Project Nova

I watched modern education drift away from the proven methods that built generations of successful learners. Kids were drowning in ideology-heavy content and gamified apps that prioritized engagement over actual learning. Meanwhile, AI tutoring platforms offered generic, one-size-fits-all experiences that felt cold and impersonal. I wanted to create something different: AI characters with distinct personalities that teach using the time-tested methods from 1990-2005—phonics-based reading, traditional math algorithms, and factual knowledge acquisition. Not because old is always better, but because these methods worked and produced measurable results. The Problem: Schools needed three things they couldn't find in one platform: Safe, COPPA/FERPA-compliant AI that parents could trust Traditional pedagogy without modern educational fads or ideology Teacher empowerment tools—not teacher replacement—with real-time analytics and oversight Most EdTech either replaced teachers entirely or gave them no visibility into what students were learning. We wanted to enhance teachers, not eliminate them. How Our Approach Evolved: We started with 3 AI characters. Teachers told us kids wanted variety—different personalities for different moods and subjects. We expanded to 14 unique characters, each with distinct teaching styles. Initially, we built for individual families. But during beta testing, homeschool co-ops and small private schools kept asking for multi-student management tools. That's when we realized our biggest impact would be in schools, not homes. We pivoted to build the School Edition with teacher dashboards, principal oversight, and bulk licensing. The biggest evolution? Transparency. We added conversation monitoring so teachers and parents can see everything their students discuss with AI tutors. No black boxes. No hidden conversations. Complete visibility builds trust.