RTIH’s sister title EdTech Innovation Hub celebrates one year of delivering the latest news and views

We’re pleased to report that our sister title EdTech Innovation Hub is closing in on its first year anniversary.

The site, which focuses on the global education technology space, launched in December of last year.

Emma Cate Stokes

At the heart of its mission are founders, Emma Cate Stokes, someone with a unique journey and a deep seated love for education and Scott Thompson, who has a rich background in technology and a keen eye for innovation. 

Known as a Long Covid teacher on hiatus - a title she proudly created - her journey in education has been a busy one. Starting teaching in inner city London schools before moving to a disadvantaged coastal school, her roots in teaching, particularly in leading Early Years, Key Stage One, Maths, Reading and Art, laid the foundation for her expansive view on educational needs and possibilities.

Driven by her belief in the transformative power of education, Stokes has always been at the forefront of using technology effectively in schools. Her expertise extends to her role as Research Lead and curriculum development, where she advocated for innovative teaching methods. This experience, coupled with her role as a former NQT and trainee mentor and lead, has developed her commitment to nurturing and guiding fellow educators.

Her passion for education is not confined to the classroom. As an accomplished educational writer, she has contributed to esteemed publications like TES, Schools Week, The Headteacher, Teachwire, and Teach Primary. Her first book on vocabulary acquisition in the Early Years us published this month with Sage. 

Stokes’ role as an accredited coach via EMCC reflects her values of personal and professional growth values. Her approach to coaching, both pure and instructional, embodies her belief in empowering others to unlock their potential.

In her continuous pursuit to contribute to the education community, she co-founded #PrimaryEssentials - an annual online conference that offers CPD (Continuing Professional Development) for teachers, by teachers. 

You can connect with her on various social media platforms, where she shares insights, interacts with educators, and continues to advocate for educational excellence. She also occasionally tweets about cats. 

Scott Thompson

Thompson’s journey in the world of technology began over 20 years ago.

As a former editor of Retail Systems, he's been at the forefront of technology journalism, making complex topics accessible and engaging. His experience in senior editorial positions across various business and technology related publications has honed his skills in identifying and communicating key technological trends and insights.

Recognising a gap in the market for independent, insightful, and in-depth coverage of retail technology, Thompson launched Retail Technology Innovation Hub (RTIH) in 2017. His vision was clear: to create a platform that delved deeper than press releases and marketing hype, offering genuine passion and understanding of the fast-moving retail tech sector. 

RTIH exemplifies his dedication to harnessing technology to empower communities across different sectors. Under his leadership, the title has become the leading website for the global omnichannel retail technology community, and also expanded with the launch of a printed magazine, reports, and various events.