Scientific Learning Corporation

What Scientific Learning Corporation does

Scientific Learning Corporation is a neuroscience-based educational technology company founded in 1996 by four research scientists — Dr. Michael M. Merzenich, Dr. William M. Jenkins, Dr. Paula A. Tallal, and Dr. Steven L. Miller — from the University of California, San Francisco and Rutgers University. The company developed the Fast ForWord suite, a brain-based reading and language intervention product for K-12 students that simultaneously trains reading/language skills alongside cognitive skills (memory, attention, processing, sequencing). The product architecture combines computer-delivered adaptive exercises with speech modification algorithms and embedded pre/post-assessments that produce reporting at the district, school, class, and student levels. The portfolio includes Fast ForWord Elementary and Secondary solutions, Reading Assistant Plus (which adds speech recognition for guided oral reading), Build English Fast for English Language Learners, and the newer Elements I/II modules targeting adolescent readers.

The company monetizes through three primary channels: (1) subscription-based licensing of Fast ForWord programs to K-12 schools and districts in the US and Canada via a direct enterprise sales team; (2) certification and software fees from a network of certified Providers — speech-language pathologists, audiologists, reading specialists, educational therapists, and learning centers — operating in US and Canada; and (3) licensing fees from International Value-Added Resellers operating in 40+ countries worldwide. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Multi-channel demand generation is supported by a content marketing engine including a Science of Learning blog, webinars, downloadable educator guides, classroom resources, and an extensive case study library.

The product line is backed by 300+ research studies and carries a 'strong evidence' rating from the U.S. Department of Education's What Works Clearinghouse, with 21 studies meeting WWC Evidence Standards across Adolescent Literacy, Beginning Reading, and English Language Development. The company has also received CASE endorsement and 'high-gain' classifications from the Iowa and Nevada Departments of Education. Since September 16, 2020, Scientific Learning has operated as a privately-owned subsidiary of Carnegie Learning following an acquisition, and the company is no longer listed on OTC Markets under ticker SCIL. Prior acquisitions include BrainMaps (2017) and Soliloquy Learning (2008).

Name

Scientific Learning Corporation

Legal name

Scientific Learning Corporation

Website

https://scilearn.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Scientific Learning Corporation develops Fast ForWord, a neuroscience-based K-12 reading and language intervention suite, distributed via subscription licensing to schools, certified clinical providers, and international Value-Added Resellers in 40+ countries. Now a subsidiary of Carnegie Learning.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Reading Intervention Software

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

akta.pro primary industry

Literacy & Reading Intervention Technology (EDAJAMAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Early Literacy & Pre-Reading Learning Tools (EDAFAOAO), Language Learning Media (Audio Labs, Pronunciation, Interactive) (EDAGALAE)

Keywords

• Reading intervention software
• Brain-based learning
• Literacy assessment tools
• Special education technology
• Cognitive training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. School/District Licensing: Subscription-based licensing of Fast ForWord programs to K-12 schools and districts, with pricing based on number of students or sites.
2. Provider Certification and Software: Fees for certified Fast ForWord Providers (clinics, learning centers, speech-language pathologists) to implement the programs with their clients.
3. International VAR Licensing: Licensing fees from International Value-Added Resellers who provide Scientific Learning products and implementation services within specific geographic territories.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Scientific Learning Corporation develops and licenses the Fast ForWord brain-based reading and language intervention suite for K-12 students, which simultaneously trains reading/language skills and cognitive skills (memory, attention, processing, sequencing). The company also offers Reading Assistant Plus, an online guided reading tool combining speech recognition with scientifically-based courseware, and Build English Fast for English Language Learners. Following acquisition by Carnegie Learning in 2020, ClearFluency was added to the literacy portfolio.

Product overview

Scientific Learning Corporation offers a suite of educational software products centered around the Fast ForWord brain-based reading intervention program. The core Fast ForWord suite includes Elementary and Secondary solutions that simultaneously train reading/language skills and cognitive skills (memory, attention, processing, sequencing) through computer-delivered exercises. Reading Assistant Plus is an add-on guided reading module featuring speech recognition technology for real-time reading feedback. The portfolio also includes Build English Fast for English language learners and specialized Elements I/II modules for adolescent learners. Following acquisition by Carnegie Learning in 2020, ClearFluency was added to the combined literacy offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fast ForWord: Brain-based reading and language intervention program for K-12 students with reading or learning difficulties, targeting cognitive skills including memory, attention, processing, and sequencing.
• Reading Assistant Plus
• ClearFluency
• Build English Fast

