Agenda for Open edX Biz Dev Meeting

• Meeting Details:
  Open edX WG-BizDev
  Wednesday, 28. May · 17:00 to 18:00
  Timezone: Europe/Berlin

• Meeting Link: https://meet.google.com/xxd-cntx-mjv

• Bring your creativity and energy—let’s make it count!

Please review this agenda, prepare in advance, and contribute your ideas beforehand.

Objectives for Today:

@annabel.cellini 's Go-To-Market strategy discussion and presentation.

GTM presentation Business Development Working group 5/7

Questions to be discussed in the BizDev:

Abstract Technology - @Jaimin Pavashiya

1. In several European countries, As per the report and already mentioned that Moodle still dominates due to long-standing adoption. What GTM strategy would you suggest for shifting institutions toward Open edX?

2. From your view @annabel.cellini , which European sub-regions seem most aligned with our current GTM hypothesis - and where might we need to adjust?

3. Any suggestions on how can we as European providers support the broader GTM goals while still addressing regional differences in procurement, regulation, and market maturity?

4. Could there be value in forming a dedicated European GTM working group under the BizDev umbrella - would you support that kind of initiative?

5. How do you think we can best position Open edX to tap into the growing demand for micro-credentials and non-degree learning in Europe’s public sector?

@Juan Camilo Montoya :

• what are the the key areas/ features this GTM strategy identifies as lacking and important for the platform to strengthen in the near future.

• can we elaborate a bit more in regards to Axim’s focus and the pilot programs?

• what is the current status of this GTM strategy, is it still a proposal or is it fully approved. if not yet approved what are the timelines for discussion / approval in axim?

• where do us (open edx partenrs) fit insde this GTM strategy or how can we support its execution?

Abdul Ahad

• Moodle has a defined partners and strategy for corporate learning and workforce development. Do we have any plans or a strategic direction aimed at the corporate learning sector?

what are your thoughts on the opportunities to leverage AI to support the idea of “leap frogging” with the platform functionality or use cases?

@Natalia Vynogradenko

Questions about Verticals:

• Why were only these segments specifically chosen? Were there clear selection criteria?

• Why are other segments, such as K-12, not being considered?

• What are the key differences between these Value Propositions:

  • Platform for upskilling - community college

  • Platform to deliver CBE degrees/programs?

• Are we correct in understanding that these are just hypotheses for 2025 that need to be tested?

Brand Awareness Questions

• Would you agree that the main focus for Open edX growth is the level of brand recognition? It will be nice to understand your take on that.

Next Steps

• What will be the next actions after analyzing the strategy?

• Will we focus even more on increasing brand awareness?

• We believe that there can be multiple verticals, but for brand building, clear positioning is necessary. Would you agree?

Focus on Multiple Directions

• Our concern, that probably currently, focusing on different directions will be impossible due to the amount of work needed to adopt Open edX to them. Although, wew opportunities will arise with the new architecture, where plugins can be used to create solutions for different segments.

Technical Strategy

• Will a technical strategy be developed after PMF?

• How do you see the development of verticals in the market?

• If we choose one market, does it mean we (as a community) will not work in others?

 Corporate Segment

• Should we consider partnerships with training providers (Microsoft, Cisco) to create bundled solutions (courses + platform)?

Community Colleges

• Is the Community Colleges market limited? How many are there?

• Are there international equivalents (e.g., post-schools in Europe)?

• How do we evaluate whether the hypothesis is validated? For vendors, it is the ability to create stable revenue and retain vendors in the community.

@Santiago Suarez:

• Does Axim have a sustainability strategy for Open edX? If so, what does it involve?

Meeting Notes:

Date: 28.05.2025

Open edX WG-BizDev - 2025/05/28 10:56 EDT - Recording |  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EriEQ3wM_f7gljQfcusDkw99LruvlEeB/view?usp=drive_link
Open edX WG-BizDev - 2025/05/28 10:56 EDT - Chat |  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QS7Bak-pJa2XrBWjKHqTwGyYuptfBvi3/view?usp=drive_link
Open edX WG-BizDev - 2025/05/28 10:56 EDT - Transcript |  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VNVjOSbTtABHPMCyyv_Yl_zgCD0Y0pmupk-etYQLSC0/view?usp=drive_link

Key Discussion Points:

1. Recap from - 2025-05-07 BizDev WG Meeting

2. Review of Confluence Questions and In-Depth Responses

Question 1: Strategy Against Moodle in Europe
Open edX is strategically well-positioned to capture market share from Moodle, particularly in Europe. Moodle is reportedly transitioning towards monetization, which might alienate its traditional open-source base. Northern Europe, which favors open-source purity, presents a prime target. The strategy includes:

• Creating an adoption list of current Moodle users.

• Targeting institutions in open-source aligned geographies.

• Participating in European edtech conferences.

