SIIA is pleased to find and support innovation in the education industry with our Innovation Incubator Program. For the third time, the program highlights new companies and products poised to change the market.
SIIA is proud to announce the pre-revenue companies, non-profit groups, R&D agencies & academic institutions selected to participate in this year’s Ed Tech Business Forum. All applicants were reviewed by SIIA's Innovation Working Group, the Forum's Steering Committee, and SIIA’s Education Board, then selected to participate in the Ed Tech Business Forum.
The Innovation program is partially funded by the Forum's Innovation Incubator Sponsors: Academic Business Advisors, LLC, JEGI, the Jordan, Edmiston Group, Inc. and TextHelp
2008 Innovation Incubator Participants are:
- Cognitive Tutor Authoring Tools
Jonathan Sewall, Senior Research Programmer, Carnegie Mellon University
Cognitive Tutor Authoring Tools (CTAT) enables nonprogrammers, including teachers, to create custom intelligent tutoring systems (ITS) for classroom and other use. CTAT tutors offer the same student experience as Cognitive Tutors which have been shown to improve test performance by 1 sigma in large, real-school studies.
- GoWeb3D Experiences
Dave Elchoness, CEO, VRWorkplace, Inc.
Go Web3D Experiences is an immersive virtual learning environment that allows users to explore a photorealistic world alone or with an instructor. Visitors select an avatar and are able to click on 3D objects linked to web pages, mp3 files or other information resources, as they navigate their virtual environment.
- Inetoo
Ahmed Abdulwahab, CEO, L Point Solutions, Inc.
Inetoo is a content and learning platform that integrates digital content with Web 2.0 collaboration technologies to deliver content in the context in which it is most relevant to the learner. In addition to stimulating context-based collaborations between students and instructors, inetoo provides learning intelligence based on user activity and content usage.
- Lexcycle Stanza
Neelan Choksi, COO, Lexcycle, LLC
Lexcycle's Stanza is an ebook and document reader for the iPhone, iPod Touch, Macintosh and Windows desktops, designed to make class notes and textbooks available to students at all times via their phone. Stanza includes high school reading lists and will soon incorporate other subjects beyond literature.
- Online Student Rewards and Recognition Program
John Bower, CEO, uBoost, Inc.
uBoost’s Online Student Rewards and Recognition Program is a web-based student-motivation system. The program inspires students to excel by fostering interaction with and recognition from teachers, tutors, parents, and peers. With uBoost, educators can recognize positive learning behaviors by awarding points and letting students select prizes they want.
- Physics Geeks Game
Susan Dreher, Primary Software Developer/Project Coordinator, Columbia University/National Science Digital Library
Physics Geeks is an educational game that teaches physical science principles through self-directed play in authentic 3D environments. Players draw on the basic tenets of scientific inquiry as they interact with virtual inclined planes and zero-gravity fields. The game is offered through Facebook with quiz scores compared to a player’s friends’ to create a fun achievement incentive.
- PreView
Gary Hensley, CEO, Intagrade
PreView is an early warning system that combines data on attendance, grades, test scores and discipline to help schools identify At-Risk students 60-90 days before they would traditionally be identified. PreView has been validated by Dr. Sylvia Epps of Harvard University and pilot schools have saved 10-20 students a year.
- Science-Technology Curriculum Teacher Training
Glen Schuster, President, U.S. Satellite Laboratory, Inc.
The Science-Technology Curriculum Teacher Training provides educators with teacher training, and a pipeline of curriculum-based classroom materials integrating science and mathematics content with simple technology. Awards from NASA, NOAA and NSF have led to exceptional products, online educator training with top educational universities, and results.
- The HELP Program
John Ramo, CEO, Digital Directions International, Inc.
The Help Program is a supplementary web-based program with over 200 hours of standards-aligned interactive content proven to increase student achievement in mathematics. The program was recently rated "High Quality" by the U.S. Department of Education GPRA audit.
- You've been Sentenced!
Donald McNeill, CEO, McNeill Designs for Brighter Minds, LLC
You've been Sentenced! is the first patent pending game to turn making sentences into seriously hilarious fun. The game is sold in over 2,500 retail locations in the US, as well as locations in Australia, New Zealand and Canada. McNeill Designs is developing an interactive whiteboard version of You’ve been Sentenced! after overwhelming support from teachers.
Finalists are:
- CAST Universal Design for Learning Solutions
Pegeen Wright, Business Development Consultant, Center for Applied Special Technology
The Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) provides research-based learning tools based on the principles of Universal Design for Learning. CAST’s learning tools include: CAST UDL Edition, CAST Strategy Tutor, UDL Book Builder, Strategic Reader for English Language Learners, Science Writer and Think Like a Historian.
- gWhiz Mobile
John Steedman, Director of Product Development, gWhiz, LLC
gWhiz Mobile has created four free (advertising sponsored) mobile applications that support student learning and time management. Particularly popular is the gFlash+, a flashcard application that includes over 100,000 downloads, and multiple choice and quizzing modes to aid learning and measure performance.
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