In 2025, I led comprehensive market research for the EdTech Taiwan Expo to identify strategic opportunities at a critical market inflection point. The research revealed that Taiwan's EdTech industry is recovering from post-pandemic decline while accelerating due to AI integration, with investment and adoption rebounding strongly. The findings informed expo strategy, exhibitor positioning, and engagement approaches to maximize industry impact.
ROLE
Lead Researcher & Strategic Analyst
RESEARCH SCOPE
- Surveyed 905 education stakeholders (teachers, administrators, EdTech professionals)
- Analyzed Taiwan's EdTech market structure, customer segments, and competitive landscape
- Developed 3 strategic user personas with behavioral insights and decision criteria
- Delivered actionable recommendations for 100+ exhibitors and expo organizers
KEY FINDINGS
Market Dynamics
AI-Driven Market Recovery
Following the post-pandemic slowdown in EdTech investment, generative AI has reignited market momentum. 2024 marked a clear rebound in EdTech funding as entrepreneurs developed AI-powered learning solutions.
Mature Market with Rising Micro-Entrepreneurs
- 49% of EdTech companies established 20+ years ago (traditional publishers transitioning to digital)
- 91% are SMEs with limited resources, highly sensitive to cost-effectiveness
- Growing number of micro-businesses (individual educators, influencer teachers, content creators) entering the market
Expanding Market Segments
- K12 education remains dominant (39.9% of revenue, with elementary 25% and middle school 24% highest)
- Adult learning market rising (68.8% in corporate segment)
- Early childhood education and corporate training expanding rapidly
High Adoption Readiness
- 55% of respondents are early adopters or innovators - eager to test new solutions and serve as word-of-mouth amplifiers
- 33% are early majority - require proven success cases and stability evidence
- 93% view EdTech positively for improving efficiency and learning outcomes
Critical Implementation Gap
- Despite positive attitudes, K12 digital transformation faces significant gaps in teacher support
- 40% cite cost as primary barrier, 35% lack motivation, complex government procurement processes deter vendors
- Individual learning market suffers from content overload and trust scarcity
Strategic User Personas
I developed 3 detailed personas representing distinct decision-makers in Taiwan's EdTech ecosystem:
1. Director Li (李主任) - The Stable Implementer
Educational Administrator | Early Adopter
Profile: Female, 46-55, Academic/Teaching Director at public middle/high school (600-1000 students), Master's degree
Pain Points:
- Using LMS/SIS for only partial courses with integration difficulties
- Teachers have varying adoption rates, insufficient IT support
- Must comply with MOE regulations and navigate complex subsidy processes
- Vendor proposals often too idealistic without operational support
Decision Criteria:
- Does it reduce teacher workload and simplify administrative processes?
- Can it integrate seamlessly with existing SIS/LMS systems?
- Does it align with government subsidy programs (e.g., Smart Learning Advancement Plan)?
Budget: NT$800K-3M annual (6-9 month planning cycle from policy application to implementation)
What Exhibitors Should Provide: Policy-aligned solutions with teacher training packages, integration support, efficiency case studies, and interactive booth experiences enabling "ask, touch, take-home stories"
2. Teacher Yang (楊老師) - The Advanced Integrator
Curriculum Innovation Leader | Early Adopter
Profile: Female, 36-45, Subject coordinator, Master's degree, 8-12 years teaching experience
Goals:
- Convert new technology into effective teaching tools that improve student outcomes
- Find platforms that integrate with existing lesson prep, assignment submission, and grading workflows
- Cultivate students' digital literacy and learning autonomy
Pain Points:
- Materials and tools lack direct connectivity, requiring time-consuming format conversion
- Cross-platform account management is complex
- Students have varying digital literacy levels
- Outdated school hardware and unstable internet make ideal implementations difficult
Decision Criteria:
- Can I test a free version first to confirm effectiveness?
- Does it offer modular customization that integrates with my existing teaching habits?
- Are there actual classroom case studies demonstrating differentiated instruction?
