As schools face mounting budget pressures and rising expectations, procurement leaders are under increasing pressure to deliver measurable impact from edtech investments. Veejay Lingiah (pictured), CEO of FlashAcademy®, shares his perspective on how AI, centralised decision-making and a sharper focus on outcomes are reshaping the education procurement landscape…
Tell us about your company, products and services.
FlashAcademy® is an AI-powered platform that helps schools assess, support and track pupils with English as an Additional Language (EAL). We work with schools, Trusts and international groups to standardise admissions, identify need quickly, and provide targeted learning pathways, while giving leadership clear visibility of progress and impact.
What have been the biggest challenges the Education Procurement industry has faced over the past 12 months?
Budget pressure combined with rising expectations. Schools are being asked to do more with less, while also navigating a crowded market of tools, many of which promise impact but lack evidence or integration into existing workflows.
And what have been the biggest opportunities?
A shift towards group-level decision making. Trusts and international groups are increasingly standardising tools across their estate, creating opportunities for solutions that deliver consistent data, measurable outcomes, and operational efficiency at scale.
What is the biggest priority for the Education Procurement industry this year?
Clarity of impact. Leaders want to know: does this improve outcomes, save time, and align with wider strategy? Procurement is becoming less about features and more about evidence, integration and long-term value.
What are the main trends you are expecting to see in the market this year?
More centralised procurement at Trust and group level, greater scrutiny on ROI, and a move away from standalone tools towards platforms that connect assessment, teaching and reporting into one coherent workflow.
What technology is going to have the biggest impact on the market this coming year?
AI, but specifically AI that is embedded into real workflows. Tools that reduce teacher workload, improve assessment accuracy, and generate actionable insights will stand out. Generic AI on its own won’t be enough.
Next year we’ll all be talking about…?
Which platforms actually delivered measurable impact from AI. The conversation will shift from experimentation to accountability.
Which person in, or associated with, the Education Procurement industry would you most like to meet?
A forward-thinking Trust CEO or Chief Education Officer who’s reimagining how data and AI can operate across an entire school group, not just at classroom level.
What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learnt about the Education Procurement sector?
How long great ideas can take to scale, even when the need is obvious. Procurement cycles, risk management and stakeholder alignment all play a huge role.
You go to the bar at the Education Forum – what’s your tipple of choice?
Old fashioned.
What’s the most exciting thing about your job?
Seeing something we’ve built genuinely change outcomes for students, especially when it scales across an entire school group.
And what’s the most challenging?
Balancing speed and quality. The pace of change is rapid, but in education we have to get things right, there’s no room for shortcuts.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Hire people better than you, and then get out of their way.
Succession or Stranger Things?
Both.
