The Department of Education's (ED) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, administered by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), funds the development and evaluation of education technology products. The ED/IES SBIR program emphasizes rigorous research to test the feasibility, usability, and promise of new products to improve outcomes. The program also focuses on commercialization planning to ensure products reach and are sustained in schools.
We are pleased to announce that IES awarded 26 SBIR projects in 2025. This includes 16 Phase I awards, 8 Phase II awards, and 2 Direct to Phase II awards.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has gained significant attention in education, especially post-pandemic. Education technology is being used to address learning loss, enhance learning experiences and outcomes, and provide tailored support for students, including those with special education needs (e.g., dyslexia and visual impairments).
The 2025 ED/IES SBIR awards emphasized three major themes that align with current priorities in the field of education technology.
Theme 1: Developing innovative strategies to address workforce challenges.
Many of the funded projects focus on harnessing AI and innovative technologies to support educators in managing their workload more effectively and to improve student readiness for future careers.
iTherapy LLC aims to streamline the special education documentation process and reduce administrative workload, allowing educators more time for direct student engagement.
Metamorphix, Inc. and Edifii Inc. are creating tools to better identify students' mental health needs and enhance personalized guidance, improving school counselors' effectiveness.
Project Wayfinder and Curiosity AI LLC are preparing students with future-ready skills for college, careers, and life. Project Wayfinder is creating tailored lesson plans and activities that foster workforce readiness. Curiosity AI LLC is using AI to simulate work experiences, allowing students to practice in realistic, low-stakes environments.
The Calsoyas Group, LLC and Linguistic Inc. are focusing on data-driven strategies to enhance workforce readiness. The Calsoyas Group aims to make data-informed clinical placements to enhance teacher mentorship. Linguistic Inc. will improve workforce training to support English Language Learners in workforce integration.
Future Engineers LLC and Zenobia Therapeutics, Inc. aim to prepare a STEM-ready future workforce by leveraging interactive, multisensory, and/or AI-enhanced tools. Future Engineers LLC is developing a STEM education product so students can conduct field research. Zenobia Therapeutics, Inc. is creating a gamified science learning platform to expose students to biotechnology careers.
Theme 2: Engaging students in real-world scenarios or simulations for enhanced learning experiences.
IES awarded several projects that leverage AI and technology to enhance interactive and hands-on learning opportunities and improve students' learning outcomes.
Algae Research and Supply, Inc. and GaiaXus LLC are creating dynamic, AI-powered learning platforms to bridge educational gaps in STEM learning and literacy. Algae Research and Supply, Inc. is creating a low-cost algae bioprospecting kit to encourage hands-on learning in STEM. GaiaXus LLC. is leveraging environmental data and community-connected experiences to enhance STEM education.
Gigantic Mechanic and Makefully LLC are designing collaborative role-playing or simulation tools to engage students with complex subjects, such as civics education and American history.
Inspiration Dance Company, LLC and Edify Technologies Inc. tap into full body and multisensory experiences through dance and music to enhance computer science and music education. Inspiration Dance Company, LLC is developing an LED motion sensor cap for teaching computer science through dance. Edify Technologies Inc. is creating an online platform to integrate interactive music lessons into the classroom curricula.
Theme 3: Utilizing multisensory, interactive learning tools or platforms to address literacy and mathematics gaps.
In response to concerns regarding low literacy and mathematics scores, IES has awarded several projects aimed at implementing innovative strategies to address these learning gaps.
Charmtech Labs LLC has two new projects that seek to make reading assessments more dynamic and tailored for students through a newly developed learning platform (Capti). One project creates scenario-based assessments (Capti SBA) that are aligned with the local curricula to create a more meaningful measure of reading comprehension. The other project uses AI and natural language processing to generate new, high-quality reading assessment items (Capti RBx).
ObjectiveEd and T-var EdTech, Inc. aim to improve literacy instruction, focusing their projects on students with learning disabilities and visual impairments. ObjectiveEd is designing a literacy platform with AI-driven vocabulary prompts and interactive mini-games, specifically for struggling readers. T-var EdTeach, Inc. is designing a novel system of tactile diacritics for teaching phonics to students who are visually impaired and blind.
Common Ground Publishing and TrueMark Systems Corp. leverage AI to provide personalized writing feedback to improve students’ writing. They are developing platforms that learn from previous teacher grading patterns and comments to provide guidance that is tailored to each student’s unique writing challenges.
MyCited LLC aims to empower students to critically analyze multimedia resources. They are creating an AI-powered platform that provides personalized support to synthesize multiple media resources and enhance students’ media literacy skills.
Sirius Thinking, Ltd. and Shoonya Digital are developing curriculum-aligned games to facilitate the delivery of math and literacy instruction. Sirius Thinking, Ltd. is creating a suite of games, videos, and songs to support literacy education and track student progress. Shoonya Digital is creating a multilingual, game-based learning platform that supports math and early literacy instruction to improve learning outcomes for English language learners.
Abacus Mind Math Tutors, Inc and Immersed Games, Inc. engage students through story-driven platforms to improve their comprehension and confidence in math, probability, and statistics.
These projects showcase AI and technology's role in transforming education, addressing learning gaps, and enhancing the workforce. Using interactive tools and personalized platforms, they aim to create a more engaging and effective educational environment. By leveraging modern advancements, IES is ensuring all students have the opportunity to succeed.
