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2023-24 Tools Competition

Launch Event

September 21, 2023 | 12-1 PM ET | Virtual

Join us for the 2023–24 Launch Event

The Tools Competition is a multi-million dollar funding opportunity for edtech tools tackling the most pressing issues for learners worldwide and catalyzing learning science research at scale. The 2023-24 Tools Competition launched on September 21, 2023 with a virtual event marking the official start of the annual cycle. This year’s Tools Competition will award millions of dollars to the most innovative technologies supporting learners worldwide—and we expect this cycle’s prize purse to be the largest yet.

Replay the Launch Event to hear from Tools Competition sponsors and leaders in the edtech space, learn about this cycle's tracks that span Pre-K through adult learning, and discover what made previous winners successful.

learning resources

Agenda

Opening

Kumar Garg, Schmidt Futures

Keynote Address

Dr. M. Brian Blake, President of Georgia State University

Tools Competition Overview

Kumar Garg, Schmidt Futures

A Word from our Sponsors: Introduction to Tracks

Featured Competition Partners

The OpenAI Learning Impact Prize

Sherry Lachman, OpenAI

Winners Highlights

Closing & Next Steps

Kumar Garg, Schmidt Futures

Speakers

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Dr. M. Brian Blake

President
Georgia State University
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Marisa Bold

VP of Sustainable Growth & District Development
Calbright College
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Dr. Joanna Cannon, PhD

Fellow
Walton Family Foundation
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Josh Elder

Vice President & Head of Grantmaking
Siegel Family Endowment
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Kumar Garg

Vice President of Partnerships
Schmidt Futures
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Alvin Irby

Founder & Executive Director
Barbershop Books
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Sherry Lachman

Head of Social Impact
OpenAI
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Snow Li

Program Officer, Early Learning
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
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Katie McCarthy

Assistant Professor
Georgia State University
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Caitlin Mills

Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology
University of Minnesota
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Bryan Richardson

Senior Program Officer
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
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Kavindya Thennakoon

Co-Founder & Head of Product
Tilli

Additional speaker announcements forthcoming

More About the Tools Competition

In 2020, the Tools Competition first solicited individuals and organizations worldwide to fund edtech tools, technologies, and platforms to address pressing problems and opportunities in education and to build the field of learning engineering.

Now in its fourth annual cycle, the Tools Competition has funded nearly $10 million to edtech innovations that leverage digital technology, data, and learning science to meet the urgent needs of learners around the world. To date, 80 previous winners—composed of entrepreneurs, researchers, educators, and students—from 35 countries are poised to impact more than 107 million learners by 2026.

The Tools Competition invites participation from individuals and teams from all backgrounds and phases of development—from early stage ideas to established products. Join us for this year’s cycle and bring your impactful idea to life!

Phase I results for the Building an Adaptive & Competitive Workforce track were released on March 18. The Phase II proposal submission deadline is April 22, 2024.