Editor’s note: This is one in a series of profiles about the men and women who are creating today’s EdTech companies.
By Kenna McHugh
Jay Goyal, co-founder and CEO of Actively Learn, traces his path into educational technology from an early career in economics and public service. After earning a B.S. in Economics from Duke University, Goyal spent his early professional years in business development and then joined a small team responsible for shaping the federal approach to airport security in the wake of 9/11.
Working within the Department of Transportation, Goyal and his colleagues helped design the framework that became the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). That work covered practical, nationwide decisions such as workforce sizing, uniform standards, recruitment of government employees, and the flow of passengers through security checkpoints at airports of varied sizes. Goyal recalls presenting manpower and staffing visuals when TSA leadership testified before the Senate—an experience that left a lasting impression on him.
After his work on airport security, Goyal broadened his experience overseas, studying microfinance and spending time in South Asia and Honduras. He returned to the United States to attend Harvard Business School, and later worked at Microsoft. There he reunited with his childhood friend Deep Sran; the two pooled their complementary experiences in business and education and founded Actively Learn in 2012.
Goyal credits an AP English teacher with sparking his appreciation for deep, thoughtful reading. That teacher helped him experience how close, reflective reading can change a student’s perspective and strengthen comprehension and engagement. Inspired by that influence and by conversations with Sran about education and innovation, Goyal set out to design a digital environment that brings deliberate reading practices into classrooms while giving teachers better tools to guide learning.
Deep Sran brought direct classroom experience to the partnership—having served as a teacher, curriculum designer and school founder. Together they envisioned an EdTech product that complemented rather than replaced instruction: technology that empowers teachers to foster deeper reading and critical thinking among students. Their central belief was that technology should enhance what skilled educators already do, not attempt to substitute for effective teaching.
Actively Learn launched with the mission of giving teachers practical tools and instructional models to enrich reading experiences across subjects. The platform focuses on supporting teachers to design lessons that increase reading stamina, develop comprehension, and create opportunities for student reflection and discussion. Under Goyal’s leadership, the company emphasized user-centered product development: understanding teachers and students as the primary users whose needs drive design decisions—an approach Goyal also applied while working on consumer products at Microsoft.
Goyal has spoken about the broader trends in education and technology over the past two decades. While the education sector has seen a surge of new tools and startups, he notes that not every product meaningfully simplifies teachers’ work or deepens student learning. For him, the most valuable EdTech solutions are those that make teaching more effective and learning more measurable and equitable.
In October 2018, Actively Learn was acquired by Achieve3000, a move that united two instructional approaches aimed at strengthening students’ reading skills through online curriculum and differentiated instruction. Following the acquisition, Deep Sran transitioned to Achieve3000 as Senior Vice President of Learning, while Goyal remained as CEO of Actively Learn, continuing to lead the platform and manage a small team focused on product development and classroom impact.
Today, Goyal continues to emphasize thoughtful research and social responsibility in product development. He stresses the importance of closely understanding educators and learners so that technology supports better outcomes—helping teachers create deeper learning experiences and enabling schools to track growth more effectively. Actively Learn’s approach reflects that philosophy: technology designed to serve teaching and to foster meaningful reading and learning in classrooms.
About the Author
Kenna McHugh is a staff writer at the Learning Counsel. Her work spans education technology, K–12 curriculum design, and tutoring, and she has contributed to books and instructional materials in film and writing. McHugh writes curriculum for schools and supports students by helping them build learning skills and confidence in academic settings.