AT&T Kicks Off Aspire Accelerator With 6 Leading Ed-Tech Startups
2016 Class of For- and Non-Profit Organizations Gathers in San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO, May 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T (NYSE: T) is working with 6 innovative ed-tech startups for the 2016 AT&T Aspire Accelerator class. The program is in its second year and is part of our $350 million commitment to help students succeed in school and beyond. The Accelerator supports for- and non-profit organizations driving student success and career readiness. The primary measure of success for the Aspire Accelerator is societal impact that the participating organizations create. The participating organizations are from around the country. They have unique stories and diverse leadership. Women founded and lead 4 of the 6 companies.
"Tech is our business. And by applying it to challenges in education, anything becomes possible. This year's Accelerator class is doing just that," said Nicole Anderson, Assistant Vice President of Social Innovation, AT&T. "We're eager to start working with them to help scale their solutions. We're seeing the growth of last year's class, and that builds excitement for this year." The participants receive financial investment, mentorship and access to expert services from AT&T and others. The external advisory board includes:
"The Aspire Accelerator's approach intrigued me. Their unique focus on the social impact of ed-tech innovations and the ability for both for- or non-profit organizations to participate was exciting," said Charles Best, founder and CEO of DonorsChoose.org. "I look forward to meeting this year's class and seeing how they use technology in new ways to help students thrive." Launched in 2015, Aspire Accelerator's customized 6-month program includes:
The Aspire Accelerator builds on our investment in ed-tech. From launching the Nanodegree program with the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) leader Udacity, to committing to provide $100 million of mobile Internet as part of the White House ConnectED initiative, AT&T is using its tech expertise to transform learning and open a new world of opportunities to students everywhere. About Philanthropy & Social Innovation at AT&T AT&T Inc. is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its community initiatives, AT&T has a long history of investing in projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; or address community needs. AT&T Aspire is AT&T's signature philanthropic initiative that drives innovation in education by bringing diverse resources to bear on the issue including funding, technology, employee volunteerism, and mentoring. Through Aspire, we've passed the $250 million mark on our plan to invest $350 million in education from 2008-2017. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140408/CG99935LOGO
To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/att-kicks-off-aspire-accelerator-with-6-leading-ed-tech-startups-300264623.html SOURCE AT&T Inc. |
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