Edtech Conversations with Fexingo: Online Learning, Schools, and Education Software

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how TalkingPoints, a nonprofit edtech startup, is using AI-powered translation to bridge language gaps between teachers and parents. With over 30 million U.S. students in households where a language other than English is spoken, many schools struggle to communicate effectively with families. TalkingPoints' platform uses natural language processing to transla...

In this episode, we explore how the edtech startup BilingualClassroom is using AI to provide real-time translation for parent-teacher conferences. With over 5 million English learner students in U.S. public schools, language barriers often exclude non-English-speaking parents from their children's education. BilingualClassroom's platform uses speech recognition and neural machine translation to in...

Edtech Startup BodyTalk Analytics is using computer vision and AI to analyze student body language in real time, giving teachers feedback on engagement without recording faces or storing video. Lucas and Luna explore the technology, the privacy safeguards, and what it means for the future of classroom observation. BodyTalk raised $12 million in Series A funding in June 2026 and is currently piloti...

In this milestone 100th episode of Edtech Conversations, Lucas and Luna explore how AI is being used to predict and map career paths for students before they even graduate. They focus on one startup, Pymetrics, which uses neuroscience-based games and machine learning to match students with careers they might not have considered. The hosts discuss how this approach differs from traditional aptitude...

In this episode of Edtech Conversations, Lucas and Luna dive into the world of virtual reality teacher training, focusing on a startup called TeacherSim that uses VR to immerse educators in crisis scenarios like active shooter drills, student mental health interventions, and classroom de-escalation. They discuss the science behind why VR training is more effective than traditional role-play, citin...

Episode 98 of Edtech Conversations explores how a startup called Practicum AI is building interactive, AI-powered career simulations for high school and college students. These simulations drop students into realistic job scenarios—like managing a product launch or diagnosing a patient—to build career readiness skills before they enter the workforce. Lucas and Luna discuss how the simulations work...

In this episode of Edtech Conversations, Lucas and Luna dive into the rise of predictive analytics in education, focusing on a startup called GradGauge that uses machine learning to identify students at risk of dropping out before they even fall behind. They discuss how the model processes data points like attendance patterns, assignment submission times, and engagement with online platforms to ge...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how a growing number of edtech startups are using income share agreements (ISAs) to make college more affordable. They focus on one specific company, Lambda School (now part of Stride Inc.), which pioneered the model where students pay tuition only after landing a job earning above a certain threshold. Lucas breaks down the mechanics: students pay a percenta...

In episode 95 of Edtech Conversations, Lucas and Luna explore how a small startup called FocusEd is using webcam-based eye tracking and machine learning to give teachers live attention heatmaps during class. The technology raises big questions about privacy, consent, and whether measuring focus actually improves learning. Lucas walks through the company's pilot in 12 U.S. high schools, the 92% acc...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how edtech startups are using Minecraft as a teaching tool for kids to learn coding and computational thinking. They discuss specific examples like Code.org's Minecraft Hour of Code and Microsoft's Minecraft Education Edition, which has reached over 35 million students worldwide. The hosts examine the effectiveness of game-based learning, the challenges of s...

Group projects in schools have long been plagued by free-riding and unfair grading. But a new wave of edtech startups is using AI to analyze collaboration patterns, track individual contributions, and assign personalized grades based on actual work. In this episode, Lucas and Luna examine how tools from companies like Crowdmark and FeedbackFruits use natural language processing and interaction dat...

This episode of Edtech Conversations dives into how one nonprofit, the University of the People, has built a tuition-free, accredited online university serving over 150,000 students across 200+ countries. Lucas and Luna explore the financial model that makes it sustainable — relying on $100 application fees, volunteer faculty, and donated exam proctoring — and why traditional universities haven't...

In this episode of Edtech Conversations with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna explore how a new wave of edtech startups is tackling the misinformation crisis by teaching media literacy in K-12 classrooms. They dive into the story of one company, NewsGuardian (a fictional but representative startup), which has built a browser-based curriculum that helps middle schoolers evaluate sources using a simple check...

