Five Social Impact EdTech Startups Selected for Accelerator
gener8tor and American Family Institute welcome seventh gBETA Social Impact Equity in Education cohort
CHICAGO - Five EdTech companies have been selected to participate in a national startup accelerator program. Academic Atlas, BLAST, Keys & Kingdoms, Mindfulness & S.T.E.A.M Lab, and MÜUD will participate in the eighth gBETA Social Impact Equity in Education program through national venture capital firm gener8tor.
gBETA Social Impact is a free, seven-week accelerator program designed to set a path for startups to pursue investment opportunities. Startup founders receive intensive concierge coaching and access to gener8tor's national network of mentors, customers, corporate partners and investors.
The five selected companies were chosen based on their growth potential and investor readiness. See below for more details on each company.
“Bridging equity gaps in education can be addressed in many areas of the education system by supporting parents, teachers and students where they are using relevant solutions for today. We are excited to work with founders who are creating solutions in bilingual literacy and well-being, STEAM programs, innovative music learning and centralization of pre-college opportunities. Each one of them is focused on outcomes for students, parents and communities that will result in transformational impact,” said Zaineb Al-Kalby, the gBETA Social Impact Program Manager.
The program is made possible by a partnership with American Family Institute.
“It is our mission to engage with innovative initiatives that are delivering equity and people-centered solutions to educational disparities. Supporting gBETA Social Impact enables us to provide access to world class mentors that will accelerate the success of these enterprising startup founders,” said Jilly Gokalgandhi, Equity in Education Strategist at the American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Impact.
At the end of the gBETA program, the startup founders will pitch their companies to investors, community partners and the public at a virtual showcase event at 6 p.m. CT on Dec. 18. RSVP here.
Startup companies and founders interested in learning more about gBETA’s programming and resources or applying to a future program can visit the gener8tor gBETA website, or reach out to Zaineb Al-Kalby at zaineb@gener8tor.com. Those interested in mentoring these companies or getting involved in other ways are also encouraged to connect.
gBETA Social Impact Education Fall 2024 Cohort
Academic Atlas provides a comprehensive search engine and central application for resume building youth opportunities. With Academic Atlas, students only need to submit one letter of recommendation, transcript, and other required documents, making the application process more efficient and empowering students to find and take advantage of a broad range of internships, apprenticeships and scholarships. Additionally, program administrators can widen their reach and streamline their admissions process. Academic Atlas’ user base has rapidly grown to 40,000 users across all 50 states and 20 countries since launching in June 2023 and is in partnership with five pre-college programs.
CEO: Dalia Albassam | dalia@academicatlas.org
BLAST empowers Latinx students by providing bilingual literacy assessments that ensure educational equity and support their academic success. BLAST’s mobile or web app for students evaluates student listening, speaking and literacy skills in both English and authentic Spanish and provides data analytics and teaching recommendations for educators and district leaders. BLAST is supporting 4,000+ students, 30+ schools and six districts with a 95% user retention rate, and is approaching $100K ARR in 2024.
CEO: Rocio Raña | rocio@langinnov.com
Keys & Kingdoms provides innovative music learning for K-12 students through a proprietary gamified learning platform. Keys & Kingdoms is designed to engage and retain all students into music learning by creating high quality personalized access for students of all skill levels while aligning to state standards. The program combines music education with immersive role-playing elements, where students embark on epic adventures and develop real-world music skills and abilities. Keys & Kingdoms has gained 15,000+ users; is operating in six states in 40 schools and onboarding another district with a pipeline of additional 100 schools; and is on track to realizing $120K ARR in its first year.
CEO: Graeme Winder | graeme@team.keysandkingdoms.com
Mindfulness and S.T.E.A.M. Lab (MSL) empowers young minds by integrating project-based learning and cutting-edge technology to invoke curiosity, stimulate creativity and nurture critical thinking. MSL offers in-person, hybrid and virtual programs for K12 schools, parents and educators seamlessly integrating science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) with social-emotional learning (SEL) to provide a comprehensive education that prepares students for the complexities of the modern world. MSL has successfully been operating since 2021 in urban school districts, reaching seven states, servicing 1,000+ students and 500+ families. Also, MSL partners with notable international and nationwide organizations including Gardyn, After School All-Stars (NYC), and 4-H’s MSU Extension. MSL has realized $187K ARR, doubling annual revenue in 2024.
CEO: Dr. Tori Ellis | dr.ellis@msymp.org
MÜUD addresses the urgent need for mental health support in K-12 schools in authentic Spanish and English. Using Artificial Intelligence, MÜUD’s tablet/phone app identifies emotions and provides early alerts, transforming student well-being into an immediate priority. MÜUD provides insights of early signs of stress, anxiety and peer conflict, thus ensuring a safe and conducive school environment for learning. MÜUD has gained 4,000+ students, 10 schools, and $75K lifetime revenue since launching in July 2023, and is on track to reach $100K by the end of 2024.
CEO: Melania Sanhueza | melania@muud.app
About gener8tor
gener8tor is a global venture firm and accelerator network that supports startups, workers, employers, artists and musicians across race, place and gender. gener8tor partners with companies, governments, universities and nonprofits to operate programs and conferences in more than 41 communities across 22 states and two countries. Fast Company named gener8tor one of the Best Workplaces for Innovators in 2021 and 2022. The International Trade Council recognized gener8tor as the Global Venture Capital Firm of the Year in 2022.
About gBETA
gBETA is a non-equity accelerator that facilitates the growth of early-stage companies through a network-driven program. This accelerator supports five startups per cohort and requires no fees for startups and takes no equity. Since launching in 2015, gBETA accelerator alumni have raised $796M+ in capital and created 4,879 jobs across the US and Canada.
About The American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Impact
The American Family Institute is a venture capital firm and capacity building partner of choice for exceptional entrepreneurs and organizations who are engaged in an effort to close equity gaps in America. The Institute invests in companies and connects with groups working to provide economic empowerment and justice reform, to build resilient communities, to create healthy youth development and to increase learning and academic achievement. It is based in Madison, Wisconsin and can be found on social media @AmFamInstitute and at its website, www.amfaminstitute.com.