Anant Agarwal

Inspirer
DISC Type : di

Chief Academic Officer at 2U

Weston, Massachusetts, United States

Overview

Anant Agarwal is the Chief Academic Officer at 2U, founder of edX, and a professor at MIT, with a Ph. D. from Stanford. Described as the "Steve Jobs of online education, " his work focuses on increasing global access to high-quality, life-changing education. He is a serial entrepreneur and a pioneer in computer architecture.

Outside of his professional roles, Anant is passionate about transforming education into a fundamental human right. In his spare time, he enjoys "hacking" on WebSim, an online circuits laboratory he contributes to. He has also expressed an interest in science fiction and the future of AI in personal conversations.

Unique fact: Anant is a recipient of the Padma Shri, one of Indias highest civilian honors, and once held a Guinness World Record for the largest microphone array.

Personality Overview

Confident & Optimistic

Charming & Persuasive

Decisive

They usually prefer to drive the conversation.  They don’t mind taking a stand if they believe in something. They respond well to objective pitches but also attach some value to relationships.

Topics They Care About

AI in Education
His recent focus is on using AI innovations, like the Xpert Learning Assistant, to create personalized learning experiences and augment teachers to become "super teachers. "
Accessible Education
His life's work is driven by the mission to make quality education accessible to everyone, everywhere, regardless of their social or economic status, as evidenced by his founding of edX.
Future of Learning
He champions modular, lifelong learning through online platforms, advocating for new formats like MicroBachelors programs to meet the needs of a changing workforce.

Media Appearances

From Career Upskilling to Lifelong Learning: A Q&A with 2U's Anant .... Featured in Campus Technology

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Anant Agarwal - edX. Featured in edX

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Keynote Presentation 2023 – Anant Agarwal (Open edX). Featured in Open edX

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Work History

1-2024
Chief Academic Officer at 2U
7-2022 - 1-2024
Chief Platform Officer at 2U
11-2021 - 7-2022
Chief Open Education Officer at 2U
6-2015
Commission member at The Education Commission, the International Commission on Global Education Financing
2014
Founder and CEO at edX

Education

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from Stanford University
Bachelor's Degree from Indian Institute of Technology, Madras

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 35 Location : Weston, Massachusetts, United States Job Level : Leadership Designation : Chief Academic Officer at 2U
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Insights For Selling To Anant

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Look like someone who is on top of their game
  • Clearly address the competitive aspects
  • Focus on the big picture and the strategic value of your product

DONT's

  • Don’t be too verbose or overly friendly; a little bit, however, is fine
  • Don’t be very informal even if they are being so themselves
  • Don’t keep repeating the same information, it could make them impatient

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Anant is

  • Confidence in the product’s value is critical, followed by relationship and a sense of achievement.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Anant

  • They will not hesitate to say no if they do not develop conviction.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Anant move?

  • They can take fast decisions if they develop conviction in the product and find you trustworthy.
  • Can Anant take some risk or not?

  • They have the capability of taking risky decisions if necessary.

You And Anant

Personality Compatibility


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