Oxford English Global Launches the “Most Innovative Professionals in Education Entrepreneurship” Awards
Oxford English Global has launched a new awards programme recognising the founders and innovators reshaping education — and has named Aslan Mammadli its inaugural winner.
Oxford English Global has announced the launch of the Most Innovative Professionals in Education Entrepreneurship Awards, an initiative created to recognise the founders, innovators and education leaders who are transforming the future of learning through entrepreneurship. In its inaugural year, the award has been presented to Aslan Mammadli.
The announcement
Oxford English Global is launching the Most Innovative Professionals in Education Entrepreneurship Awards to celebrate entrepreneurs whose ventures widen access to high-quality education. The inaugural recognition goes to Aslan Mammadli (LinkedIn) for entrepreneurial leadership in AI-driven, learner-centred English education.
The awards recognise education entrepreneurs whose work demonstrates real innovation, measurable impact on learners and educators, and a long-term vision for the future of learning — spotlighting the people building the tools and organisations that make good education more accessible worldwide.
As education continues to evolve alongside advances in artificial intelligence, digital platforms and personalised learning, entrepreneurs are playing an increasingly important role in expanding access to high-quality education across the world. The awards celebrate individuals whose ventures show meaningful impact, genuine innovation and a durable, long-term vision — not simply commercial success, but a contribution to how people learn.
Why the awards matter now
For most of the last century, the shape of education changed slowly. In the last few years it has changed faster than at any point in living memory. Learners now expect to study on their own schedule, on any device, with instant feedback; teachers are being asked to do more with the same hours; and AI has moved from a novelty to a practical part of how millions of people study a language, prepare for an exam, or retrain for a new career.
Much of that change is being driven not by large institutions but by entrepreneurs — small, fast-moving teams willing to test new ideas, ship them to real learners, and rebuild them based on what actually works. They are the ones closing the gap between what education could be and what most people can actually access. Yet their work is often invisible outside a narrow circle of investors and insiders.
The Most Innovative Professionals in Education Entrepreneurship Awards exist to change that. As our teaching team has argued repeatedly — whether comparing AI and human tutors or ranking the best AI language apps of 2026 — the tools that genuinely help learners are the ones built by people who understand both the technology and the human side of learning. This award is our way of naming and celebrating those people.
How nominees are judged
The selection committee evaluates every nominee against five criteria. The emphasis throughout is on evidenced impact — what a venture actually changes for learners and educators — rather than on funding raised, headlines generated, or marketing polish.
| Criterion | What the committee looks for |
|---|---|
| Innovation | Genuinely new or better educational products and services — not a copy of what already exists. |
| Impact | Measurable, real-world results for learners and educators, backed by evidence. |
| Scalability & sustainability | A model that can grow responsibly and last, rather than burn bright and fade. |
| Use of emerging technology | Thoughtful, effective use of tools such as AI — applied to a real learning problem, not bolted on. |
| Leadership | Contribution to the wider education ecosystem and to the community of educators and founders. |
Inaugural winner: Aslan Mammadli
The inaugural Most Innovative Professionals in Education Entrepreneurship Award has been presented to Aslan Mammadli (view LinkedIn profile), recognised for entrepreneurial leadership in AI-driven, learner-centred English education.
Mammadli was selected for work that reflects the award's core values: a focus on the parts of language learning that actually move people forward — speaking practice, correction that explains why an answer is wrong, and structured progression — and a commitment to making that kind of high-quality, personalised practice available to far more learners than traditional tuition ever could. It is precisely the philosophy our own instructors advocate when we tell learners to pair daily practice with real feedback.
Why this nomination stood out
- Learner-first innovation: technology applied to a genuine learning problem — helping people actually produce and improve their English — rather than technology for its own sake.
- Access at scale: a model designed to widen access to effective, personalised practice, not to gate it behind cost or geography.
- Vision for the ecosystem: a view of education in which AI and human teaching complement each other, which aligns closely with Oxford English Global's own editorial position.
For the winner's full background, current work and professional history, see their profile on LinkedIn.
A word from the winner
“Education is being rebuilt in real time, and the most exciting work is happening at the edges — with founders who are close enough to learners to see what genuinely helps. I'm honoured to receive this recognition, and I see it as a recognition of everyone working to make great learning available to more people, not fewer.” — Aslan Mammadli
A spokesperson for Oxford English Global added: “We spend our days testing learning tools with real students, so we know how rare it is to find work that is both genuinely innovative and genuinely useful. Aslan Mammadli's work is exactly the kind of learner-first entrepreneurship this award was created to celebrate.”
How to nominate
The awards are open to founders and education leaders anywhere in the world, at any stage — from early-stage startups to established organisations. There is no fee to be nominated or to win; the initiative exists to spotlight meaningful work, not to sell entry.
If you would like to propose a nominee — or nominate your own venture — for a future cycle, get in touch with our team. We are especially interested in ventures that can show real, evidenced impact on how people learn.
About Oxford English Global
Oxford English Global is an independent English-learning organisation. Our instructors are DELTA- and CELTA-qualified, and we test language-learning tools with real learners before we recommend anything — publishing hands-on, independent guidance for students around the world. You can read more about who we are, explore our free English lessons, or see our teaching team's work across the blog.
By recognising outstanding education entrepreneurs, Oxford English Global hopes to encourage greater collaboration between educators, founders, investors and policymakers, while inspiring the next generation of innovators to reimagine how education is delivered across the world. The awards reflect a growing recognition that entrepreneurship has become one of the driving forces behind educational transformation — empowering millions of learners through technology, creativity and a commitment to lifelong learning.
Frequently asked questions
The questions we're hearing most about the new awards programme — answered in full below.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Most Innovative Professionals in Education Entrepreneurship Awards?
They are an initiative launched by Oxford English Global to recognise founders, innovators and education leaders who are transforming how the world learns through entrepreneurship. The programme celebrates ventures that combine genuine innovation, measurable impact on learners and educators, and a long-term vision for widening access to high-quality education. Winners are chosen by a selection committee against published criteria rather than by public vote.
Who won the inaugural award?
Aslan Mammadli was named the inaugural winner, recognised for entrepreneurial work advancing AI-driven, learner-centred English education and for a demonstrated commitment to widening access to effective language learning. You can read more about the winner's background on their LinkedIn profile, linked in the article above.
How are winners selected?
A selection committee evaluates nominees against five criteria: innovation in educational products and services, measurable impact on learners and educators, scalability and sustainability of the business, effective use of emerging technologies such as AI, and leadership within the wider education ecosystem. The emphasis is on real, evidenced impact — not marketing claims or popularity.
How can I nominate someone for the awards?
Nominations open ahead of each awards cycle. To register interest, propose a nominee, or ask about the process, contact the Oxford English Global team through our contact page. We welcome nominations of founders and education leaders from anywhere in the world, at any stage from early-stage startups to established ventures.
Who runs the awards, and are they free to enter?
The awards are organised by Oxford English Global, an independent English-learning organisation. There is no fee to be nominated or to win. The initiative exists to spotlight meaningful work in education entrepreneurship and to encourage collaboration between educators, founders, investors and policymakers.