I am an IB student, which means that often I struggle to balance schoolwork with other commitments. Navigating your teenage years is challenging, especially along with a rigorous academic program. However, when I discovered Educrate I was amazed by its effective programming and multifaceted networking opportunities. By joining this community, I could share resources and learn my way around topics I found challenging to get through without student support. I was exposed to multiple perspectives and hosted virtual events that helped me make friends from around the world!
Forming connections is a powerful tool in this globalized world. Let's dive into how this organization came about and is now supporting students from around the world using innovative technology. I had the opportunity to interview Sally Lo, one of the organization's cofounders.
What was your inspiration for starting your organisation?
Flowchart from Educrate's Instagram Design
"The inspiration behind EduCrate came from my own experiences navigating the IB Diploma Programme and witnessing my peers’ struggles to find quality support tailored to their needs," Sally said.
I saw this gap within my own experiences. In my IB Biology class for example, our textbooks were not available for my first semester and I couldn't access relevant resources for review materials. Whatever resources I had access to were dated because our curriculum updated last year. Sally went on to discuss how her startup is pioneering a novel solution.
"I noticed a significant gap: students often lacked access to personalised resources that matched their unique learning preferences, and educators found it challenging to reach the right students effectively (yep, I experienced the educator-sided problem when I began to tutor IB Economics as a side hustle). EduCrate was born out of a desire to bridge this gap. Rather than relying on generic content, EduCrate channels the expertise of instructors and educators to the students who will benefit most, based on aligned teaching and learning styles. It’s about creating a space where educational support is not only accessible but also highly personalised and impactful."
What major issues or complications have you faced, and how did your team overcome them?
Managing and maintaining a global organization is no simple task. Outreach has multiple layers, and Sally emphasized finding a target audience.
"One of the biggest challenges was maintaining direct reach to IB students," she said. "When I first started EduCrate, I could leverage my connections with former tutees and their juniors, as well as contacts within my old school. However, as I moved further from the IB programme, reaching the latest cohort of IB students became more difficult. To overcome this, I developed an ambassador programme, tapping into a global network of IB schools and students. This programme not only helps us maintain visibility with each new IB batch but also establishes a sustainable succession model, empowering students to bring EduCrate’s resources to their peers and creating a lasting impact."
As one of her campus ambassadors, I can attest that Educrate is gaining visibility in my state because I have greater reach where I live compared to a student living in the UK, where the startup was founded.
What goals does your organisation have for future projects, and where do you see yourselves expanding over the following years?
Advertisement for an international mental health webinar I organized through Educrate!
According to the co-founders' perspectives and inside scoops from executive team meetings, there is a lot coming up for future projects and expanding their platform! EduCrate is already expanding beyond the IB programme, aiming to support learners across diverse academic levels and fields.
"Our immediate goal is to strengthen our platform’s ability to connect students with educators whose teaching styles align with their individual learning preferences," Sally said. "Rather than creating content directly, EduCrate uses AI to channel each educator’s expertise to the right students, fostering personalised and effective learning experiences. In the coming years, we envision EduCrate as a global educational marketplace, where students from any background can find tailored support, and educators can reach the audiences that will benefit most from their expertise."
Already, they are encouraging community bonds through a Slack workspace, Whatsapp group chat, and business team meetings where creatives organize virtual events. By hosting events, international students can earn CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) hours to fulfill IB requirements.
What advice would you give to aspiring young innovators and youth who want to make a difference in their community or on a global scale?
"My advice to young innovators is to start by thoroughly understanding the problem you’re passionate about solving. Dive deep into your target audience’s world—listen to their challenges, experiences, and needs. While it’s easy to get excited about an idea, grounding it in genuine, real-world needs is essential for long-term impact.
"Don’t hesitate to reach out to experienced individuals, seek mentorship, and actively build your network; often, opportunities arise from connections you nurture along the way. Put yourself out there to share your journey and showcase the impact you’re aiming to create. Lastly, never underestimate the power of resilience. Challenges are inevitable, but each one is a chance to learn and refine your approach. Maintain a curious mindset, stay receptive to feedback, and remember that building something meaningful takes time, persistence, and adaptability."
Get in Contact & Get Involved! All IB Students Can Become Global Ambassadors Today - a simple signup process for smooth onboarding.
Link to their website's message board
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