APAC Insider- Q4 2025 | 8 Specialising in transformational student engagement software, Cenote Solutions is the company behind Student Pulse, a comprehensive application that takes data from a client’s existing systems and uses it to boost conversion, reduce attrition, and improve student outcomes. At the helm of this operation is Mark Sampson, who became disillusioned with ‘big company’ approaches after spending more than 30 years working for them. We caught up with Mark to find out more about how he identified an underserved market and delivered a novel, results-driven solution. Having experienced first-hand the shortcomings of big organisations in areas such as innovation, leadership, and development, Mark Sampson knew there had to be a better way. Following a short period in interim executive roles, Mark discovered a niche that he not only felt passionate about, but which he believed had been glossed over by the big players in the field of technology training and education. Thanks to his global EdTech experience, Mark knew he could deliver a viable path for this initiative, in a reasonable timescale. Today, seven years removed, Mark and his team have developed Student Pulse, an application putting so-called market leaders to shame – all whilst building the foundations of Cenote Solutions, a sustainable and meaningful company. As Mark explained: “We focus on delivering genuine engagement and relationship management software to education and training providers, offering – at outstanding value for money – what the major CRM providers claim to, but to be honest, do pretty poorly and at massively high cost.” In short, what Cenote offers is more, faster, and better than industry giants such as Salesforce and Dynamics 365 – but with an infinitely improved return on investment. The simple, straight-talking approach that governs both this platform and the company behind it comes directly from Mark, who is tired of the endless debates about values and mission statements after spending decades embroiled within them. Thus, with Cenote and Student Pulse, Mark keeps it easy. Student Pulse is about empowering clients to deliver the best student experiences and help their staff maximise the support they deliver to students, whilst Cenote is a business that looks after its people with integrity and generosity. Exploring this further, the commitment the company has to affording the best outcomes for its clients can be seen through the time from initial conversions to the decision to implement Student Pulse being long – always months and often years. This is because Cenote aims to build trusted relationships in this sector, based on its dedication to deliver projects both on time and within budget, all without the overengineered project management. Mark told us: “The strategy is simple: build the best possible software to meet current and future market needs and deliver it to those who can move beyond transactional CRMs and into transformational engagement and relationship management technology.” Supporting Cenote in achieving this is its small size – which ensures alignment – and the genuine agility present across its design, development, and delivery. For example, system security and data privacy are two of the areas most heavily focused on by the team, and clients and prospects alike are both collaborated with to guarantee that this transformational student engagement software is brave, bold, and in tune with the bigger picture. Given that both the higher and vocational educational markets in Australia and New Zealand have faced some major challenges over the past few years, as well as the shifts in focus towards areas such as student wellbeing and campus safety, a platform like Student Pulse offers the results many institutions are after. However, the hard part is getting them to realise this and stop investing in the big-name systems that fail to deliver on innovation. Cenote’s innovative streak is something that Mark attributes to its people – a team of honest and hardworking individuals who understand what it is that the company is trying to build and why so much has been risked in making it a reality. Mark also makes a conscious effort to see that his team challenge him and push the boundaries, which they do. Ultimately, this all feeds into what is Mark’s ultimate aim with Cenote Solutions: to deliver a business that looks after its staff and clients alike, providing the latter with market-leading engagement management software that makes a real difference in the lives of staff and students working in this sector. Even though he is – by his own admission – ‘getting on a bit’ now, Mark remains committed to this aim at least for the next few years, before the search begins for a person or a company with the vision to take Student Pulse further. Contact: Mark Sampson Company: Cenote Solutions Web Address: https://www. cenotesolutions.com/ Best Specialist EdTech Innovation CEO 2025: Mark Sampson
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