Best Harvard Innovation Labs Podcasts (2025)

1
Joyful Learning is out today! Enjoy this special interview. 41:18

Play Pause

1d ago41:18

41:18

Today is the official launch date of host Kerry McDonald's new book, Joyful Learning: How to Find Freedom, Happiness, and Success Beyond Conventional Schooling! Check out this special interview—and get your copy of Joyful Learning wherever books are sold!By Kerry McDonald

1
“Try something else. Be happy.” Why a longtime public school teacher left to launch a microschool 35:17

5d ago35:17

35:17

Sulaya Williams has been a teacher and administrator in the Florida public schools for 15 years. She left the school system in June to pursue entrepreneurship full-time as the founder of Link Up & Build Global Academy. *** Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly email newsletter on education trends at edentrepreneur.org.…

1
AI for Climate Resilient Food Systems with ClimateAi’s Himanshu Gupta 46:16

7d ago46:16

46:16

ClimateAi co-founder and CEO Himanshu Gupta explains how hiscompany uses machine learning to forecast extreme weather and help businesses adapt to climate volatility. Himanshu shares his journey from rural India to co-founding ClimateAi while he was an MBA student. He describes how ClimateAi's "biophysics-driven AI" combines limited weather and cro…

1
“Alexa, how can I homeschool my kids?” 34:34

8d ago34:34

34:34

Think of Alexa Achille as an "Alexa" for innovative education in South Florida. A former special education teacher in the New York City public schools, Alexa finds great fulfillment in helping families discover the benefits of unconventional education. She is the founder of The Collabo in West Palm Beach, Florida, which empowers homeschooling famil…

1
How Mosaic is supporting self-directed education 30:55

12d ago30:55

30:55

Today on LiberatED, Kerry McDonald sits down with Bonnie Benjamin-Phariss, the Executive Director of Mosaic at WeAreBornToLearn.org—a vibrant online hub where families can reimagine education in meaningful ways. Founded by philanthropist Jeff Westphal and supported by the Jeff & Jenifer Westphal Foundation, Mosaic blends community with curated reso…

1
Two weeks until Joyful Learning! 3:37

15d ago3:37

3:37

Kerry's new book, Joyful Learning: How to Find Freedom, Happiness, and Success Beyond Conventional Schooling, will be on bookstore shelves two weeks from today—Tuesday, August 19th. Preorder your copy today at this link and use code JOYFUL20 at checkout for 20% off. Or visit your favorite local bookstore or online retailer to get your copy. *** Sig…

1
Opening a microschool after 20 years of teaching 41:26

19d ago41:26

41:26

Today's guest, Tiffany Blassingame, is reimagining Christian education. As the founder and lead teacher at The Ferguson School—a progressive, faith-based K-5 microschool in Decatur, Georgia—she blends over 20 years of experience in public and private education with a heart for helping students thrive. A fourth-generation educator, Tiffany primarily…

1
Designing for Resilience: with Alex Berkowitz of Coastal Protection Services 38:10

21d ago38:10

38:10

This episode is another in our series on Climate Resilience featuringAlex Berkowitz, Founder and CEO of Coastal Protection Solutions (CPS), astartup developing nearshore infrastructure that reduces wave energy and enhances climate resilience. Alex shares how her personal experience with Hurricane Sandy in her hometown of Rockaway Beach led to the c…

1
Primer founder Ryan Delk on creating a vast microschool network 37:54

22d ago37:54

37:54

Today's guest is Ryan Delk, cofounder and CEO of Primer, a fast-growing platform helping top teachers to launch microschools in their communities. He’s spent the last decade building tech companies (like Square, Gumroad, and Omni), and was homeschooled from kindergarten through 8th grade. Ryan lives in San Francisco with his wife and three kids. **…

1
Why a public school teacher opened Lighthouse Christian Academy 38:07

26d ago38:07

38:07

My guest today is Emma Rodriguez, founder of Lighthouse Christian Academy, a microschool in Frisco, Texas that opened in January of this year. After graduating from Texas A&M University, Emma spent seven years teaching in one of the largest and fastest-growing school districts in the country. While she loved the classroom, she saw firsthand how tra…

