In today’s rapidly shifting education landscape, scaling a SaaS business requires more than a compelling platform. It demands institutional trust, operational rigor, and a deep understanding of how colleges and universities truly work.
Having spent years working with higher education institutions navigate digital transformation and advising EdTech providers across North America, I’ve come to believe that sustainable scale — especially in higher education — is built on alignment, not acceleration.
Too often, I’ve seen promising SaaS companies push for growth without the strategic scaffolding to support it. In contrast, those that succeed embed themselves in the ecosystem, listen carefully to stakeholders, and scale not just broadly — but precisely. Here are five imperatives I believe are essential to doing just that.
Start with Stakeholder-Driven Design. SaaS success in higher education begins with understanding that your end users — learners / students, faculty, administrators — aren’t just customers. They’re co-creators in the learning journey.
When I helped lead academic and product strategy in past roles, we made it a priority to involve deans, faculty and enrollment leaders early in product design. Their insights didn’t just help us improve the tool — they helped us align it with institutional values. In higher education, empathy is a growth strategy.
Scale Through Purposeful Partnerships. One of the most effective growth accelerators is the right partnership. Whether with national research consortia, accreditation agencies, or mission-driven campus networks, these alliances help you scale not only your product, but your credibility.
At one point, I worked closely with Hispanic-serving institutions and regional associations to deploy digital platforms and artifacts that advanced student success. These weren’t just distribution deals — they were relationship platforms that unlocked long-term collaboration.
In higher education, growth happens at the speed of trust.
Anchor Execution in Meaningful Metrics. Too many EdTech firms track what’s easy, not what matters. Growth isn’t just about acquisition — it’s about engagement, renewal, and measurable institutional outcomes.
When advising SaaS companies or working with higher education leaders, I focus on aligning strategy to metrics like Net Revenue Retention (NRR), institutional impact scores, and student adoption benchmarks. Without that alignment, even great tools struggle to justify budget allocation.
Scale is not about more users — it’s about more value per user.
Build a Cross-Functional Culture of Agility. As someone who has led cross-border teams and supported platform growth across departments, I can attest: you don’t scale by adding layers. You scale by removing friction.
Success depends on real-time collaboration between product, customer success, implementation, business development and sales teams. I’ve seen organizations where these functions are siloed — and as a result, even the best innovations stall. In contrast, when teams are aligned, they adapt quickly and serve clients holistically.
Higher education moves slowly — your internal team shouldn’t.
Operational Reliability is Your Differentiator. Academic institutions don’t tolerate downtime. If your platform fails in the middle of registration, course placement, or an assessment cycle, you’ve just lost a partner.
That’s why strong support systems, multilingual onboarding, secure infrastructure, and transparent service-level expectations are essential — especially for institutions juggling multiple platforms and limited IT resources. I’ve led efforts where “white-glove” support made all the difference in client retention and expansion.
In this space, your ability to deliver consistently becomes your competitive edge.
Recommended Readings:
Eric Ries – The Lean Startup (2011)
A classic on iterative product development and learning loops, offering strategies for SaaS teams to adapt and scale based on real-time feedback.
Geoffrey Moore – Crossing the Chasm (2014)
Essential reading on how to move from early adopters to the mainstream market — especially important for EdTech startups trying to break into traditional institutions.
John Doerr – Measure What Matters (2018)
This book on the OKR framework helps leaders create organizational focus and accountability — a must for SaaS teams scaling across verticals.
