Why building AI for schools is harder than building a chatbot: inside Smartschool’s approach to exam prep
Smartschool, a Palo Alto edtech startup founded by three Polish entrepreneurs, built a proprietary mathematical reasoning engine achieving 99.6% accuracy for high-school math. Unlike generic AI chatbots, the platform is designed for real classroom conditions — evaluating handwritten work, interpreting diagrams, and providing structured feedback aligned with curricula and state standards. It integrates with existing learning management systems and gradebooks, reducing friction for teachers. The company now operates in 30 US school districts including NYC and Boston, with a study showing 90% of students in one Wisconsin district met or exceeded math standards. Smartschool raised $3M in seed funding from notable angels and VCs including the a16z Scout Fund.