The Tools Competition is pleased to announce the 11 winners selected from over 900 submissions in the Accelerating K-12 Learning track!
The Accelerating K-12 Learning track focused on solutions that strengthen day-to-day instruction, support teachers with actionable insights, and foster stronger connections between schools and families in support of student learning.
This year, a key focus was the development of accessible tools that improve learning experiences and outcomes for students with learning differences and disabilities, as well as tools designed to spark scientific curiosity and exploration, placing students at the center of their learning experiences.
This year’s winners reflect a shared commitment to helping students across diverse contexts become confident, capable learners, while equipping teachers with the support and guidance needed to meet a wide range of student needs.
Winners of the Accelerating K-12 Learning Track
Catalyst Level – $50,000 prizes for early-stage tools
- FUNKE SENSE LAB | FunKe Science Limited and Learning Differently | Kenya
FunKe Sense Lab uses augmented reality, audio guidance, and hands-on science kits to make STEM learning accessible for children who struggle with text-heavy instruction.
- Lab-on-a-Book | Teachers College, Columbia University | Brazil, USA
Lab-on-a-Book is an AI-powered, ultra-low-cost science lab that lets students perform real chemistry experiments with support from an AI companion.
- KIVA (Knowledge Integration and Vocabulary Accelerator) | Boston University + MIT | USA
KIVA is an AI conversational reading companion providing personalized, evidence-based instruction grounded in books to support vocabulary growth and close gaps for students with language-based disabilities.
- EveryLesson: Co-Teaching AI | Blue Engine | USA
EveryLesson helps co-teaching teams turn student needs, staffing realities, and lesson goals into clear, actionable instructional plans in minutes.
Growth Level – $150,000 for products with some users and scale
- ¡A Leer en Vivo! | Ticmas | Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina
¡A Leer en Vivo! is an AI-powered reading platform that improves fluency and comprehension in Spanish through oral reading and adaptive learning.
- Chalk | Chalk Learning | United Kingdom
Chalk is a tool that teaches learners through evidence-based multimedia instruction, grounded in Direct Instruction principles.
- PAL for Early Math Learning | Learnology | USA
PAL is all the innovation of an adaptive smart learning system, with all the goodness of real-world, hands-on math learning.
- SmartCoach Assess | Ghana, Uganda
SmartCoach Assess is an offline-first smartphone tool that helps teachers identify struggling readers early, track progress in real time, and deliver more targeted literacy support.
Transform Level – $300,000 for established platforms with 10,000 or more users
- Siyavula Maths & Science Practice | Siyavula Foundation | South Africa
Siyavula is an online adaptive practice platform for high school mathematics, physics, and chemistry.
- Amira Inclusive Reading Coach | Amira Learning, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Linguistic Data Center | USA
Amira Inclusive Reading Coach extends Amira’s AI-driven reading tutor to understand and support children with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and speech impairments.
- NoRILLA: AI-enhanced Hands-on Science Learning | Carnegie Mellon University | USA
NoRILLA is an AI-based mixed-reality platform fostering scientific curiosity and critical thinking skills.
Learn more about the winners in all tracks here.
The Tools Competition is open to teams with tools at all stages of development and is run over three phases with support for teams to refine their ideas. Finalists pitched their tools before a panel of judges. View judges in this track here.
To date, the Tools Competition has named 171 winners from 53 countries over six cycles, who are currently reaching over 51 million learners and educators.
The Tools Competition is a program of Renaissance Philanthropy, organized by The Learning Agency, and made possible through the generous support of the Walton Family Foundation, Griffin Catalyst, Axim Collaborative, Oak Foundation, Cinelli Family Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
Join our mailing list to receive updates on the next competition cycle—launching in September 2026!
