to last beyond the current AI hype.

Built with operators, not for them

Partners shape the criteria, sit on the panel, and meet the finalists directly. It’s a working group, not a press release.

The 2026–27 cycle.

  1. April 2026

    Applications open.

  2. October 30, 2026

    Application deadline.

  3. Oct–Dec 2026

    Regional semifinals, incl. OEB Berlin.

  4. January 2027

    Global finals at the BETT Show, London.

For Startups

What we’re looking for.

Startups building and offering scalable solutions across workforce learning and development.

AI-powered reskilling & upskilling platforms

Tools that shorten the time from “skill needed” to “skill proven.”

Personalized & adaptive workplace training

Learning that adjusts to the learner’s role, level, and pace in real time.

Skills intelligence, mapping & verification

Tools to map, track, and verify skills across an organization.

Learning embedded in workflows & daily tools

Training that lives inside the CRM, IDE, or ticketing system — not in a separate LXP.

Simulation, practice & experiential learning

Safe environments where people can practice and build real skills.

New models for corporate learning at scale

Cohort programs, apprenticeships, work-integrated learning that fit how organizations actually buy.

Credentialing & skills-based hiring infrastructure

Proof-of-skill systems that work for employers and learners both.

Solutions may target enterprises, SMBs, or individual workers — what matters is a clear link to how organizations build the skills they now need.

What winners get.

GESAwards trophy

Every year prizes change depending on what the partners offer. Based on previous experience prizes can be a combination and go beyond the following:

01

An introduction to a major ecosystem actor

A direct conversation with one of the cycle’s partner companies.

02

Cloud, AI & infrastructure credits

Via the cycle’s startup-programme partner.

03

An introduction to investors

A direct conversation with one of the cycle’s investor partners.

04

Hands-on support

Shaped to the winner’s stage, market, and roadmap.

05

Mentorship

From senior corporate L&D leaders and operators.

06

Global recognition

Across the GESAwards network — 8,000+ startups, 130+ countries.

See the criteria and apply

Curated by

MindCET

Organizer of the Global EdTech Startup Awards since 2014. Operates the international network of regional semifinals across six continents.

Sharptext

Works with MindCET on running the track day-to-day — partner relationships, judging panel, and finalist selection.

Questions, briefly.

Anything missing? Email gesa@sharptext.org.

Is there an application fee?
No.
What stage of startup can apply?
Early-stage and growth-stage, with a product in market or near launch. No geographic restrictions.
What does the enterprise engagement look like?
Each cycle’s engagement is shaped with that cycle’s partner. Winners are introduced directly to the partner team and the opportunity is co-designed.
How are winners selected?
An international expert panel evaluates against five criteria: clear pain point, pedagogical approach, user experience, business model, and product viability.
How does GESA differ from HolonIQ, GSV Cup, or HR Tech Pitchfest?
Three differences. GESA runs regional semifinals on six continents — most workforce-learning competitions don’t. The prize is a direct opportunity to engage with an industry-leading enterprise partner, not recognition alone. And the scope is workforce-learning-specific rather than generic EdTech.
Can investors and VCs become partners?
Yes. Funds typically engage at Partner or Supporting tier — the value sits in pipeline access and direct introductions to founders the track has already validated.
Who runs the track day-to-day?
MindCET as organizer, with Sharptext running the track day-to-day.

Get in touch

Talk to the track curator.

Tell us about your organization and what you’re looking for. No pitch — a short conversation to see whether there’s a fit.

Prefer email? gesa@sharptext.org