An Open Letter to the ASU+GSV Summit Committee: Who Does Your North Star Truly Guide?
Every year, the ASU+GSV Summit brings together some of the brightest minds in education, technology, and venture capital to “create a world where everyone has equal access to the future.” It’s a mission that sounds noble, urgent, and necessary. But as the event grows in scale and influence, a critical question lingers: Who, exactly, benefits from this vision?
For over a decade, the summit has branded itself as a beacon of innovation, a place where “North Star” goals like equity and opportunity guide conversations. Yet, as I scroll through speaker lineups, sponsorship lists, and startup showcases, I can’t help but wonder: Are we prioritizing the right voices—and the right solutions—to achieve these ideals?
The Disconnect Between Rhetoric and Reality
Let’s start with the basics. The ASU+GSV Summit is undeniably a powerhouse. It connects investors to edtech startups, universities to corporate partners, and policymakers to entrepreneurs. But when the dust settles after three days of keynotes and networking, what’s left? Too often, the solutions celebrated onstage cater to those who already have access to resources, not those trapped in systemic inequity.
Consider this: The majority of venture capital flowing into edtech still targets products for affluent K-12 districts, corporate upskilling platforms, or tools that serve higher-income universities. Meanwhile, schools in underfunded communities—the very places where innovation could be transformative—are sidelined. They lack the budget to pilot flashy AI tutors or VR classrooms, even if those tools claim to “democratize education.”
This isn’t to say innovation isn’t valuable. But when the summit’s most hyped innovations are designed for markets that can pay top dollar, the North Star begins to look less like a guiding principle and more like a marketing tagline.
The Myth of the Silver Bullet
Another troubling trend is the summit’s fixation on technological solutions to deeply human problems. Yes, adaptive learning algorithms and blockchain credentials have their place. But can an app alone dismantle the racial achievement gap? Can a SaaS platform erase the trauma of students navigating food insecurity or housing instability?
Too often, the summit’s programming conflates “innovation” with “technology.” This narrow focus risks ignoring grassroots organizations, community-led initiatives, and policy reforms that address root causes of inequality. For instance, where are the sessions highlighting mentorship programs for first-gen college students? Where’s the funding for nonprofits tackling teacher shortages in rural areas?
By prioritizing scalable, investor-friendly ventures, the summit risks reducing complex social challenges to engineering puzzles. This approach might generate returns for shareholders, but it leaves the most vulnerable learners behind.
Who Gets a Seat at the Table?
Let’s talk about representation. A glance at the summit’s speaker roster reveals a recurring pattern: Panels dominated by CEOs, investors, and thought leaders from elite institutions. Missing are the teachers working double shifts in Title I schools, the students who’ve survived under-resourced classrooms, and the activists fighting for bilingual education or disability rights.
This isn’t about tokenism. It’s about acknowledging that those closest to the problems often hold the sharpest insights. If the summit’s goal is to “amplify all voices,” why does the agenda feel so hierarchical? Why are the stories of marginalized communities filtered through the lens of corporate storytelling?
Imagine a different model: What if the summit dedicated stages to students explaining how outdated textbooks or overcrowded classrooms stifle their potential? What if venture capitalists committed to funding startups led by educators of color, rather than Ivy League MBAs? The answers to these questions would reveal who the North Star truly serves.
A Call for Accountability—and Ambition
To the ASU+GSV Summit Committee: Your platform has the power to shape the future of education. But with that power comes responsibility. Here’s how you can realign with your stated mission:
1. Audit Your Priorities
Create transparent metrics for measuring impact. How many funded startups directly serve low-income students? What percentage of speakers represent underserved communities? Publish these numbers annually—not as PR, but as accountability.
2. Redefine “Innovation”
Expand the definition beyond tech. Invite community organizers, policy advocates, and classroom teachers to share strategies that don’t rely on venture capital. Celebrate incremental, unsexy wins—like a district doubling its college enrollment rates through counseling—as vigorously as AI breakthroughs.
3. Invest in Equity, Not Optics
Replace performative diversity panels with actionable commitments. Launch a fund for entrepreneurs from marginalized backgrounds. Offer free summit passes to educators working in high-need areas. Partner with HBCUs, tribal colleges, and rural districts to co-design sessions.
4. Center Lived Experience
Hand the microphone to those rarely heard. Let students testify about barriers they face. Let teachers explain what tools they actually need. Use these stories to shape the summit’s agenda—not just to punctuate keynotes with “inspiration.”
Final Thoughts: A North Star Worth Following
The ASU+GSV Summit isn’t just another conference. It’s a symbol of what education could become: inclusive, dynamic, and just. But symbols mean nothing without substance. If the committee truly wants to guide the sector toward equity, it must confront uncomfortable truths about who benefits from its current model.
This isn’t about casting blame. It’s about demanding better—for the first-gen student juggling classes and night shifts, for the teacher buying supplies out of pocket, for every learner who deserves more than empty promises. The North Star shouldn’t illuminate a path for the privileged few. It should light the way for everyone.
The world is watching. Let’s make sure the light reaches those who need it most.
Please indicate: Thinking In Educating » An Open Letter to the ASU+GSV Summit Committee: Who Does Your North Star Truly Guide