On October 4–5, 2025, Playmove Canada proudly took the stage at EduTeach 2025, one of the most prestigious international education conferences, held in Toronto. This marked a major milestone in our first year of operations in Canada — and a global recognition of over 13 years of inclusive EdTech development.
Our session, titled “Empowering Neurodivergent Learners: Lessons from 13 Years of EdTech Innovation at Playmove,” was led by our CEO, Henrique Bilbao, and focused on how Playmove’s ecosystem — combining accessible hardware, pedagogical software, teacher training, and data-driven analytics — has evolved to support children with cognitive, motor, and neurodevelopmental disabilities.
But the real value of EduTeach 2025 went far beyond presenting our own experience.
🌍 Global Learning, Shared Commitment
With speakers from over 12 countries, EduTeach 2025 offered a rare opportunity to listen, learn, and reflect on the many ways educators and innovators across the globe are tackling the challenge of making learning accessible to all.
Here are some key learnings we brought home:
- Inclusion is contextual.
While the need for inclusion is universal, its execution varies significantly across countries. In Scandinavian contexts, for example, inclusion is built into national curriculums and supported by strong governmental infrastructure. In contrast, speakers from Southeast Asia highlighted the vital role of community-based models in the absence of strong public systems. - Data matters — but interpretation matters more.
Several speakers emphasized the increasing role of AI and data analytics in special education. However, there was consensus that raw data must be paired with humanized interpretation — especially when tracking progress among neurodivergent learners, where growth can be nonlinear and deeply individualized. - Teachers need more than tools — they need trust.
One of the recurring themes was the need to empower educators, not just with training, but with autonomy. In countries like Finland and New Zealand, teacher-led customization of EdTech tools was shown to significantly improve outcomes — a reminder that technology must serve pedagogy, not the other way around. - Cultural humility is critical for global EdTech.
For those of us building education technology with global ambitions, a clear message emerged: there is no one-size-fits-all solution. We need to localize not just the language or content, but also the values embedded in our tools — particularly when working with vulnerable communities.
🔄 Reflections for Playmove Canada
These discussions enriched our vision for Playmove Canada. While our tools were born in Brazil, the process of adapting them for Canadian schools has shown us the value of co-creating solutions with educators, researchers, and local communities.
We return from EduTeach with renewed purpose:
- To embed international insights into our platform development;
- To promote research partnerships that validate and refine our impact;
- To remain curious and humble, always listening before building.
We thank the EduTeach organization for this incredible opportunity, and we extend our gratitude to every educator, policymaker, and innovator we met at the event. Together, we are shaping a future where every child — regardless of ability — has the right tools to thrive.