• Learning from corporate training companies that have white-labeled Moodle for internal use (e.g., Totara).

Question 2: Regional Fit with G2M Hypothesis
There is a pan-European need for upskilling and reskilling driven by AI and tech transformations. Countries with formal mandates for workforce development (e.g., EU goals for 2030) may present strategic alignment with Open edX's capabilities. A research task was identified: catalog which European governments have national upskilling mandates.

Question 3: Supporting G2M While Addressing Regional Variation
Localized case studies are critical. Existing case studies from Germany and Spain (e.g., German UDS) should be highlighted. Regional examples are more persuasive in Europe than global ones. Recommendation: Develop and present regionally sortable case studies on Open edX's website to support G2M efforts.

Question 4: Dedicated European G2M Working Group?
Both @annabel.cellini and @Edward Zarecor voiced support for a community-led European working group under the BizDev umbrella. Region-specific knowledge is essential, and the same logic applies to other and South Asia.

Question 5: Microcredentials in Europe
The public sector is increasingly focused on alternative credentials. Key strategies include:

• Presenting at conferences (not just attending).

• Leveraging education-focused publications.

• Publicizing Open edX’s microcredentialing capabilities and implementations.

• Aligning media coverage with AI's impact on education.

@Jenna Makowski added: The product roadmap supports microcredentialing through modular content delivery, with upcoming features in the December release further strengthening this.

Question 6: ROI of Previous G2M Activities
There is no current formal analysis, but @annabel.cellini shared her experience:

• High ROI for content creation and thought leadership (low cost, long-tail value).

• Mixed ROI on conference attendance.

• Best strategy: Thought leadership + targeted events + account-based marketing (ABM).

• Example: Global Skills Week generated 12+ leads with high conversion at low cost.

Question 7: G2M Feature Gaps
@Jenna Makowski emphasized the need to:

• Enhance the libraries feature to support modular course design.

• Support competency-based learning models.

• Develop flexible learner experiences and delivery pathways.

• Expand data and analytics capabilities.

@Edward Zarecor added: AXIM is working with a firm to map competency-based education needs and identify specific feature gaps.

Question 8: Pilot Programs – Objectives
Pilots serve three purposes:

• Identify and validate product gaps.

• Create showcase implementations.

• Package scalable solutions that reduce institutional adoption barriers.

Question 9: Community Role in Pilots
@Juan Camilo Montoya asked how regions can help identify pilot candidates.

Response:

• No geographic limitation; international pilots welcome.

• Key: Must offer valuable feedback and show potential for sustainability.

Question 10: Status of G2M Strategy
It is in hypothesis-testing stage but board-supported. Pilots are underway (e.g., via Unicon). Feedback will shape further roadmap evolution.

Question 11: Pilot Benefits vs Regular Adoption

• Support is case-by-case (e.g., content migration, project management).

• Commitment from the institution is required.

• Goal: Self-sustaining implementations that inform broader roadmap.

Question 12: Corporate Learning Market Strategy
@annabel.cellini discussed Moodle’s and Totara as a successful for-profit use case. AXIM won’t directly support such ventures but encourages partners to build similar offerings. The Open edX platform can serve SMEs well in this fragmented market.

Question 13: Why Three Segments?
Segments (Higher Ed Upskilling, National Workforce, Corporate Learning) were selected based on:

• Market size and growth.

• Alignment with AXIM's mission (economic mobility).

• Existing organic Open edX adoption.

• A scoring rubric factored 8+ criteria including government interest, impact, and infrastructure readiness.

3. Additional Contributions

@Angie Ruíz:

• Recommended cleaning and analyzing lead data (e.g., org size, personal emails).

• Suggested bundling Open edX with content libraries for SME adoption.

• Proposed community certification programs to create Open edX experts.

@Stefania Trabucchi:

• Requested ROI data not just on events, but across all G2M strategies.

@Santiago Suarez

• Asked about AXIM’s long-term sustainability model.

• Annabel laid out a three-pronged model:

  1. Grow demand and the provider ecosystem.

  2. Increase contributions through broader adoption.

  3. Attract philanthropic support via an innovation fund.

@Abdul Ahad:

• Emphasized the role of AI in content personalization.

• Noted trends in shifting away from general course creation to competency-driven experiences.

@Natalia Vynogradenko:

• Asked for distinction between:

  1. Open edX as a platform for upskilling community colleges.

  2. Open edX as a platform for CBE (competency-based education).

• @annabel.cellini responded: CBE is a subset of the broader upskilling strategy. It enables content personalization based on prior learning or work experience.

4. Action Items & Next Steps

NEXT MEETING: Jun 18, 2025, same time 5 (CET)

2025-06-18 BizDev WG Meeting

For the upcoming meeting, that sharing 1-2 outcomes or results from the focus group is mandatory for all participants/members.