From left: Stephen Bonney, Joe Fernandez and Linda Waters. Image: Paul Sharp/Learnovate
As the overall winner among 10 start-ups, the Alpaca team won $100,000 worth of AWS credits to further scale the AI-powered learning technology tool.
Alpaca, an edtech tool that helps identify reading issues in children early on, has been declared as the winner of an accelerator programme in Trinity College Dublin (TCD).
First announced in October last year, the EdTech Accelerator is a programme run by Learnovate, a learning technologies research centre based in TCD, in partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS).
A total of 10 edtech start-ups were chosen to be part of the accelerator starting in early December. The programme culminated in a Demo Day yesterday (20 February), and Alpaca was adjudged the overall winner by Learnovate, AWS and industry judges.
“The global edtech market continues to rapidly expand, and Irish start-ups are key players worldwide, providing learning solutions that are used in companies, schools, universities and at home,” said Linda Waters, head of business development at Learnovate.
As winner, Alpaca will receive $100,000 in AWS credits for access to its cloud computing services such as compute power, database storage and content delivery. All start-ups that took part in the accelerator received $2,000 worth of AWS credits as well as workshops and training from experts at the AWS offices in Dublin.
The aim was to give edtech start-ups that had identified a problem in learning as well as a technology solution a head start in the entrepreneurial journey through mentorship.
“Every edtech founder starts out with a problem to solve – the EdTech Accelerator has been designed to help 10 of the brightest in Ireland to develop their solutions,” said Stephen Bonney of AWS. “If we can share our culture of innovation and help these founders solve the problems they identified, I really believe we can have an impact on the Irish edtech community.”
Learnovate is part of the Technology Centre programme supported by Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland. It held the Learnovation Summit in Dublin’s Aviva Stadium last year, where Patricia Scanlon, Ireland’s first AI ambassador, spoke about how AI can level the playing field in learning and education.
Piero Tintori of Terminalfour and BetterExaminations, who was one of the judges, said that the judging panel felt Alpaca would be a great help to principals, teachers, parents and children across Ireland because it is based on “extensive” scientific evidence.
“The tool helps schools assess children earlier and identify the support needed with fewer school resources. Teacher training includes no specific training in neurodiversity – that makes Alpaca a game changer. Identifying early literacy needs changes children’s lives.”
Joe Fernandez of Alpaca said that winning the accelerator “validates” that its AI-powered tool resonated with experts.
“We are grateful for the support of hundreds of primary schools who have trusted Alpaca to screen over 8,000 infants’ early literacy skills this school year. It shows the power of early identification and timely intervention by teachers.”
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