1
A physician launches a new Islamic microschool 35:50

29d ago35:50

35:50

Today's guest is Sana Khan, a Board-certified Family Medicine Physician and founder of Ihsan Academy of Texas Microschool, a full-time, in-person program serving Grades 1-8 in Katy, Texas. The word Ihsan is Arabic for "Excellence", highlighting the vision of the school to provide Excellence in both the knowledge and application of the Islamic faith…

1
In suburban Ohio, a former public school teacher launches a nature-based microschool 36:02

1M ago36:02

36:02

Jackie Bonath was a public school teacher for 14 years before quitting her job earlier this year to launch Creekside Cottage School, a full-time, multi-age microschool located in Gahanna, Ohio, a close suburb of Columbus, that is focused on nature-based learning. With 20 students already enrolled for this fall, and daily inquiries from interested p…

1
Investing in Climate Resilience and Poverty Alleviation: Acumen Founder & CEO Jacqueline Novogratz 57:24

1M ago57:24

57:24

In this Climate Rising episode in our series on climate resilience, Jacqueline Novogratz, Founder and CEO of Acumen shares how impact investing is agriculture is helping smallholder farmers build climate resilience. Jacqueline shares insights from two decades of investing in poverty alleviation that includes climate resilience and adaptation social…

1
In rural Ohio, a former public school teacher launches a literacy-rich microschool 32:11

1M ago32:11

32:11

Today’s guest is Pam Frankforther, founder of Pioneer Reading Center in Wayne, Ohio. Pam left her job as a longtime public school teacher this year to launch Pioneer as full-time microschool for students with dyslexia and other learning differences. She was motivated to create a science-backed, literacy-rich learning environment for children in her…

1
Managing Entrepreneurial Growing Pains & Regulatory Ambiguity 38:19

1M ago38:19

38:19

Jennie Jones is an Entrepreneur-In-Residence at FEE's Education Entrepreneurship Lab. She is a former professional ballerina, turned homeschooling mom of four, turned education entrepreneur who launched her home-based microschool, Treehouse Agile Learning Community, in St. George, Utah last fall and is expanding into a second location this fall. Je…

1
How OpenEd is expanding personalized education options to more families 38:26

1M ago38:26

38:26

More than a decade ago, Matt Bowman cofounded My Tech High as a platform that enabled personalized, customized learning through tuition-free partnerships with innovative public and charter schools and in collaboration with individual education providers. With a bold vision to expand personalized learning options to more families, Matt recently rebr…

1
Forecasting Climate Risk with Geospatial AI: Sarah Russell of X , the Moonshot Factory at Alphabet 35:09

2M ago35:09

35:09

This episode, part of the Climate Rising series on climate resilience, features Sarah Russell, General Manager of Project Bellwether at X, The Moonshot Factory at Alphabet (formerly Google X). Sarah shares how geospatial data and artificial intelligence can help communities and businesses anticipate and respond to climate risks. Sarah shares insigh…

1
From former elementary school teacher to Phoenix faith-based learning pod founder 40:22

2M ago40:22

40:22

Deja Hillis is the founder of Faithscape Learning Pod, a faith-based K-5 microschool in Casa Grande, Arizona, near Phoenix, which she launched in August 2024. An early elementary school teacher for nearly a decade, Deja has a passion for literacy education and is the author of four children’s books. *** Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly email newsle…

1
“So many parents don’t feel listened to.” From middle school math teacher to microschool founder 38:42

2M ago38:42

38:42

Today’s guest is Joanna Cervantez, founder of A Fuller Education Microschool just outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania which she launched in the fall 2024. Joanna has both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in education and began her career as a middle school math teacher in inner-city Los Angeles, later teaching in a school for an orphanage in El S…

1
From math teacher to hybrid school founder in Louisiana 34:42

2M ago34:42

34:42

Today's guest is Kate Lundquist, founder and principal of Northshore Prep Academy. A former public high school math and physics teacher, Kate opened her secular K-8 hybrid school in Mandeville, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans, in 2015. Today, Northshore Prep Academy has 75 students enrolled. *** Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly email newsletter …

