Where will the next wave of EdTech growth come from?

That was one of the big questions explored in Global EdTech 2026: Navigating Market Change, Proving Impact and Capturing Growth, a recent webinar delivered in partnership by Futuresource Consulting and Bett.

Bringing together Futuresource’s latest global education research with insights from the Bett audience, the session explored the trends, challenges and opportunities shaping EdTech in 2026 and beyond, from the future of classroom devices and AI adoption to the growing demand for evidence and opportunities across international markets.

Here are some of the big conversations from the session.

The device market is entering a new chapter

The pandemic accelerated technology adoption across education on an extraordinary scale. According to Futuresource, the global installed base of K12 mobile PCs increased from 91 million devices before the pandemic to 142 million by 2022.

But the market is changing.

By the end of 2025, the installed base had fallen to 127 million devices as funding became more constrained and devices left the global fleet faster than they were being replaced.

That doesn’t mean demand has disappeared. Quite the opposite.

Schools are sitting on ageing device fleets, while investment in PC technology remains a major EdTech priority. The challenge is turning that demand into purchasing power.

Rising component costs, constrained budgets and price volatility are making procurement more difficult, with some projects being delayed, scaled back or reconsidered altogether.

For EdTech businesses, that could mean thinking beyond the initial hardware sale. Device management, extended support, training, spare parts and device as a service models could become increasingly important as schools look to make technology work harder and last longer.

There’s still huge room for digital growth

Perhaps one of the most striking messages from the webinar was just how uneven technology adoption remains around the world.

While some highly developed education markets have reached widespread one to one device adoption, others are only at the beginning of their digital transformation.

Futuresource highlighted Asia Pacific as one example, where overall device penetration remains low and a relatively small group of countries account for the majority of the region’s installed base.

That creates a challenge around digital equity, but also significant headroom for the education technology sector.

The next phase of growth won’t simply be about replacing the technology schools already have. It will also be about reaching education systems where digital transformation is still gathering pace.

Evidence is becoming increasingly important

As budgets come under pressure, the question facing education leaders is shifting.

It’s no longer simply, “What can this technology do?” but, “What difference will it make?”

Evidence of impact is becoming an increasingly important part of the EdTech conversation. Schools and decision makers want to understand how solutions can improve teaching, learning and operational outcomes, and they need credible evidence to support investment decisions.

For solution providers, that means demonstrating impact clearly, understanding the outcomes customers care about and building evidence into the story around their products.

Innovation still matters. But increasingly, innovation needs to be accompanied by proof.

AI is moving from experimentation towards implementation

Of course, no conversation about the future of EdTech would be complete without AI.

Schools around the world continue to explore how artificial intelligence can support teaching, learning and administration, while the industry works through the practical questions surrounding adoption.

The opportunity is significant, but so is the need to move beyond AI for AI’s sake.

As adoption develops, successful solutions will need to respond to genuine education challenges and fit into the realities of schools, from infrastructure and budgets to teacher confidence, training and implementation.

The conversation is becoming less about whether AI will play a role in education and increasingly about where it can create meaningful value.

Think global, act local

One message ran throughout the webinar: there is no single global EdTech market.

Funding structures, infrastructure, procurement, policy and technology maturity vary enormously between countries and regions.

For businesses looking to grow internationally, understanding those differences is crucial. A successful proposition in one market can’t simply be lifted and dropped into another.

The opportunity is global, but the route to growth needs to be local.

Market demand is reflected in the Bett UK audience

The trends highlighted by Futuresource are also reflected in what education decision-makers are telling us at Bett UK. From AI integration and future skills to SEND and technology infrastructure, Bett UK audience insights show many of the same priorities shaping buyer demand.

For Doug Fairbrother, Head of New Business at Bett, it comes down to three things: “time, trust and proof.” Buyers are looking for solutions that can help address real challenges, demonstrate their impact and make a clear case for investment.

For solution providers, that creates a clear opportunity. The demand is there, and Bett UK brings together education buyers actively looking for solutions to address these priorities.

So, what comes next?

The global EdTech market is entering a fascinating period.

Schools want to continue their digital transformation, but tighter budgets are changing how they invest. Ageing device fleets need replacing, but economic pressures could extend refresh cycles. AI is creating new possibilities, but buyers increasingly want evidence of genuine impact. And while some education systems are digitally mature, enormous opportunities remain in markets where adoption is still developing.

For the EdTech community, navigating what comes next will require more than great technology.

It will require a deep understanding of educators’ challenges, stronger evidence, smart approaches to international markets and, most importantly, continued conversation between the people building technology and those using it.

That’s exactly why partnerships like Bett and Futuresource Consulting matter: bringing research, educators, policymakers and the EdTech industry together to better understand where education is heading next.

Missed the webinar?

Catch up on the full Global EdTech 2026 webinar, delivered in partnership with Futuresource Consulting and Bett, to explore the research, data and discussion in more detail.

Want to learn more about the Bett audience and how Bett UK could support your business goals? Get in touch with our team.