About Us | AphraSiaZX Educational Business Consulting

Our Journey

AphraSiaZX began in 2015 when four former educational technology executives noticed a critical gap in the EdTech ecosystem: innovative ideas were flourishing, but founders lacked the specialized knowledge to create sustainable business models that preserved educational integrity while achieving financial viability.

Our founders—Dr. Eliza Thornton, Marcus Chen, Dr. Amara Okafor, and Richard Vega—pooled their expertise in educational technology strategy, financial modeling, curriculum design, and regulatory compliance to create a consulting firm exclusively focused on helping educational ventures thrive.

What started as a small consultancy operating out of a shared office space in Saskatoon has grown into a respected firm with clients across North America, Europe, and Asia. In our first year, we helped just five clients navigate the challenges of educational business development. Today, we support over 50 clients annually, and our team has expanded to include specialists in user experience design, learning analytics, and international educational markets.

Throughout our growth, we've remained true to our founding principle: that the best educational businesses serve both learners and stakeholders by creating sustainable models that don't compromise on educational quality or accessibility.

Our Mission & Values

Mission

To empower educational innovators with the business acumen, strategic guidance, and technical expertise needed to create sustainable ventures that transform learning experiences while maintaining educational integrity.

Core Values

Educational Integrity

We believe that educational ventures must prioritize learning outcomes alongside business goals. We help clients build models that don't compromise on pedagogical quality.

Data-Driven Innovation

Our recommendations are grounded in thorough market analysis, user research, and performance metrics. We value evidence over intuition.

Inclusive Growth

We advocate for educational business models that expand access rather than restrict it, creating sustainable approaches that can serve diverse learning communities.

Ethical Technology

We guide clients in implementing educational technologies that respect user privacy, promote accessibility, and use algorithms that avoid bias and discrimination.

Meet Our Leadership Team

The experts guiding educational ventures toward sustainable success

Dr. Eliza Thornton

Founder & CEO

Former director of educational technology initiatives at Harvard University with a Ph.D. in Learning Sciences. Eliza has helped develop scalable learning platforms for over 15 years and specializes in strategic growth planning for educational innovations.

Marcus Chen

CFO & Financial Strategy Lead

MBA from Wharton with specialization in educational business models. Previously CFO of two successful EdTech startups with combined exits of $45M. Marcus brings deep expertise in creating sustainable revenue models for educational ventures.

Dr. Amara Okafor

Chief Education Officer

Curriculum development expert with experience across K-12 and higher education. With an Ed.D in Curriculum & Instruction from Columbia, Amara led content strategy for major educational publishers before joining AphraSiaZX.

Richard Vega

Chief Legal Officer

JD with specialization in educational technology regulations. Richard previously served on regulatory committees for educational data privacy and brings expertise in FERPA, COPPA and international educational compliance frameworks.

Our Achievements

Measurable impact in the educational technology landscape

120+

EdTech Ventures Supported

We've provided comprehensive consulting services to over 120 educational technology ventures across different growth stages, from pre-seed startups to established companies seeking expansion.

$85M

Funding Secured for Clients

Our strategic guidance and financial modeling have helped our clients secure a combined total of $85 million in investment funding from venture capital firms, angel investors, and educational grant organizations.

14

Successful Client Exits

Fourteen of our client companies have achieved successful acquisitions or IPOs after implementing our strategic recommendations and optimizations, with valuations far exceeding initial projections.

92%

Client Retention Rate

We're proud that 92% of our clients continue working with us long-term, reflecting our commitment to delivering measurable value and building lasting partnerships in the educational sector.

Client Testimonials

What educational innovators say about working with us

"AphraSiaZX transformed our educational platform from a promising concept into a scalable business. Their unique combination of educational expertise and business acumen helped us secure Series A funding that was 3x our initial target. Their guidance on course structure and monetization strategy directly contributed to our 85% user retention rate."

Jennifer Mackenzie

CEO, LearningTree

"When we were preparing for international expansion, AphraSiaZX provided invaluable guidance on regulatory compliance and localization strategies. Their deep understanding of educational markets in Europe and Asia helped us avoid costly mistakes and accelerated our entry into key regions. Their team's responsiveness and expertise exceeded our expectations."

Dr. Rajiv Patel

Founder, MedEd Connect

"As a corporate training platform, we struggled to demonstrate our value proposition to enterprise clients. AphraSiaZX helped us develop robust ROI metrics and a pricing structure that resonated with corporate decision-makers. Their financial modeling directly contributed to our successful exit at a valuation far beyond what we initially thought possible."