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After the holiday season, EdTech Times got in touch with Ben Lowinger, Founder and Executive VP of Copia. Copia is a well-known company that provides social media and content delivery platform where users collaborate, socialize, and purchase content.  Recently Copia has introduced CopiaEDU, thus entering the education content market.

ETT: What is the market segment your company is in and who are your core customers?

Copia is unique in covering the Higher Ed and K-12 market serving a diverse customer base of publishers, content providers, K-thru 12 schools and districts, universities, college book stores and students.

ETT: How did you come across the problem you’re addressing and how did you define it – what was your process in identifying it?  And how did you develop a solution to this particular problem and what was your process of arriving at it?

In each market Copia has looked at the needs of the market segment rather than trying to figure out how to serve the bleeding edges of the market – fighting for the early adopter customer base.  Unfortunately, identifying it wasn’t difficult as all one has to do is pick up a copy of just about any analyst’s report of the education sector or read an article in any of the publications covering the sector.  To develop a solution, Copia works closely with stakeholders in the industry to understand their needs, their particular requirements and their buying patterns and scenarios to develop an offering and solution that truly meets the needs of the students they serve.

ETT: What it is that you’re doing differently than your competitors? Do you expect to develop other differentiators in the future?

As demonstrated by Copia’s ground breaking and successful K thru 12 launch in Australia under the Learning Field brand, Copia has a partnership strategy and go to market approach that provides students and educators with what they need, supporting the role of the educator in the classroom while bringing all these elements together in a seamless and integrated manner.

ETT:  What we should expect to see from your company in the next 12 months – i.e. describe your potential next milestones?

Based on our current successes you should expect to see rapid growth from Copia in the next 12 months – building upon our successes – for example with the Commonwealth of Virginia, Nebraska Book Company and the College Retail Alliance.  We also hope to build many significant partnerships in both K-12 and higher education this year.

ETT: Could you tell us about other startups or product builds that you have been a part of and what your role was?

Copia’s parent company, and I in particular, have both been involved for decades in understanding markets and the need for customers in those markets and delivering on those needs by leveraging the latest technology to effectuate significant shifts in the consumer marketplace.

ETT: Where is the education technology market going in the next few years, especially for MOOCs/learning platforms?

MOOCs may have their place, but will not be the central way education is delivered.  It’s ideal for those who are intrinsically self-motivated.  As for learning platforms, we believe what we’ve designed is where education is going.  Versatility, interactivity, and content will continue to be vital to the process.

ETT: What advice, if any, do you have for someone thinking about launching a company in the education technology market? 

Be prepared for a balancing act.  Things can happen very quickly, and very slowly at the same time.  Make sure you’re always listening to your users, not just talking to them.  Stay flexible and responsive.