1
From physician to founder, with Barbara Jauregui Wurst of Acton Academy Falls Church 32:48

2M ago32:48

32:48

Today's guest is Barbara Jauregui Wurst, a medical doctor and adjunct professor at George Washington University who cofounded Acton Academy Falls Church in Northern Virginia in 2021. Read Courage To Grow by Acton Academy cofounder, Laura Sandefer. Check out this new article at our Education Entrepreneurship Lab by a recent graduate of an Acton Acad…

1
Closing the Loop by Recycling Apparel: Reju CEO Patrik Frisk 43:43

2M ago43:43

43:43

Patrik Frisk, CEO of ReJu, joins Climate Rising to discuss his company’s mission to recycle textile waste and build circular supply chains for apparel made of polyester fabric. Patrik brings his prior experience leading Under Armour and other global brands across the textile and footwear industry for over 35 years. Patrik describes how ReJu turns d…

1
Pre-launch plans: A former special education teacher prepares to open a new school 24:08

2M ago24:08

24:08

Today's guest is Cassandra Orozco, the founder of Beacon of Hope Academy, a faith-based microschool serving K–5th grade students with special needs in Lake Worth, Florida, set to open this fall. As a certified special education teacher with experience in both charter and private schools, Cassandra is passionate about reimagining education to better…

1
Alexandra Batista Rodriguez on creating a microschool for students with special needs 44:02

2M ago44:02

44:02

Today’s guest is Alexandra Batista Rodriguez, founder and director of Steps Learning Center in Orlando, Florida, a specialized K-8 microschool for neurodiverse learners with moderate to significant special needs. Steps Learning Center takes a nontraditional, student-centered approach to learning, and serves a variety of families through various fle…

1
Why a former public school teacher launched an Ohio Acton Academy 36:44

2M ago36:44

36:44

Today’s guest is Sara James, a former public school teacher who founded Spark Christian Academy, an Acton Academy affiliate in Harrison, Ohio, near Cincinnati, in 2022. *** Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly email newsletter on education trends at edentrepreneur.org.By Kerry McDonald

1
An Apogee Network Micro-High School Takes Root in Texas 37:55

3M ago37:55

37:55

Today’s guest is Sarah Pevehouse, founder of Apogee Dripping Springs Micro High School in Dripping Springs, Texas, west of Austin, which she launched in 2024. With a background in Waldorf and alternative education, Sarah has served as a teacher, administrator, and enrollment director, shaping real-world learning experiences for students. She has ta…

1
Extending Apparel Lifespan: ThredUp CEO James Reinhart 38:02

3M ago38:02

38:02

James Reinhart, CEO of ThredUp, one of the largest online resale platforms for secondhand clothing. James co-founded the company while he was a Masters’ student at Harvard and has spent the last 15 years scaling a national logistics and digital infrastructure platform for resale. In this episode James describes why the company decided to handle phy…

1
Why more families of color are choosing homeschooling, with Homeschool Our Way founder, Elan Page 43:12

3M ago43:12

43:12

Today's guest is Elan Page, the founder of Homeschool Our Way based in Dallas, Texas. She created Homeschool Our Way in 2023 to help other families of color avoid the overwhelm she had experienced in starting something new. Homeschool Our Way offers a weekly podcast, an online course called the Homeschool Launch Blueprint, homeschool coaching servi…

1
A longtime Florida hybrid homeschool founder reflects on today’s innovative education movement 41:25

3M ago41:25

41:25

Today's guest is Ali Kaufman, a longtime education entrepreneur who began offering tutoring services more than two decades ago and has since built a thriving hybrid homeschool program, Space of Mind, in Delray Beach, Florida that today serves dozens of K-12 students with both full-time and part-time enrollment options. *** Sign up for Kerry's free,…

