From The Blog
How To Change Your Career Trajectory With Online Education
Education
We Are a Teamof Builders
We’re building technology solutions grounded in research about how students learn best, and the needs of classroom teachers, to help educators unlock the full potential of every student — no matter who they are or where they live.
Our EdTechInnovation Studio
Render is our education technology innovation studio whose teams of designers, engineers and researchers work directly with teachers and school leaders early and often in the product development process, incorporating the unique insights they hold around learning to co-build impactful solutions for K–12 education.
Given the rapid adoption of generative AI in education, we are thoughtfully exploring how to incorporate artificial intelligence into tools in partnership with researchers, experts and educators. We believe that the key to harnessing the promise of AI in education is to co-develop solutions with educators and researchers that are academically rigorous, responsibly made and effective.
Teachers collaborating and exploring design concepts for education tools during a co-design workshop at CZI. | Photograph by Carla Dano-Arango
Our Product
CZI brings together educators and researchers to co-build technology solutions that address everyday challenges in schools. We also engage youth and learning experts at organizations offering diverse perspectives on education to ensure our products can help educators across the country enhance learning and foster connections.
Launched in collaboration with Gradient Learning, Along is a teacher-student connection builder that gives educators an easy and meaningful way to check in with each student — and know them on a deeper level. Using Along, teachers are able to build connections with their students to find out how they’re experiencing key aspects of learning — and how to use their input to inform classroom practice. Along is based on what we know from research: when students have positive relationships with their teachers, they are more likely to feel motivated and engaged in school, develop positive social and emotional competencies, and perform better academically.
Our Partners
Through Render, CZI works with research organizations, curriculum developers, edtech companies, professional learning organizations, technical assistance providers, schools and school districts, professional associations, universities, and more. Current partners include ANet, Gradient Learning, Leanlab Education, Pasadena Independent School District, Search Institute, and The Learning Accelerator.
We also provide support to Gradient Learning to offer its whole student system, formerly Summit Learning, to schools across America. The new program includes new externally validated curricula, the latest best-in-class resources, and tools such as new dashboards to track student development — all paired with a dedicated coach who will help school leaders apply the program’s components in their unique schooling context.
Impact Investing
CZI invests globally in innovative companies that are developing transformative and scalable solutions to the issues at the heart of our mission. We make venture investments with the expectation that these will be successful as companies so they can scale the high-quality solutions and innovation to have as much impact as possible. The education technology companies in our ventures portfolio now serve millions of students across the U.S., India, Africa, Latin America and Europe.
Work With Us
Bringing together diverse voices is at the heart of what we do to build impactful technology solutions for teachers and students. It's thrilling to be a part of a team designing innovative solutions that will make a meaningful difference for young people.
