Schmidt Futures

Rice's OpenStax awarded $90M to lead first-of-its-kind NSF research hub for transformational learning and education research

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Online, University, Telescope, ASU, Equity, Hewlett Foundation, Learning, Education sciences, Arizona State University, Teaching, Research, Software, Center for Open Science, NSF, Digital, Institute of Education Sciences, Walton family, Data Quality Campaign, Science, Future of Privacy Forum, OpenStax, Schmidt Futures, Privacy, Georgia Tech, University of Chicago, Bill, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Workforce, National Network, Student, Digital Promise, Morehouse College, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, ICPSR, Excellence, TERC, Rice University, Tutoring

HOUSTON, April 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- OpenStax at Rice University was awarded $90 million from the U.S. National Science Foundation to build and lead SafeInsights, a groundbreaking research and development (R&D) hub for inclusive learning and education research to benefit tens of millions of students and their instructors across all educational levels.

Key Points: 
  • SafeInsights will enable extensive, long-term research on the predictors of effective learning while protecting student privacy.
  • This five-year project represents the NSF's largest single investment in R&D infrastructure for education at a national scale.
  • "We are thrilled to announce an investment of $90 million in SafeInsights, marking a significant step forward in our commitment to advancing scientific research in STEM education," NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan said.
  • "There is an urgent need for research-informed strategies capable of transforming educational systems, empowering our nation's workforce and propelling discoveries in the science of learning.

Cignition Honored as a Finalist in Two 2024 SIIA CODiE Award Categories

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
Schmidt Futures, EST, Education, Learning, Bill, Partnership, K-12, Software, SIIA, Educational technology, School, Research, Student, Workforce, Chromebook, Tutoring

PORTOLA VALLLEY, Calif., April 3, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Cignition, a K-12 virtual tutoring provider, is a 2024 SIIA CODiE Award Finalist in the categories Best Learning Recovery Tool and Best EdTech Company to Watch. CODiE Finalists represent the best products, services and people in the Education and Business Technology Industries. Cignition was also recently named a Finalist in The EdTech Awards 2024.

Key Points: 
  • PORTOLA VALLLEY, Calif., April 3, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Cignition , a K-12 virtual tutoring provider, is a 2024 SIIA CODiE Award Finalist in the categories Best Learning Recovery Tool and Best EdTech Company to Watch.
  • Cignition was also recently named a Finalist in The EdTech Awards 2024.
  • Cignition was also recently honored as a Finalist in the Tutoring Solution category in The EdTech Awards 2024 .
  • The 2024 CODiE Award winners will be announced during the Virtual Celebration on May 21, 2024, at 1 p.m. EST.

ThinkCERCA Announces AI-Powered, Patent-Pending Automated Feedback for Student Writing

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
Citadel, Schmidt Futures, Democracy, Bill, Georgia State University, Literacy, Learning, ThinkCERCA, AI, Student, Walton family, Workforce, Customer service

The launch underscores the company's commitment to critical thinking and to fostering reading growth and evidence-based writing across subject areas. Literacy and communication skills are the keys to success in college and the workforce. "Writing is the new coding. With the power to think critically and write well, students are truly empowered--they can literally build and create with their words. This is a huge win for public education, which is the incubator of both our democracy and our economy. Critical thinking is at the intersection of both, and this tool fosters these powerful skills for all students," said Eileen Murphy, ThinkCERCA Founder and CEO.

Key Points: 
  • CHICAGO, March 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ThinkCERCA, a recognized industry leader in literacy, has officially released its generative AI-powered, automated personalized feedback for student writing.
  • ThinkCERCA was named one of the top platform winners in the Learning Engineering Tools Competitio n in 2022.
  • The prize allowed ThinkCERCA to accelerate the development of authentic, real-time feedback on argumentative writing.
  • In addition to working alongside ThinkCERCA's framework, already proven to double annual reading growth and increase writing by 20% in 8 weeks, the AI-powered automated feedback offers:
    Immediate feedback to learn what is working, and what to do next

Homeworld Collective Awards $1.3M in Funds to 16 New Climate Biotech Projects with New Approach to Grantmaking

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
Schmidt Futures, Climate change, Biotechnology, Growth, Science, Knowledge, Attitude, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Carbon, Thought, Biology, Organizational founder, Optimism, Mining, Renewable energy

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Today, Homeworld Collective, a thriving community of biotechnologists working on planetary-scale problems, announced that they have awarded $1.3M in funds to 16 new biotechnology projects focused on solving pressing climate-related problems through their Garden Grants program. Having received funding from leading philanthropies including Schmidt Futures and Grantham Foundation, the organization had originally planned to award $1M in grants. The quality and rigor of the submissions inspired Homeworld philanthropic supporters to increase the funding pool to $1.3M.

