IET EdTech Foundry selects businesses to join the start-up accelerator

The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology (IET) launched the IET EdTech Foundry in 2022, providing an inclusive avenue for start-up businesses that use technology-enhanced learning and educational technology to advance learning and teaching.

In 2023, the Foundry announced its open call for submissions, with a range of high-quality applications expressing interest to take part. During a rigorous selection process, each application was reviewed by a panel of high-quality reviewers, including: Professor Kevin Shakesheff, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Research and Innovation at the OU and Chair of the panel, Gemma Maldar, Head of Enterprise at the OU, Regius Professor Eileen Scanlon, Associate Director for Research at IET, and Professor Fridolin Wild, IET EdTech Foundry Lead.

We are pleased to share that six start-up businesses have been invited to join the IET EdTech Foundry and progress educational technology in the mainstream.

Meet the IET EdTech Foundry's newest members

UNI SIM

UNI SIM is designing the world’s first fully integrated haptic and virtual reality (VR) desktop simulator to train the next generation of dental and medical students around the world.

Goggleminds

At Goggleminds®, we use the power of VR to make healthcare training more accessible more effective and more engaging. To do this, we have built a web-based training platform called the Mediverse®. The Mediverse® gives learners access to on-demand simulation training, enabling pre and post registration healthcare professionals to practise and learn clinical skills in realistic and immersive virtual environments.

DoctorateHub

DoctorateHub is a global learning platform for doctoral candidates that accelerates PhD completion, increases student mastery, and improves university doctoral programmes outcomes. By combining skills-driven courseware, expert supervision, and peer collaboration, DoctorateHub offers a personalized structured approach to completing advanced degrees.

Curious

Curious is a UK-based games start-up creating a secure game-based learning platform that provides teachers with easy access to high-quality educational games that match their curriculum needs. Curious will also give independent game studios the tools they need to build games and sell these directly to schools.

CatnClever

CatnClever is a play-based math and literacy app that helps children aged 3 to 7 develop foundational skills. CatnClever seeks to provide parents with well-designed, evidence-based tools to help them support their children’s early learning. It does this using stories and interactive exercises that incorporate socio-emotional learning, movement and music.

Balanced Learning Design

Balanced Design Planning (BDP) is a free-to-use web-based tool designed by the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Organization and Informatics. The Open University has contributed to the evaluation and upgrading of the BDP tool. The BDP tool provides a research-based, innovative solution to learning design challenges. the BDP tool and approach provides easy and visual access to how educators design their learning activities, and whether these are aligned within their own learning objectives and those of a wider educational programme. The analytics dashboard includes a high level overview of the entire course which enables learning designers to change their course design and improve learning experience and efficacy.

What is next for the IET EdTech Foundry?

Each project will be supported with a package of development across digital infrastructure, enterprise development and coaching.During this process, the OU's new start-up accelerator will provide an inclusive technological gateway, with services supported by a framework of pacing events (including calls for participation, selection, software development DevOps support, pitching, demo days and investor e-pitches).

We will share more on how the Foundry's newest members progress on the IET website.

Find out more about the services available within the Foundry here.