EdtechReview.in recently reported on the news of Tech Spark AI’s $1.4 million pre-seed round of funding, led by TD Bank and joined by Salesforce, Canada’s government, and NBA Canada. The Toronto-based artificial intelligence company is using the funds to expand its new generative AI platform, Spark Plug, to students and the wider public. Spark Plug is an AI-powered language model designed and trained to transform classic literature into approachable and modern language that appeals to a Gen Z audience.
Founded by Tamar Huggins eight years ago, Tech Spark AI is dedicated to empowering children of colour, girls, women, and educators through innovative education. Huggins’ vision for the platform was to develop school curricula that would be culturally relevant and responsive. To ensure this, the platform has partnered with educational institutions across the United States and Canada, focusing on schools in underserved Black and brown communities.
In addition to transforming classic literature, Spark Plug has developed an assessment tool called LearningDNA to help educators understand how students learn best. The platform also has ethical data and youth culture built-in, to improve learning and increase engagement, content retention, and rigour.
The goal of Spark Plug is to bridge cultural gaps without stereotypes and biases, and to make learning more relatable and engaging. With this round of funding, Tech Spark AI is well on its way to becoming a pioneer in inclusive generative AI. We look forward to seeing what new and innovative ways the platform will be used to help students learn.
