Perspectives from funders and providers in Southeast Asia on priorities, design, investment, and scaling considerations
According to the 2023 UNESCO GEM Report on Technology in Southeast Asia, the region’s EdTech sector is undergoing rapid expansion, and in particular, seeing growth in digital technology applications. These offer transformative opportunities to improve educational access, quality, and equity by reaching hard-to-reach learners, providing personalised learning and enabling inclusive learning environments. Yet, despite the expansion of digital infrastructure and increasing adoption of digital tools by teachers and students, the report notes that EdTech solutions are often inaccessible or limited for marginalised learners. Even on a global level, EdTech Hub’s research highlights that the global evidence tends not to consider heterogeneity between different groups of learners and their needs.
As part of the ASEAN-UK SAGE programme, EdTech Hub conducted a series of rapid evidence reviews to understand the evidence-base around EdTech for marginalised learners in the region (for girls, learners with cognitive and learning disabilities, learners with hearing and visual impairments, and out-of-school children and youth). Building upon this work, as well as regional reports developed by UNESCO GEM (2023) and the Asian Development Bank (2023), this landscape analysis responds to the call from regional educational stakeholders around the need for further inquiry about the extent to which the vast, ever-evolving, and fragmented digital EdTech landscape within the Southeast Asia region aligns with the needs of marginalised learners.
We interviewed 20 providers and 6 funders working across 8 countries in Southeast Asia. The funders represented a range of models, including venture capital, private equity, philanthropy, blended finance, and venture philanthropy. Our goal was to explore the extent to which EdTech stakeholders in the region consider and respond to the needs of marginalised learners – including out-of-school children and youth, marginalised girls, children in rural and remote areas, children with disabilities and special learning needs, refugee and migrant learners, as well as learners from ethnic and indigenous communities – through their design, investment, and scaling decisions. Our report focuses on initiatives targeting marginalised groups and those with potential to scale.
Through this landscape analysis, we found that EdTech has been increasingly used to support learners in building foundational skills. From tools that enhance teachers’ capacity to understand and use data in the classroom, to learning platforms that enable students to learn at the right level through gamification and targeted adaptive programming. This includes digital libraries that curate a repository of resources to enhance learning, and accessible online tutoring structures that support students’ beyond the classroom.
Our research aimed to answer four key questions:
1️⃣ Do EdTech solutions in Southeast Asia serve the needs of marginalised learners?
Efforts have been made to use technology to expand equitable access to more quality education for marginalised learners, but substantial gaps and challenges persist. Evidence of EdTech’s effectiveness in improving learning outcomes for marginalised learners in Southeast Asia remains limited and uneven. Our interviews with EdTech providers also revealed that there were few documented impact evaluations, with no unified framework or standard for assessing effectiveness. More evidence is needed to know if EdTech is improving outcomes for the region’s most marginalised communities.
2️⃣ How are different learners’ needs considered in EdTech design?
Many Southeast Asian EdTech providers develop their products with inclusivity in mind. Multi-stage feedback, localisation, and accessibility adjustments address diverse needs and regional challenges, promoting inclusive education. Offline-first solutions help overcome connectivity issues, while inclusive design features — such as localised interfaces, simplified navigation, and accommodations for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) — enhance usability for diverse needs. These efforts show promise of making EdTech more usable and equitable across different learners, especially those marginalised.
3️⃣ What are the barriers and opportunities to scaling EdTech for marginalised learners?
While EdTech providers were eager to scale, their efforts were mixed due to constraints in funding, capacity, infrastructure, and commitments to ensuring EdTech solutions were relevant to the new context. EdTech funders highlighted government regulation, risk-averse funding environments and a lack of strong evidence on outcomes as barriers when identifying scalable innovations. Both providers and funders recognised that partnerships with a range of actors, including the government, private sector, non-governmental organisations, and communities, could support scaling efforts. However, partners come with their own unique challenges and require time and trust to build. For instance, while governments could provide endorsements and access to learners and schools, providers also encountered challenges with slow, bureaucratic processes and regulations.
4️⃣ How do funders evaluate EdTech investments?
For many funders, educational impact is viewed as central to long-term success. Scaling is a major consideration too, but funders were mindful of financial sustainability and social impact. It is important to note that , ‘impact’ was defined differently by different types of funders, and the methods they used to measure it varied. This suggests that it is difficult for them to make comparisons across interventions and assess what works. A more unified approach to defining and evaluating success and investment in evidence generation could help the sector make better-informed decisions.
The analysis also presents several cross-cutting insights from the interviews conducted, highlighting possible areas to strengthen the EdTech ecosystem in Southeast Asia in ways that are inclusive, scalable, and sustainable. These include:
Building skills and capacity →
- Both EdTech providers and funders identified a need to build capacity, approaching it from different perspectives. EdTech providers said they needed more tools and knowledge to measure the impact of their interventions effectively. Meanwhile, funders emphasised the importance of strengthening technical and operational skills, such as for integration within the education system, and planning for sustainability. Bridging these capacity gaps is critical to ensure EdTech interventions are impactful and effective.
Growing the evidence base →
- While demands for evidence on EdTech’s effectiveness are not new, data remain limited. Some funders interviewed for this study have begun requiring EdTech providers to demonstrate impact, but limited provider capacity means rigorous measurement is still scarce. A stronger evidence base is essential for informing design and scaling decisions to better serve marginalised learners.
Working in partnerships →
- Collaborations consistently came up in interviews as an enabler to successful EdTech services that can reach marginalised regions. Providers highlighted the importance of local partnerships and community involvement, and called for more opportunities for exchanging insights. In addition, systemic barriers like the lack of digital infrastructure also require coordinated, multi-stakeholder action. Fostering collaborative partnerships is a key part of ensuring long-term, sustainable progress in the EdTech ecosystem.
What’s next
Stay tuned for future ways to engage with this landscape analysis and our work in Southeast Asia.
Online Webinar
This webinar will feature a panel discussion with Southeast Asian ministries of education and EdTech providers, focusing on lessons learnt and reflections on how EdTech can be leveraged to support marginalised learners more effectively.
- Date: Monday, 29 September 2025
- Time: 1PM JKT & VN / 2PM PH & Malaysia / 7AM GMT (est. duration 2 hours)
- Location: Online webinar
- Sign-up: Please sign up via the Zoom link provided
EdTech and AI Topic Briefs
October 2025 – February 2026. This series of topic briefs will synthesise key findings from the landscape analysis with key themes related to AI in education in Southeast Asia.
Spotlight Sessions
October 2025 – March 2026. This series will deep dive into specific topic areas related to EdTech in the region, including strategic partnerships, governance and regulation, ethical AI applications, and more.
This work is part of the portfolio of projects delivered by the ASEAN-UK SAGE programme. The ASEAN-UK SAGE programme is delivered by the British Council and SEAMEO Secretariat, in partnership with EdTech Hub and Australian Council for Education Research (ACER). ASEAN-UK SAGE is an ASEAN cooperation programme funded by UK International Development.
