The phenomenon of strategic catalysts and barriers in education technology entrepreneurship: A multi-case study and comparative analysis

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Abstract

Educational technology (EduTech) entrepreneurship in Bangladesh is expanding rapidly, yet growth remains uneven across income and urban-rural divides. Using an exploratory multi‑case qualitative design, we compare three leading ventures (10 Minute School, Shikho, and Bohubrihi) through 27 semi‑structured interviews and four focus groups, analyzed via reflexive thematic analysis with a hybrid codebook, constant comparison, and an audit trail. Two catalysts consistently supported scale: localized, curriculum‑aligned content and cloud/artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled delivery that can lower cost‑to‑serve and guide learning progression. Two barriers constrained inclusive growth: device/data affordability tied to rural connectivity gaps, and governance/finance frictions that slow partnerships, approvals, and investment pipelines. A comparative lens from Malaysia suggests that coordinated policy rails, teacher professional‑development pathways, and programmatic/blended finance can crowd in private capital and accelerate school integration. The study contributes to debates on governance and innovation in the education industry by showing why regulation and data governance shape whether digital learning systems translate into equitable outcomes (Xhafaj et al., 2022; Tridalestari & Prasetyo, 2024).

Keywords: EduTech Entrepreneurship, Strategic Catalysts, Barriers to Scale, Digital Inclusion, Cloud- and AI-Enabled Learning, Policy and Blended Finance

Authors’ individual contribution: Conceptualization — W.B.L., M.B.A., G.C.D., and R.S.; Methodology — W.B.L., M.B.A., G.C.D., R.S., and M.A.A.M.; Data Curation — W.B.L., M.B.A., G.C.D., R.S., and M.A.A.M.; Writing — Original Draft — W.B.L., M.B.A., and G.C.D.; Writing — Review & Editing — W.B.L., M.B.A., R.S., and M.A.A.M.; Funding Acquisition — W.B.L., M.B.A., G.C.D., R.S., and M.A.A.M.

Declaration of conflicting interests: The Authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

JEL Classification: I21, L26, M13, O33

Received: 13.08.2025
Revised: 12.11.2025; 14.01.2026; 27.03.2026
Accepted: 21.04.2026
Published online: 24.04.2026

How to cite this paper: Latif, W. B., Amin, M. B., Debnath, G. C., Salehin, R., & Al Mamun, M. A. (2026). The phenomenon of strategic catalysts and barriers in education technology entrepreneurship: A multi-case study and comparative analysis. Corporate and Business Strategy Review, 7(2), 196–204. https://doi.org/10.22495/cbsrv7i2art18