American edtech firm picks Philippines for its Asian hub
American educational tech firm Instructure is kicking off its overseas expansion with the launch of its new hub in the Philippines, picking the country to be its springboard to other markets in the Asian region.
Instructure opened its Asia hub in Quezon City, marking the next chapter of the company’s global expansion.
The newly established office, with more than 150 employees, aims to enhance its capability to deliver region-specific services, such as information technology, human resources and marketing, while boosting Canvas’ global 24/7 support model for educators and institutions.
Instructure says the latest investment in Asia is a reflection of the continued commitment to supporting educators and learners worldwide through various tools and services.
“We are confident already that this is the right place for us to invest, by the nature of our existing community, by the feedback that we’ve got from our customers, by the Canvas natives that exist here and our commitment to the region,” Instructure Asia Pacific managing director Harrison Kelly tells the Inquirer in a recent interview.
According to Kelly, Instructure plans to pour more investments into the Philippines, albeit without disclosing any specific figures or plans. So far, the US company has earmarked a “significant portion” of the capital outlay to the country over the last few years.
“Our company is heavily invested in this region, thinking about the growth that we’ve had over those last five years and they want to match, if not increase, that over the next five years,” says Kelly.
“It will be commensurate with the growth that we see in the region. As we continue to grow, there will continue to be a need for us to invest locally and we will do that,” he adds.
Instructure is harnessing its 100-percent growth in the Philippines over the last five years to fuel its “bold global expansion.” The company is likewise grateful for the continued support from the Philippine government, he says.
The company likewise sees “diverse opportunities” to extend digital learning and cater to diverse learning needs through technology, Kelly says.
‘Significant’ market
“Over the last five years, [more] people [have been] leveraging the Canvas [Learning Management System]. That means there is not only a significant user base here, but also a generation of Canvas natives that we want to tap into and invest in that we know will resonate culturally with our significant market here in the Philippines and also throughout broader Asia,” says Kelly.
“We are tightly aligned with what DepEd (Department of Education) and CHED (Commission on Higher Education) are talking about, and that gives us some great confidence and faith in the setup that we have here and how we can support the market.”
Instructure sees Asia playing a major role in its international expansion, noting that technological advancements in education are driving rapid evolution and making learning more accessible than ever in the region.
Instructure CEO Steve Daly says the firm is cementing its footprint in the archipelago, aiming to meet the distinct needs of its growing customer base.
“Our commitment is to anticipate the emerging needs of our customers within Asia and to build educational tools that enhance, accelerate and elevate human potential everywhere,” Daly says.
Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, Instructure is the developer of Canvas Learning Management System (LMS), an open web-based software for managing online learning materials and interactions.
Recently, Instructure unveiled IgniteAI, which simplifies the use of artificial intelligence directly within Canvas and Mastery. Using the AI tool, educators can create quizzes, generate rubrics and summarize discussions, among other tasks.
Canvas LMS has been available in the Philippines since 2017, with five universities using the digital tool, including Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University and University of Santo Tomas.
