Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) 2021 Awards
The Small Business Innovation Research program at the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences' (ED/IES SBIR) provides funding to small business firms and partners for the research and development of commercially viable education technology products designed to support student learning, teacher practice, or school administration in education or special education.
A total of 29 new contracts have been awarded for FY 2021.
Phase I Awards
Phase I projects allow teams to develop, refine, and test usability and initial feasibility of prototypes of commercially viable education technology products. 18 Phase I awards were made for $200,000 each for 8 months. These projects are designed to support student learning, teacher practice, or school administration in education or special education. These awardees will be eligible to apply for Phase II funding in Fiscal Year 2022.
The Phase I awards are:
Inclusive Talking Diagrams: Combining Sound Based AR and Tactile Pieces for Accessible Visual Based STEM Communication
Alchemie, Sarah Wegwerth
Development and Validation of a Game-based Mathematics Assessment Using Concrete Representations of Math
Brainquake, Randy Weiner
HATCH: A Binge-Worthy Educational TV Show
Caprock Creative, Chad Stockton
Modernizing Reading Assessment with Scenario-Based Tasks
Charmtech Labs, Yevgen Borodin
K–5 Music Education Platform for Elementary Schools Without Music Programs
Edify, Jacob Zax
Creating a Data-Based Decision-Making and Recommendation Tool for Reading Comprehension Instruction Using Diagnostic Results from MOCCA
Emberex, Nate Bernstein
Challenge Feedback Tool for Mentor and Students
Future Engineers, Deanne Belle
Online Oral Phonological Awareness Assessment
Literably, Tyler Borak
Lyrics2Learn Phonetics: Combining Music, Movement, and Algorithmic Adaptive Questioning to Build Phonemic Awareness in Pre-K and Kindergarten Students
Lyrics2Learn, Jeremy Spartz
SmartWheels for Hands On Physical Science
Myriad Sensors, Clifton Roozeboom
Leveraging Machine Learning to Improve Teacher Hiring Outcomes
Nimble Hiring, Lauren Dachille
STEM Collaboration Performance Assessment Prototype
Peeceptiv, Jonathan Olshock
Project Anywhere Learning Hub
RockByRock, Sung-Ae Yang
Effective Foreign Language Education through Immersive Role Playing Video Games
Scholarcade, Dan Turcotte
Early Intervention Orientation and Mobility App with Pediatric Can and Smart Belt for Toddlers
Soterix Medical, Abhishek Datta
Sown To Grow: Enabling SEL Growth Using Machine Learning
Sown to Grow, Rupa Gupta
POWER Writing
ThinkAUM, Leslie Laud
SEL Question Digital Platform to Modernize and Advance Assessment of Student Social Emotional Competences
xSel Labs, Maria Kharitonova
Phase II Awards (standard topics)
Phase II projects support further research and development of prototypes of education technology products that were funded by 2020 ED/IES SBIR Phase I awards. In the Phase II project, the teams will complete the development of the product, and conduct a pilot study in schools to demonstrate the usability and feasibility, fidelity of implementation, and the promise of the product to improve the intended outcomes. Eleven Phase II awards were made for $900,000 each for 2 years.
The Phase II awards are:
SkillCheck: Automatic Early Reading Diagnosis and Intervention
Analytic Measures, Jared Bernstein
GoManage: A Self-Management Curriculum App for Students with Disabilities
Attainment Company, Carol Stanger
vCoder with AI Assisted Learning
Beachday Studios, Angela Patterson
Interactive Audio Technology to Build Phonological Awareness and Early Childhood Literacy
Hoogalit, Aparna Ramanathan
LoomVue Browser: Supporting Language Learning with a Dynamic Diglot Weave
Kings Peak Technology, Grant Rowberry
Combining AI (Machine Learning and Game-Based Learning to Support English Learners)
KooApps, Wang Chun-Kai
Delivering and Demystifying Data for Literacy Leaders to Transform Reading Outcomes at Scale
Learning Ovations, Sarah Seigal
ACE – A Music Creation Engine to Improve Algebra Readiness
Muzology, Lana Israel
AI-Driven Formative Assessments for Hands-on Science
Myriad Sensors, Clifton Roozeboom
Teachley Math Practice Kits: Transmedia resources to support students' metacognitive math reasoning
Teachley, Dana Pager
Teachley Problem-Solving Assessment: Supporting Teachers to Assess and Promote Students' Mathematical Thinking
Teachley, Rachael Labrecque
