In December 2024, five winning teams were each awarded $50,000 and invited to participate in the Phase 3 incubator. Since then, they have been hard at work. With customized technical assistance, the teams have been prototyping and implementing their solutions in a six-month incubator, and they recently converged in New York City for the first incubator milestone: a two-day boot camp covering topics from sustainability to infrastructure delivery. Between group discussions and breakout sessions with expert mentors, each team found time to tell us about their journey and priorities for the incubator, and beyond.
The Phase 3 teams bring to the challenge diverse approaches to building the future of education. But they share a commitment to making sure that all students can access highly effective learning experiences. Explore the five interviews below to learn more about each team:
- Empower Schools: A conversation with Lauren Hall Riggins
- Joy Education Foundation: A conversation with Demetrius Lancaster
- New Visions for Public Schools: A conversation with Ashley Tam
- Perkins School for the Blind: A conversation with Alexandra LaVoie
- Xchange Chicago: A conversation with Alexandra DeLucca and Olu Olaleye
Looking ahead
Over the coming months, the Phase 3 teams will continue to prototype their solutions, develop sustainable funding streams, and create implementation roadmaps. Phase 3 will conclude with a Demo Day featuring presentations in front of a live audience and judges. Judges will evaluate submissions according to Phase 3 evaluation criteria. Up to two grand-prize winners will receive $500,000 each to support implementation of their infrastructure solutions. Stay tuned for additional updates about the Phase 3 teams and their mentors.
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