Products and services

• Fast ForWord Brain-based reading and language intervention suite (K-12) designed by neuroscientists that simultaneously trains reading skills (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension) and cognitive abilities including memory, attention, processing, and sequencing. Includes Elementary Solution (K-5) and Secondary Solution (grades 6-12).
• Reading Assistant Plus Online guided reading tool that combines speech recognition technology with scientifically-based courseware to help students strengthen fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension through real-time corrective feedback as students read aloud.
• Build English Fast Language development and literacy intervention solution combining Fast ForWord and Reading Assistant for English Language Learners (ELLs) in grades K-6, designed to accelerate English language acquisition.
• ClearFluency K-12 reading fluency solution offered as part of the Carnegie Learning literacy portfolio, addressing reading and literacy needs alongside Fast ForWord.
• Fast ForWord Literacy Elements I Evidence-based reading intervention series of exercises for adolescent learners (secondary readers), featuring rewards, instant feedback, and a socially safe learning environment designed for both remote and classroom implementation.
• Fast ForWord Reading Comprehension Reading comprehension component targeting comprehension skills for struggling readers, added to the Fast ForWord program suite.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,000,000+ students have used Fast ForWord
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Carnegie LearningflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 September 2020Scientific Learning Corporation was acquired by Carnegie Learning, a leader in artificial intelligence for education and formative assessment. This acquisition strengthens Carnegie Learning's digital literacy offerings by integrating Scientific Learning's brain-based reading intervention technology.
• Arizona Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Arizona's Department of Education, in cooperation with the Arizona State Board of Education, partnered with Scientific Learning for an innovative two-year pilot program. The program implemented Build English Fast solution for approximately 4,000 ELL students in grades K-6 to accelerate English language acquisition.
• Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE)minorOthers · 1 January 2015CASE endorsed the Fast ForWord language and reading intervention as meeting the needs of students with learning disabilities and ADD/ADHD by targeting root causes in the brain.
• Rutgers UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1996Rutgers and UCSF jointly owned the technology and ideas behind Fast ForWord. Following the 1995 Science publication and public response, they licensed the technology for commercial use. The four scientists then formed Scientific Learning Corporation to bring the program out of the lab.
• University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1996UCSF and Rutgers jointly owned the original Fast ForWord technology. UCSF researchers Michael Merzenich and William Jenkins conducted foundational brain plasticity research that led to the product development. The four scientists formed Scientific Learning Corporation to commercialize their research.
• International Value-Added Resellers (VARs)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational VARs are organizations with contractual business relationships to provide Scientific Learning products and implementation services within specific geographic territories. VARs receive training and marketing resources from Scientific Learning. Competencies include English language learning, tutoring, reading intervention, and speech/language services.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Renaissance Learning: Renaissance's Star Assessments and Accelerated Reader are reading-assessment-and-practice staples in US K-12 schools, competing with Fast ForWord for the same intervention and progress-monitoring dollars.
• Newsela: Newsela's differentiated-content literacy platform is widely licensed by K-12 schools and districts for reading practice and comprehension, positioning it as a complementary or substitute purchase versus Fast ForWord.
• Curriculum Associates (i-Ready): i-Ready Diagnostic and i-Ready Reading are widely adopted K-12 reading assessment and intervention tools sold to the same district buyers as Fast ForWord, with overlapping use cases in identifying and remediating struggling readers.
• Imagine Learning: Imagine Learning's literacy and English Language Learner programs (Imagine Language & Literacy, Imagine Learning Insights) target K-12 districts with adaptive, evidence-based reading instruction — directly competitive with Fast ForWord, especially in the ELL segment where Build English Fast plays.
• Lexia Learning: Lexia Core5, Lexia PowerUp, and Lexia English are K-12 literacy and reading intervention products sold directly to schools and districts, directly competing with Fast ForWord for the same Title I and intervention budget.
• Reading Eggs / Blake eLearning: Reading Eggs and Reading Eggspress are K-6 reading programs sold to schools and parents, directly overlapping with Fast ForWord's elementary literacy intervention positioning.
• Amplify Education: Amplify's mCLASS and Amplify CKLA offer K-2 reading assessment and structured-literacy instruction, competing directly for district literacy intervention budgets and overlapping with Fast ForWord's early-grades reading focus.

Emerging players

• DreamBox Learning: Adaptive learning platform (math-focused) sold to K-12 districts with similar enterprise SaaS economics and buyer personas; useful as a comparable on AI-driven adaptive instruction pricing and district adoption dynamics adjacent to Fast ForWord.

Broad incumbents

• Edmentum: Edmentum offers a broad K-12 intervention and credit-recovery portfolio (Exact Path, Reading Eggs, etc.) sold to the same district procurement channels as Fast ForWord, with overlapping reading intervention use cases.
• Carnegie Learning: Scientific Learning's parent company and broader EdTech platform; offers MATHia adaptive math, formative assessment, and now the Fast ForWord literacy suite — overlapping K-12 district buyers at the enterprise portfolio level.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/scilearn
• Facebookfacebook.com/brainmaps.tw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/scientific-learning
• Instagraminstagram.com/scilearn
• Pinterestpinterest.com/scilearn
• Xx.com/scilearn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Scientific Learning Corporation