Budget: Tests free versions first, invests only after confirming value; prioritizes long-term utility
What Exhibitors Should Provide: Modular demo areas, differentiated instruction strategy showcases, teacher resource trial packages, and presentation templates showing real classroom applications
3. Teacher Lin (林老師) - The Steady Adopter
Homeroom/Subject Teacher | Early Majority
Profile: Female, 36-55, Bachelor's degree, 15-25 years teaching experience, digitally familiar but not trend-chasing
Goals:
- Find ready-to-use tools that reduce lesson prep burden
- Don't want to drastically change teaching methods - just assist and optimize
- Hope technology improves student engagement and classroom interactivity
- Want school support and peer adoption to reduce solo exploration uncertainty
Pain Points:
- Learning new tools takes too much prep time away from teaching
- Teaching environment and tool support often disconnect (unstable networks, systems can't sync)
- Previous failed tech attempts have reduced confidence and motivation
Decision Criteria:
- Is there a success case where tools directly apply to my existing curriculum structure?
- Is it an integrated all-in-one platform that reduces multiple logins?
- Is there an implementation guide or teaching template to lower trial barriers?
Budget: Prefers proven intuitive solutions with success cases; willing to invest if it lowers learning curve and administrative burden
What Exhibitors Should Provide: "No pedagogical change needed" use cases, curriculum transformation examples, one-stop platform integration diagrams, downloadable teacher implementation guides
STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on persona insights and market pain points, I provided exhibitors with targeted positioning strategies:
For Director Li (Administrators):
- Align products with government subsidy programs
- Emphasize implementation support: teacher training, technical assistance, resource integration
- Focus marketing on efficiency gains and integration capabilities
- Create interactive booth experiences enabling dialogue
For Teacher Yang (Advanced Teachers):
- Showcase modular, customizable tool demonstrations
- Provide differentiated instruction strategy showcases and learning path tracking examples
- Offer teacher resource trial packages and presentation templates
- Demonstrate how advanced features solve specific classroom challenges
For Teacher Lin (Steady Teachers):
- Present "seamless teaching logic" scenarios: What teachers currently do → What changes → Student impact
- Emphasize all-in-one integrated platforms with system integration flowcharts
- Provide implementation guides and teaching templates to lower trial barriers
- Show video examples of actual classroom transformations
IMPACT ON EXPO STRATEGY
This research fundamentally shaped the 2025 EdTech Taiwan Expo design:
Audience Engagement:
- The expo attracted 12,121 teachers for professional certification (5x growth over 6 years), with 200+ schools participating - validating the expo as Taiwan's premier EdTech adoption venue.
Exhibitor Positioning:
- 100+ exhibitors used persona insights to refine messaging, demo design, and engagement strategies - moving from feature-focused pitches to pain-point-driven solutions.
Program Design:
- Created targeted formats matching persona preferences:
- Teaching Case Salons for Teacher Yang seeking advanced strategies
- EdTech Small Gatherings for peer exchange
- Policy Forums connecting Director Li with government decision-makers
Market Narrative:
- Positioned the expo as an "action venue" connecting decision-makers, teachers, and government - not just a product showcase, but a platform for trust-building and co-creation.
METHODOLOGY
Survey Design & Distribution
Designed questionnaire targeting education professionals through EdTech communities and school networks • Achieved 905 valid responses
Quantitative Analysis
Analyzed market structure, customer segmentation, technology adoption patterns using Innovation Diffusion Theory framework • Identified adoption readiness and barrier distribution
Persona Development
Synthesized survey data with expo observations to create behaviorally-grounded personas • Defined goals, pain points, decision criteria, and budget dynamics for each segment
Strategic Translation
Converted research insights into actionable exhibitor recommendations and expo design principles • Presented findings at exhibitor briefing sessions
WHAT I DID
- Designed survey methodology and questionnaire structure
- Managed data collection across 905 education professionals
- Conducted quantitative analysis of market trends, customer segments, and adoption patterns
- Synthesized behavioral insights into 3 detailed user personas with goals, pain points, and decision criteria
- Translated findings into strategic recommendations for exhibitors and expo organizers
- Presented research at exhibitor briefings and strategy sessions
- Informed expo program design to maximize educator engagement