The gap between one-to-one and large-group tuition in K-12 education is particularly stark. Research by Benjamin Bloom reveals that 90% of tutored students achieve the summative achievement of the top 20% of control classrooms, underscoring the disparity between traditional education methods and the opportunities that individualized teaching can provide.
In Western societies, particularly in wealth-rich regions, this gap exacerbates inequality. In developping economies, tens of millions of students struggle without access to the educational advantages typically granted to their peers. This issue is deeply affecting socio-economic mobility, as large groups often perpetuate existing inequalities.
Karttikeya Mangalam, CEO and co-founder of SigIQ.ai, saw this problem firsthand, advocating for an alternative approach to educational access. With a background in poor India, he obtained scholarships to access superior education in India, eventually working in cutting-edge AI and software roles. “You don’t get that opportunity unless you’re in the best places taught by the best people,” he remembers.
SigIQ, aiming to bridge this gap, developed an AI tutor that simulates human teaching. The tutor begins by assessing the student’s current understanding, identifies learning gaps, and plans a strategy. It delivers content at the student’s convenience and provides personalized feedback. Engaging with SigIQ, students report increased study time and improved performance, such as a 30%-40% boost in study hours and a 18% improvement in their GRE scores.
“The AI-powered review feature was crucial for Priya Sharma, enhancing her writing skills,” she shares. The industry’s first time with SigIQ delivered a 200-point improvement in the GRE exam and nearly 180 points in an Indian exam, solidifying their impact.
Relying on limited funding, SigIQ’s early results are promising. The two AI agents have unders World students in India and GRE students across the US, with more than 200,000 students reporting significant gains in study hours. A further two-thirds are using the GRE tutor, a 10,000 student mix, with student feedback emphasizing improved performance and understanding.
SigIQ researchers emphasize the need for an interactive, personalized tutoring experience tailored to the student. The AI’s decision-making process mirrors human tutors, ensuring personalized instruction and constructive feedback, making SigIQ the first AI엉ed in this space.
“SigIQ isn’t just a regular edtech startup,” says The House Fund Managing Director Jeremy Fiance. “They’ve built an AI system that publicly demonstrated their superiority compared to both humans and leading AI models across challenging exams.” SigIQ is moving towards premium offerings, with aSeeking $9.5 million to support its development and testing phases. Unlike competitors in the education sector, SigIQ is focused on democratizing access to personalized learning, ensuring that students anywhere can enjoy the benefits of high-quality education.
