I have developed the blueprints for a place-based mobile learning platform called “Mobile Learning Lab”. My elevator pitch video is embedded next.
Elevator Pitch

Venture Pitch
Rational
The elearning market is forecast to reach $15 billion by 2015 (Ambient insight, 2011), with the elearning markets in Asia, Africa, and Latin America all forecast grow at more than twice the rates for North America and Western Europe (Docebo, 2014). Mobile network infrastructure is leapfrogging traditional communications infrastructure in many developing regions, making mobile networks a critical backbone to the global elearning market.
In the final report from UNESCO’s Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2014), the importance of education in the development of sustainable communities and societies is reinforced by the findings of the UNESCO initiative. Education is increasingly being seen as critical in equipping individuals with the knowledge and skills required to be actively engaged citizens in their communities, as well to be able to perceive their role in the larger global community. Place-based learning – an educational framework that embeds learning in the local environment – is particularly well-suited to adapting education to the local conditions, and helping to develop a sustainable society.
Mobile Learning Labs sits at the intersection of these two major global trends, and is therefore in an excellent position to leverage mobile learning to meet the goals of long-term human sustainability. The video below is intended to complement the written components of my Venture Pitch.

Mobile Learning Lab – Key Features:
- Mobile Learning Management System (mLMS):
Use the Mobile Learning Lab mLMS to develop place-based mobile learning modules using your computer, tablet, or mobile device. Standard activities and resources are supported, and enhanced through the use of location mapping that embeds the activity in a specific geographic location.
- Mobile Learning Lab Marketplace:
Teachers and instructional designers can publish their completed mobile learning modules to the Mobile Learning Lab Marketplace, where other teachers or organizations can purchase the packaged content to use with their students. Mobile Learning Lab takes a portion of the transaction as part of the business revenue. Users can pay a fee for premium marketplace visibility, thus increasing the exposure of their modules and increasing their sales. By embedding a commerce gateway within the system, Mobile Learning Labs incentivizes creative teachers and instructional designers to use the platform, and also secures users of content through investment in purchasing content.
- Mobile Learning Lab Mobile application:
This is the interface between the student and the learning content. The Mobile Learning Lab app interacts with the location feature on a student’s mobile device to send them push notifications when they are approaching a location of a learning activity. Students can engage with the learning materials in their mobile device, and post photos and responses to discussion questions.
Business Model
Mobile Learning Lab is designed to generate revenue from the transactions within the marketplace, as well as from selling premium positions in the marketplace product lists. Teachers who are generating their own content and students who are accessing assigned content will not be charged to use the platform.
The Ask
Mobile Learning Lab is looking for investors or business partners to help take this concept from the drawing board to the global mobile learning market. Please email Benferrel@gmail.com if you are interested in being part of the trip.
References:
Ambient insight. (2011). The worldwide market for mobile learning products and services: 2010-2015 forecast and analysis. Accessed at: http://www.ambientinsight.com/Resources/Documents/Ambient-Insight-2010-2015-Worldwide-Mobile-Learning-Market-Forecast-Executive-Overview.pdf
Docebo. (2014). Elearning market trends and forecast 2014-2016. Accessed at: https://www.docebo.com/landing/contactform/elearning-market-trends-and-forecast-2014-2016-docebo-report.pdf
Unesco. (2014). Shaping the future we want: UN decade for education in sustainable development (2005-2014) final report. Accessed at: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0023/002301/230171e.pdf