Key Points: 
  • The inaugural Garden Grants program is showing early success in mobilizing bioengineers towards climate work and roadmapping key problems to solve in climate biotech.
  • "We were thrilled," said Paul Reginato, Science Director and Cofounder of Homeworld Collective, "that 50% of the applications were from applicants exploring climate biotech for the first time.
  • Homeworld, at its core, is a community, and seeks to strengthen the field of climate biotech in whatever way possible."
  • Homeworld Collective was founded with the mission to address this issue, grow the field of climate biotechnology, and accelerate the development and deployment of gigaton-scale climate solutions.

Dr. Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg joins Ford Foundation as a senior fellow

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 13, 2024
Schmidt Futures, Fellow, Woman, University, Social change, BUILD, Doctor of Philosophy, Multimedia, AWARD, Education, Gender, Ford Foundation, Female, Africa Food Prize, Learning, Master, Food, Climate change, Whitman College, Black women, Ford, United Nations, Presidency of Barack Obama, Teaching, Agriculture, Landesa, Social justice

NEW YORK, Feb. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Ford Foundation announced that Dr. Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg, PhD will join the organization as a senior fellow. Kamau-Rutenberg is an activist and academic known for her extensive work on women's leadership. During her fellowship, she will leverage her decades of experience supporting women's empowerment to scale Black Women in Executive Leadership (B-WEL), a global initiative focused on improving the numbers, experiences, and impact of Black women in senior and executive leadership across sectors. She will also work closely with Ford's Director for Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice International, the BUILD team, and Ford's fellowship team to inform the foundation's intersectional work to advance social justice.

Key Points: 
  • NEW YORK, Feb. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Ford Foundation announced that Dr. Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg, PhD will join the organization as a senior fellow.
  • "Long inspired by the Ford Foundation's vision, and with deep admiration for this team of grantmakers and thought leaders, I am thrilled to be joining the foundation as a Senior Fellow.
  • Before founding B-WEL, Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg served as the inaugural director of the Rise Program, a joint initiative of Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust.
  • She also sits on the Board of the Autodesk Foundation, Syngenta Foundation, Landesa, the Global Food Banking Network, and the council of Co-Impact's Gender Fund & the African Climate Foundation.

HSS (Hospital for Special Surgery) to Harness Surge in Artificial Intelligence Applications and Democratize High Quality Healthcare

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, November 16, 2023
Medicine, Schmidt Futures, Research, Data science, Hospital for Special Surgery, Patient, Artificial intelligence, Intelligence, Machine learning, MBA, MD, Human, DSM-IV codes, HSS, Knowledge, Hospital, Education, Nursing, Management

This gift recognizes HSS as a pioneer in the field and supports the institution's broader mission to advance musculoskeletal health through leading edge initiatives in research, education, and innovation.

Key Points: 
  • This gift recognizes HSS as a pioneer in the field and supports the institution's broader mission to advance musculoskeletal health through leading edge initiatives in research, education, and innovation.
  • "We have a timely opportunity to marry the foremost experts in medicine, data science, and technology to design a better system of care."
  • When grounded in trusted clinical expertise, artificial intelligence has the potential to transform healthcare delivery, unlocking the best practices in medical decision making and treatment planning, and enabling personalized, high quality, care to be delivered at scale.
  • "Together, we can not only revolutionize the delivery system, but also democratize high quality care and enable access for underserved communities across the globe," said HSS President and CEO Bryan T. Kelly, MD, MBA.

Gradle Inc. to Host Sold-out Developer Productivity Engineering Forum at Nasdaq MarketSite

Retrieved on: 
Monday, October 2, 2023
Software engineering, GitHub, DevOps, GitLab, Failure, DPE, Microsoft, Organization, SAN, DX, Happiness, Schmidt Futures, Netflix, ITSM, Software

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 02, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On October 3rd, Gradle Inc. is hosting Developer Productivity Engineering (DPE) Forum at one of New York’s most iconic venues: Nasdaq MarketSite in Times Square.

Key Points: 
  • SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 02, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On October 3rd, Gradle Inc. is hosting Developer Productivity Engineering (DPE) Forum at one of New York’s most iconic venues: Nasdaq MarketSite in Times Square.
  • The one-day event will feature DPE and Developer Experience (DX) leaders from some of the most innovative engineering organizations— including GitLab, Microsoft, Nasdaq, Netflix, and Gradle—to discuss the best practices, strategies, and technologies for improving developer productivity and happiness.
  • Addressing developer pain and toil has become a top priority for the C-suite as it is a major driver of avoidable costs and an obstacle to rapid innovation.
  • “Now more than ever, it’s critical for companies to prioritize productivity and their developer experience and invest in DPE,” said Hans Dockter, Gradle Inc., Founder and CEO.

