The Midwest is home to some of the world’s top universities and scholars. It makes sense that it would also be a hub for EdTech companies.
EdTech startups have been growing in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and more. They’re on a mission to democratize access to knowledge, or help support the education systems that are fundamental to our communities.
Check out 27 EdTech companies and startups on the rise. These are the ones doing amazing work and worth paying attention to.
EdTech Companies: Rising Midwest Startups
Image source: The Lab Drawer
The Lab Drawer
Founded by two scientists in Detroit, The Lab Drawer is on a mission to help kids get excited about STEAM education. Their science kits give young, underserved and diverse students hands-on experience with science. The Lab Drawer is a top startup to watch in Detroit.
InfoReady
InfoReady, an Ann Arbor edtech company, is the all-in-one platform for higher education's selection and approval processes. The company was named a Top Startup To Watch in 2024.
Voiceblocks
Founded by Lonna Hardin in Detroit, Voiceblocks is an emerging startup. Its artificial intelligence software helps students, parents, and caregivers navigate the IEP process.
Image source: Lite Raise, founder Marc Alexander
Lite Raise
Formerly known as Lite Tuition, Lite Raise was created to help students from all walks of life with their tuition cost. The company’s platform aims to reduce the burden of student loans while making higher education accessible to those who seek it. Lite Raise was also recently named a top startup to watch in Detroit.
CrossBraining
A rising startup founded by experts in education, CrossBraining is an eLearning platform with the one-on-one coaching of classroom instruction. Helping employees and students navigate the hybrid world, CrossBrianing’s technology is revolutionizing training.
Ellipsis Education
Based in Indianapolis, Ellipsis Education is an edtech company removing barriers to teaching computer science. Its K-12 courses include detailed lesson plans (beyond just coding), pacing guides, standards maps, and ongoing support to help teachers do what they do best: teach.
Image source: Edovo
Edovo
Based in Chicago, Edovo is an e-learning platform helping incarcerated people get access to educational, vocational, and rehabilitative curricula and content. Purpose-driven to its core, Edovo believes everyone deserves the opportunity to thrive, so fundamental learning should always be available at no cost to the incarcerated Learners they serve. They strive to create rehabilitative-focused correctional environments that lower recidivism, increase safety inside and outside correctional walls, and drive positive outcomes for incarcerated people and their families.
FirstIgnite
Founded in 2019 and based in Traverse City, Michigan, FirstIgnite develops AI-powered marketing tools for universities. Their technology empowers universities to build strong partnerships and champion innovation.
AfterSchool HQ
A top startup to watch in Indianapolis, Afterschool HQ is a platform that helps parents and guardians find after-school programs and activities for their children. By offering a centralized resource for discovering and enrolling in after-school programs, Afterschool HQ aims to simplify the process and provide peace of mind to parents, ensuring their children have access to quality activities beyond the regular school day.
Image source: Alchemie
Alchemie
Founded by a science teacher turned startup founder, Alchemie designs learning tools to help students, especially those with visual impairments, learn science. The Detroit-based company’s suite of game-based digital learning tools are helping increase student success in STEM.
Trala
Trala is a tech-powered online music school that teaches you to learn the Violin. They offer a hybrid violin-learning solution where students of all ages can get matched with a teacher in combination with having access to the Trala app. The Trala app houses video tutorials from word-class violinists and practice exercises that give instant feedback on mistakes so students can continue to improve in-between lessons with their Trala teachers.
SuperBetter
Based in Illinois, SuperBetter is a game-based edtech company. Its app promotes youth mental health, resilience, social-emotional learning and student success in a way that is practical & engaging.
Wyzant
Founded in Chicago, Wyzant is an online platform for finding expert tutors. With more than 80,000 tutors qualified in 300+ subjects, Wyzant is an edtech company offering the best way to get the help you need, when you need it most.
Dabble
Another Chicago edtech company, Dabble is an online platform for discovering and hosting unique, local experiences, classes and events.
Remote EdTech Companies
Image source: Guild
Guild
A Series F-stage startup in Denver, Guild helps employers provide tuition-free education, skilling, and career mobility to their workforce. This major EdTech company has raised over $600 million.
Clever
Clever is on a mission to unlock new ways to learn for all students. More than 75% of U.S. K-12 schools now use Clever to simplify access and improve engagement with digital learning. Clever's free platform for schools and their network of leading application providers are advancing educational equity amidst challenging problems the education system has faced for decades. Clever emphasizes creating a space for purposeful collaboration and plenty of fun.
Linguistic
Linguistic is leveraging AI to build the world's most comprehensive, all-in-one online platform for personalized immersion in a foreign language. The company was founded in 2022 and continues to grow.
Image source: Kinspire
Kinspire
Kinspire is a company that provides child occupational therapy services through a monthly membership model, with around the clock support from a therapist and access to a mobile app and video library to monitor and measure progress.
eSpark
This remote-first edtech company is helping teachers engage students and close the learning gaps. eSpark’s platform offers playfully personalized math and reading activities for elementary teachers.
BenchPrep
BenchPrep helps associations, credentialing bodies, and training companies deliver a learning experience purpose-built to help your learners prepare for the test. Leverage data analytics at scale so you can optimize your content and focus where learners need the most support.
Fiveable
Fiveable is a fully remote edtech startup providing study guides, practice questions, and live review events to get students feeling confident (and acing) their AP, ACT, and SAT exams.
Image source: MagicSchool AI
MagicSchool AI
Founded in 2023, MagicSchool AI is a rising Denver startup helping teachers lesson plan, level texts, write assessments, proofread, give feedback, communicate clearly, and more. MagicSchool AI is a top startup to watch in Denver in 2024.
Established EdTech Companies
Image source: XanEdu
XanEdu
XanEdu offers customized content solutions and professional services for K-12 and higher education. Founded in 1999, XanEdu is an established EdTech company in Southeast Michigan, empowering educators with engaging, affordable, and accessible learning materials.
ProQuest
Now a part of Clarivate, ProQuest is an established EdTech company helping power academic research around the world. ProQuest has an office in Ann Arbor and is building world-class tech tools for researchers.
ITHAKA
Based in Ann Arbor and New York City, ITHAKA is an established EdTech company improving access to knowledge and education for people around the world. The company’s founding in 1995 to digitize materials for libraries has grown into so much more.
Learndash
Founded in Ann Arbor in 2012 and acquired by StellarWP in 2021, Learndash is a software tool helping web developers design great learning courses.
Varsity Tutors
Founded in St. Louis in 2007, Varsity Tutors (a Nerdy company) is a leading platform for live online learning, with a mission to transform the way people learn through technology. The company’s purpose-built proprietary platform leverages technology, including AI, to connect learners of all ages to experts, delivering superior value on both sides of the network.