1
Public microschooling gains popularity and support 40:13

3M ago40:13

40:13

Today's guest is George Philhower, Superintendent of the Eastern Hancock Public Schools in rural Charlottesville, Indiana, who is launching and leading the new Indiana Microschool Collaborative, a non-profit network designed to bring the microschooling model into the public education system. Read more about public microschooling in Kerry's latest F…

1
A former public school teacher launches a new Mississippi microschool 41:13

3M ago41:13

41:13

Nefertiti Harris is a former public school teacher, mom of five, and founder of Empowered Prep Academy, a microschool located in Jackson, Mississippi for students in grades 3-12 who desire a flexible and more individualized learning environment. As a certified special education teacher, Nefertiti focuses specifically on helping dyslexic students an…

1
Designing for Circularity at Scale: A Conversation with Karen Pflug of Ingka Group 46:27

3M ago46:27

46:27

In the latest episode of Climate Rising from Harvard Business School, Karen Pflug, Chief Sustainability Officer of Ingka Group (IKEA), shares how IKEA is embedding circularity throughout its business model. She discusses how IKEA is redesigning iconic products like the Billy bookcase to make them easier to disassemble and repair, how secondhand ret…

1
Encouraging new educational models in New Hampshire 38:03

3M ago38:03

38:03

Today's guest is Jody Underwood, the founder and president of EdOpt, a platform offering information, support, and connections to New Hampshire families who want to explore their education options. Jody has spent most of her professional life involved in education, including getting a Ph.D. in science and technology education to complement her Mast…

1
Exploring alternatives to college 37:58

3M ago37:58

37:58

My guest today is Connor Boyack, founder of the Libertas Network, prolific author, creator of the wildly popular Tuttle Twins book series, and now the new president of Praxis, the decade-old apprenticeship preparation and placement program that the Libertas Network recently acquired. *** Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly e-newsletter on education en…

1
Who needs college and who doesn’t, with author Kathleen deLaski 45:49

3M ago45:49

45:49

Today's guest is Kathleen deLaski, author of the thought-provoking new book: Who Needs College Anymore? Imagining A Future Where Degrees Won’t Matter. Kathleen spent 20 years as a journalist, including time as an ABC News White House correspondent. In the second half of her career, she has focused on education reform, cofounding or founding several…

1
A former public school teacher shares why she launched a Virginia microschool 38:30

3M ago38:30

38:30

Today's guest is Crystal Goins, a mom of 5 and founder of Heartwise Scholars Microschool in Chesapeake, Virginia. A public school teacher for over 13 years, Crystal joined the Kaipod Catalyst microschool accelerator program to help get her microschool off the ground, and opened her microschool last August. She shares insights and information for pa…

1
Advancing the Circular Economy: A Conversation with Lauren Rodriguez of Closed Loop Partners 41:45

4M ago41:45

41:45

Lauren Rodriguez, who leads partnerships at Circular Services, a Closed Loop Partners company, joins host Mike Toffel to discuss building the infrastructure and investment models needed to scale the circular economy. Lauren explains how Closed Loop Partners supports the transition from a linear to a circular economy through capital management, inno…

1
Since 2013, the Agile Learning Centers (ALC) network has been a leader in self-directed education 47:26

4M ago47:26

47:26

My guest today is Tomis Parker, cofounder of the Agile Learning Centers (ALC) network that launched more than a decade ago. Since 2014, Tomis has led business operations at ALC Mosaic in Charlotte, North Carolina, and he recently founded a new project called Prism, which is a web application designed to make it easier to document and communicate th…

1
How two homeschool moms created a North Carolina microschool 41:55

4M ago41:55

41:55

Today's guests are Laura Greene and Angela Ruth, cofounders of Harmony Homeschool Academy, a secular homeschool hybrid solution for middle and high school students in the greater Raleigh-Durham-Cary, North Carolina area. Laura is a licensed psychologist with a background in school psychology. She is also a homeschool parent. Angela is also a homesc…

1
The enduring popularity of homeschooling among US military families 49:09

4M ago49:09

49:09

Natalie Mack is a homeschooling mom of 5 children who has been serving military homeschooling families for more than two decades. Her husband is a US Navy chaplain who recently retired after 34 years of service. Through her business, Natalie Mack LLC, she offers consultations to homeschoolers. She is also the founder of the nonprofit Military Homes…