Homeworld Collective Launches To Unite and Enable Climate Biotechnology Community

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, September 21, 2023
Carbon, Part 1, Schmidt Futures, Optimism, Biotechnology, Education, Life, Seed, Fast Grants, NSF, National Science Foundation, Agriculture, EST, Research, Medicine, Part, Ministry of Energy, Attitude, Science, Interest, CDR, Essay, Climate change, Publication, IPCC, Mining, Doe, Fellow, Protein engineering, Biology, Knowledge, Growth, Climate, Environment, Homeworld, Health, AlphaFold, Renewable energy, Pharmaceutical industry

BOSTON, Sept. 21, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Homeworld Collective, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit igniting the growth of climate biotechnology, today introduced their nonprofit as the go-to source for scientists, technologists, entrepreneurs, and funders committed to maximizing the impact of climate biotechnology for planetary health. The launch also coincides with the announcement of their grantmaking system for building the field of climate biotech, Homeworld Garden Grants. In its first cycle, Homeworld Collective will deploy $1M in funding for climate biotech. The organization's goal is to foster a cohesive community across academia, industry, and funders in climate biotech that is organized around clear pathways to impact and develop viable solutions for problems plaguing our planet.

Key Points: 
  • Daniel Goodwin, Ph.D., and Paul Reginato, Ph.D., founders of Homeworld Collective, began building their global community in 2019 after recognizing the dire lack of community, resources, funding, and education in the field of climate biotechnology.
  • Having started as an informal community, Homeworld Collective was officially established as a nonprofit in 2022.
  • "We are empowering an attitude of action-oriented climate optimism," said Paul Reginato, Founding Co-Director of Homeworld Collective.
  • In contrast, climate biotechnology currently lacks the social infrastructure and problem maps that can enable people to connect to impactful work.

Common Trust Raises $2.6M in Seed Funding To Support Small Businesses to Exit Through Employee Ownership Buyouts

Retrieved on: 
Monday, September 11, 2023
Growth, Entrepreneurship, Small business, Schmidt Futures, Trust, Retirement, SAN, Beam (structure), Sale, Life insurance, Sales

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Common Trust, an employee ownership buyout platform that enables small business owners to access liquidity by exiting to their employees, today announced $2.6 million in seed funding. Crossbeam Venture Partners led the round with participation from Schmidt Futures and additional funding from leading investors in the space.

Key Points: 
  • Common Trust is a financing platform that supports small business owners to exit to their employees.
  • Common Trust provides an alternative exit strategy to transition to employee ownership by presenting small- and mid-sized business owners with a simple, attractive, and affordable exit solution using employee ownership trusts, a novel approach for businesses to become employee owned.
  • "Employee ownership can be transformational for businesses, its workers and local communities," said Zoe Schlag, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Common Trust .
  • "Common Trust's unique, employee-centric exit strategy is transforming the space and creating positive social impact by providing small business owners an inclusive and mission-driven exit solution."

Ed Tech Innovators Awarded More Than $4 Million For Tools To Aid 35 Million Learners

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, September 7, 2023
Citadel, SEL, Plio-Pleistocene, Schmidt Futures, DARPA, Education, ChatGPT, Reading, Georgia State University, Research, Meetup, Citadel Securities, Party Rock Mansion, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Open Learning Agency, CNN Heroes, CNN, Organization, School, Learning, Physics, Virtual reality, Bill, Cornell University, Mental health, Tilli, Tutoring, Nursing

WASHINGTON, Sept. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The next ChatGPT is out there. So are solutions to improve math skills for K-12 students following the sharpest declines in decades, address equity in education, bolster students' problem-solving and emotional skills, and unlock career training opportunities via virtual reality. Supporting these real-time advances is the Tools Competition, which announced its 2022-23 winners today.

Key Points: 
  • The Tools Competition is one of the largest ed tech competitions in the world.
  • In all, 32 recipients from 12 countries were awarded more than $4 million to develop and expand their tools, which will impact 35 million learners by 2026.
  • This is the third cycle of the Tools Competition, which has awarded nearly $10 million to 80 ed tech innovators to date.
  • It aims to grow the learning engineering field via ed tech innovation that leverages big data to support learning science research.