Jamie Beaton

Finalist - EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2023 New Zealand

Crimson Education

Jamie has become a well-known face of young entrepreneurship, having co-founded Crimson Education as a teenager. He was just 17 when he filed the paperwork, although he couldn’t legally hold directorship status until his 18th birthday.

He was a high achiever from the start, receiving an academic scholarship to King’s College and becoming school valedictorian, as well as the national co-ordinator of Young Mensa. After applying to 25 of the world’s top universities, and receiving 25 offers of admission, Jamie set out to help others do the same.

“I recognised the dearth of opportunities some students have, simply because of their geographic location. I was determined to help other students access the education of their dreams and achieve ambitious goals,” he says.

Crimson Education started by sharing YouTube videos, seminars and flyers to support students through the global university admissions process, but Jamie quickly saw opportunities to expand into new educational products.

Making the transition from consulting to providing tutoring services, academic support, middle school counselling – and since 2019, an online high school – was a significant risk, not to mention moving into completely untested geographies like Russia. Jamie’s entrepreneurial drive and acumen saw him establish innovative partnerships and invest in digital marketing that perfectly captured his young market.

To support even greater accessibility, he launched scholarship programmes for high-achieving, low-income students. Jamie also supports entrepreneurial spirit within his own business. When a part-time tutor suggested expanding into career services, he made them head of the programme.

A decade on, the business has been valued at $1 billion.

“Prior to our commencing operations, the number of overseas students successfully applying to top US and UK schools was extremely limited. Since 2015, Crimson students around the world have received thousands of offers to US Top 50 and UK Top 10 universities. By providing students with personalised education and inspiring mentors, Crimson ignites their ambitions and pushes them further than they ever deemed possible, opening international doors that would otherwise have remained shut,” Jamie says.