Wolf&Grayson EditorialEducation is awash with powerful technology. Institutions talk openly about innovation, but translating ambition into scalable growth remains elusive. For tech entrepreneur Emir Tumen, innovation-first growth in education only works when AI and digital platforms are embedded into the core of how institutions operate.
He believes the challenge has little to do with access and everything to do with execution. “What holds organizations back isn’t the technology itself,” he says. “It’s the absence of clear use cases, governance, and commercial alignment around how innovation actually drives outcomes.”
Most educators recognize the potential of AI and data to improve learning outcomes and operational efficiency. The innovation gap emerges when those tools meet legacy structures, where data is fragmented and decision-making is often disconnected from product thinking. AI launches in these contexts become add-on experiments rather than a foundation for successful modernization.
“Many organizations now have access to advanced data and platforms,” says Tumen, “but they struggle to deploy them effectively because the business itself was never designed around adaptability.” The result is a cycle of pilots that never scale. Technology teams move faster than governance structures, and leadership struggles to connect innovation spend to commercial impact. Breaking that cycle requires a fundamental shift in how growth strategies are designed.
Designing for Adaptability
An innovation-first growth strategy starts with designing the organization itself for change. Technology evolves at a pace that makes static plans obsolete, so the only durable advantage is adaptability.
In practice, this means building scalable data foundations, modular platforms, and feedback loops that support rapid experimentation. Growth comes from continuous iteration informed by real-time insight from students, educators, and staff.
“The most successful organizations treat AI as a growth leverage,” Tumen says, “improving decision-making, personalization, and go-to-market speed, rather than just using it as a cost-saving tool.” When AI informs how programs are designed, marketed, and refined, it becomes inseparable from growth itself.
This approach also changes how risk is managed. Small, data-driven experiments replace large, irreversible bets. Institutions learn faster, adjust sooner, and scale what works with confidence.
Ecosystem Partnerships as a Growth Multiplier
No education organization can master every emerging technology internally. The market is moving too quickly, and the cost of building everything in-house is prohibitive. As a result, ecosystem-based partnerships are now a strategic necessity.
The most effective partnerships combine distinct capabilities into a shared value chain. AI and platform providers bring technical depth. Domain experts contribute educational insight. Distribution partners and innovation hubs accelerate reach. Together, they reduce time to market and limit technology risk.
“Partnerships allow organizations to move faster without over-investing internally in fast-moving AI markets,” Tumen says. For education providers under pressure to scale responsibly, that balance is critical. Ecosystems also create optionality, allowing institutions to evolve as technology shifts rather than locking into a single path.
Mapping AI to the Growth Engine
For education businesses reassessing their growth model, Tumen points to a clear first move. Identify where AI can create disproportionate value across the growth engine, not only within the product. Customer acquisition, engagement, and retention are often where the biggest gains lie.
The process starts with mapping data flows and decision points. From there, leaders can prioritize use cases that directly affect speed, scale, or margin. This discipline prevents innovation initiatives from drifting into disconnected experiments. AI becomes accountable to commercial outcomes.
Organizations that take this step early gain clarity. They know which investments matter, which metrics to track, and how innovation supports long-term sustainability rather than short-term excitement.
Why Global Innovation Hubs Will Shape the Next Phase
Looking ahead, Tumen sees innovation hubs evolving into platforms of convergence where capital, talent, AI, and market access intersect. For education businesses, growth is becoming ecosystem-driven rather than geography-driven. Location matters less than network.
“Being embedded in the right global ecosystem enables faster validation and cross-border scaling,” he says. These hubs act as launchpads, connecting organizations to partners who can accelerate adoption and refine offerings for diverse markets.
The institutions that thrive will be those that plug into these ecosystems early and use them strategically. Innovation-first growth is no longer about where an organization is based, but how effectively it connects ideas, data, and partnerships into a coherent system.
