Edsoma

Edsoma Inc. operates in the educational technology market, offering an AI-powered reading and communication platform for children. Founded in 2021 by serial entrepreneur Kyle Wallgren, the Weatherford, Texas-based company aims to address literacy challenges by making reading more engaging and accessible. The idea for Edsoma originated from Wallgren's personal experience of being separated from his children in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic and wanting a way to read with them remotely. Wallgren, a Canadian native who moved to the U.S., has a background in building and selling multiple companies in industries like concrete, landscaping, and oilfield services, but founded Edsoma out of a passion to tackle literacy issues he himself faced.

The company's core product is a mobile application available on both Android and iOS, which functions as an AI reading assistant. It serves schools, districts, and afterschool programs, targeting students from kindergarten to fourth grade. The business model operates on a freemium basis. A free version provides limited features, while a premium subscription, priced monthly or annually, unlocks unlimited access to books, group video calling, and peer reading sessions. In September 2023, Edsoma secured $2.5 million in a seed funding round led by philanthropist and NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal, with participation from other individual investors. This capital is intended to further develop the AI platform, expand the content library, and support widespread adoption through partnerships with schools and parents.

Edsoma's platform incorporates several key features based on the science of reading. Its patent-pending technology includes real-time voice recognition that detects and corrects mispronunciations as a child reads aloud. The software can break down difficult words into syllables to aid pronunciation. The platform also features follow-along technology with text highlighting, a video co-reader function for remote reading sessions between children, parents, or teachers, and progress tracking reports. By partnering with MetaMetrics, Edsoma provides Lexile measures to assess a reader's progress. The digital library contains a wide variety of content across genres like science, sports, and fantasy to cater to different interests.

Keywords: AI reading assistant, educational technology, literacy platform, K-4 education, reading fluency, remote learning, pronunciation correction, voice recognition, digital library, edtech startup, Kyle Wallgren, Shaquille O'Neal, reading comprehension, personalized learning, education app, family engagement, co-reading, Lexile framework, student assessment, education software