In this episode of Edtech Conversations, Lucas and Luna explore how one startup, LearnEdge, is deploying AI-powered tutoring assistants in rural school districts with limited internet access. They break down the specific technical challenge — how the system works offline on low-cost tablets, syncing data when connectivity is available. Lucas shares data from a pilot in eastern Kentucky where third...

In this episode of Edtech Conversations, Lucas and Luna examine how voice AI is transforming oral assessment in K-12 and higher education. They focus on the startup Squirrel AI Learning, which has piloted spoken-response grading in Chinese middle schools, and compare it with newer U.S. entrants like Speak. The hosts discuss the technical challenges of accent detection, the pedagogical shift from w...

This episode of Edtech Conversations with Fexingo explores how AI-generated music is being used to improve student focus and reduce anxiety in classrooms. Lucas and Luna discuss startups like Brain.fm and Endel, which create adaptive soundtracks based on biometric or task data. They examine a study from a Texas elementary school where ADHD students showed a 15% improvement in test scores using AI...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing textbook creation. They focus on a startup called CogiBooks, which uses large language models to generate customized textbooks tailored to a professor's syllabus in under ten minutes. Lucas breaks down the technology: the AI doesn't just summarize—it structures chapters, generates practice questions, and even ad...

Episode 86 of Edtech Conversations explores how AI-powered lesson planning tools are reshaping the work of teachers. Lucas and Luna look at the rise of platforms like MagicSchool.ai and Eduaide, which use large language models to generate standards-aligned lesson plans, worksheets, and assessments in minutes instead of hours. They discuss a survey from the EdWeek Research Center showing that 60% o...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how artificial intelligence is transforming special education, focusing on one startup called Littera Education that uses AI to create individualized learning plans for students with disabilities. They unpack the specific challenges of scaling personalized support in public schools, the role of AI in writing IEPs, and why some educators remain skeptical. Luc...

In this episode of Edtech Conversations, Lucas and Luna explore a growing crisis in schools: student loneliness. They dive into how a startup called Together AI is using conversational AI to facilitate peer connections and group activities, rather than replacing human interaction. Lucas shares data from a 2025 survey showing that 62% of high school students report frequent loneliness, and Together...

In this episode of Edtech Conversations with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna explore how a small startup called FinLit Games is teaching financial literacy to high school students through an immersive video game. The game, 'Moneyverse,' simulates real-world financial decisions—rent, taxes, investing, unexpected expenses—over a 30-year in-game timeline. Lucas breaks down the surprising results from a pilot...

Episode 82 of Edtech Conversations dives into the rise of AI-powered college advising platforms, focusing on Mainstay (formerly AdmitHub). Lucas and Luna discuss how chatbots and predictive models are helping community colleges and four-year universities boost enrollment, retention, and completion rates. They explore a specific case study at Georgia State University, where an AI chatbot reduced su...

In this episode of Edtech Conversations with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna dive into the world of AI-powered tutoring, focusing on how platforms like Khan Academy's Khanmigo and newer entrants are reshaping homework help. They discuss the shift from passive video lessons to interactive, Socratic-style AI that doesn't just give answers but guides students through problem-solving. Lucas shares data from a...

In this episode of Edtech Conversations, Lucas and Luna explore how a small startup called EssayGrader is using natural language processing to provide real-time feedback on student essays. They dive into the technology behind the tool, how teachers are using it to save hours of grading time, and the debate over whether AI can truly assess writing quality. With specific examples from pilot programs...

Lucas and Luna explore how AI tools are transforming the college admissions essay process — from AI-powered brainstorming apps that help students overcome writer's block to automated feedback systems that flag clichés and weak arguments. They dive into a specific case: a startup called Kira Learning that uses natural language processing to give high school students instant, personalized feedback o...