1
A retired education entrepreneur shares tips for new school founders 52:07

4M ago52:07

52:07

David Jackson is an entrepreneur and longtime executive director and president and CEO of Fairmont Schools, a large, secular private school located in Orange County, California serving students in preschool through 12th grade. Fairmont was founded in 1953 by Kenneth Holt, David’s stepfather, and then David joined the school in a leadership role in …

1
Scaling Reuse with Vytal: A Circular Economy Conversation with CEO Fabian Barthel 44:49

4M ago44:49

44:49

Fabian Barthel, Co-Founder of Vytal, a circular economy packaging-as-a-service startup, joins host Mike Toffel to explore the innovation, behavioral science, and regulations shaping the market for reusable containers for take-out food and beverages. Fabian shares how Vytal is tackling packaging waste by building a reusable container system for rest…

1
A Florida farm-based, faith-filled Acton Academy 35:10

4M ago35:10

35:10

Today's guest is Michael Bonifacio, the founder of Acton Academy Estero in Fort Myers, Florida. Part of the global Acton Academy network of learner-driven schools, Acton Academy Estero operates on a 32-acre working farm. It opened in January 2024 with 9 learners, and today has over 40—with more than 60 students projected for this fall. *** Sign up …

1
Homeschooling To College: Two Seniors Talk About Which College to Attend 56:20

4M ago56:20

56:20

In the final episode of our 4-part series on Homeschooling To College, Kym Kent and I are joined by our two homeschooled high school seniors as they reflect on their homeschooling experience, what the college admissions process has been like, and how they are narrowing down their many college acceptances to choose the one that is right for them by …

1
Why a homeschooling mom in Washington, DC created Kids & Culture Camp 35:06

4M ago35:06

35:06

Today’s guest is Jania Otey, a homeschooling mom and founder of Kids and Culture Camp, an educational enrichment program for homeschoolers and conventionally-schooled children located in Washington, DC. *** Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly LiberatED e-newsletter on education trends and entrepreneurial stories at fee.org/liberated.…

1
An online learning community for self-directed teens 35:24

4M ago35:24

35:24

Today's guest is Terry Travers, the founder and director of Astrolabe Academy, a unique high school experience and teen community that supports self-directed learners on their individual learning journeys. Terry has a background in communication design, ocean science, and sustainable farming. Passionate about alternative education, she began homesc…

1
Carbon Credit Ratings and Market Integrity: A Conversation on the Calyx Global Case 41:21

4M ago41:21

41:21

In this bonus episode of Climate Rising, we share an episode from Harvard Business School’s Cold Call podcast, featuring HBS professor Mike Toffel and Duncan van Bergen, Co-Founder of Calyx Global. The discussion focuses on Mike’s recent HBS case study, Calyx Global: Rating Carbon Credits, which explores how the company is helping improve transpare…

1
What is "school choice"? 36:36

5M ago36:36

36:36

Today's guest is Colleen Hroncich, a policy analyst with the Cato Institute's Center for Educational Freedom. She maintains the Private Schooling Status Tracker, which tracks private school openings and permanent closures along with tuition and demographic information when available. Each week in the Friday Feature blog series, Colleen shares inter…

1
Homeschooling To College: Insights from a College Admissions Counselor 55:49

5M ago55:49

55:49

In part 3 of our 4-part series on Homeschooling To College, Kym Kent and I talk to Rebecca Stuart-Orlowski, an independent college admissions counselor based in Southern California who helps students and families navigate the college admissions process. A former public school teacher, Rebecca homeschooled for 25 years, sending her own three childre…

1
Our 300th episode! Celebrating founders & families 4:45

5M ago4:45

4:45

Welcome to the 300th episode of the LiberatED Podcast! That’s hundreds of conversations, stories, and insights all centered around one core mission: reimagining education and helping families, educators, and innovators discover what’s possible beyond the conventional classroom. Check out Kerry's forthcoming book: Joyful Learning: How to Find Freedo…