Colleague AI
Colleague AI is a research-backed, model-agnostic AI platform for K-12 education, serving teachers, students, and school administrators with lesson planning, grading, tutoring, and district administration tools. It spun off from the University of Washington and is backed by $18M+ in federal research grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2023
- HeadquartersKirkland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Colleague AI does
Colleague AI is a research-backed AI platform purpose-built for the K-12 education market, spanning teacher workflows, student-facing learning, and school or district administration in a single integrated product. The platform is model-agnostic and layers proprietary pedagogical knowledge, learning sciences, and instructional design principles on top of foundation models, with differentiated algorithms for lesson material quality assessment, nudging and gamification, and student engagement measurement. It originated as research at the University of Washington's AmplifyLearn.AI Center, spun off in May 2024 under Hensun Innovation LLC, and has since accumulated more than $18 million in competitive federal research grants from the NSF, Department of Education, and Institute of Education Sciences. The product line is organized as AI for Educators (lesson planning, assessment, grading, differentiated instruction, IEPs), AI for Schools (admin dashboard, CoreDocs Assistant, AICE Badge, implementation support), and AI for Students (AI Tutor, Classroom Spaces, multi-lingual options in 50+ languages). The platform is integrated via LTI with Google Classroom, Schoology, Canvas, and Microsoft OneDrive, and supports SSO and rostering via ClassLink and Clever; certifications include FERPA, COPPA, GDPR, SOC 2 Type II, Access4Learning, and ISTE Seal 2026-2028.
The company sells primarily through direct enterprise field sales to K-12 districts in the United States, with regional Account Executives covering the South, East, and Midwest, and supplements this with self-serve free trials, free introduction sessions, browser extensions, and grant-funded training partnerships with Education Service Centers, Regional Service Centers, and County Offices of Education. Pricing is not publicly disclosed but follows a subscription model with multi-year contracts implied by the AE and Education Success Manager roles; an enterprise tier bundles SSO, rostering, and LTI integration. The customer base is concentrated in K-12 public school districts and charter networks, with named partners including Tacoma, Bellevue, Bellingham, Northshore, Yakima, Quincy, Manson, Federal Way, KIPP NJ, KIPP Miami, Eastside Preparatory, and Everett, alongside Puget Sound ESD. The company is privately held and headquartered operationally in the Greater Seattle area with a registered mailing address in Spokane, WA, and operates with 11-50 employees.
Colleague AI firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Colleague AI
- Legal name
- Hensun Innovation LLC
- Website
- https://colleague.ai
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2023
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Colleague AI is a research-backed, model-agnostic AI platform for K-12 education, serving teachers, students, and school administrators with lesson planning, grading, tutoring, and district administration tools. It spun off from the University of Washington and is backed by $18M+ in federal research grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Colleague AI industry classification
Industry- Product category
- K-12 Education AI Platform
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- AI Tutoring Systems (Conversational Tutors, Homework Helpers) (EDAFAFAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- AI-Powered Tutoring & Study Assistant Platforms (EDANAGAD), Education & Learning Personalization (HDAAAGAL), Integrated Tutoring + Learning Content Platforms (Curriculum + Tutors) (EDANAGAL)
Keywords
Where Colleague AI is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kirkland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Colleague AI business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- School/District SaaS Licensing: Colleague AI sells platform licenses to K-12 schools and districts, with Enterprise tiers offering SSO, LTI integration, and roster services. Pricing is subscription-based, likely at the district level with per-seat or site-level components. The company also mentions Enterprise Licenses for larger deployments. Multi-year contracts are implied by renewal-focused Account Executive and Education Success Manager roles.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free Trial / Freemium Entry |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Enterprise / District Licensing |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Colleague AI product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Colleague AI sells a comprehensive, research-backed AI platform for K-12 education that gives teachers AI-powered lesson planning, assessment creation, grading (Marzano method), differentiated instruction, IEP support, and an Admin Dashboard with CoreDocs Assistant for policy-aligned organizational intelligence. It also delivers a student-facing AI Tutor and Classroom Spaces, with SSO via ClassLink and Clever, LTI integration with major LMS platforms, and compliance with FERPA, COPPA, GDPR, SOC 2, and ISTE Seal 2026-2028, sold primarily through district/school SaaS subscriptions with a freemium self-serve entry tier.
Product overview
Colleague AI is a comprehensive, research-backed AI platform for K-12 education supporting the entire learning cycle—spanning teaching and instruction, student learning and support, and school leadership and administration. The platform consists of three interconnected core offerings: AI for Educators (teacher-facing tools for lesson planning, assessment, grading, differentiated instruction, and IEPs), AI for Schools (administrative tools for leadership, reporting, and district governance including Customized AI and AICE Badge), and AI for Students (student-facing AI Tutor, Classroom Spaces, and Multi-lingual Options). Additional product modules include CoreDocs Assistant for organizational document integration, Modules and Units for curriculum structure, Gradebook, Groups, QR Code Login, and Announcements. The platform is built on research validated by $18M+ in federal grants from NSF, DOE, and IES, with AI capabilities powered by multiple integrated foundation models augmented by proprietary teaching and learning knowledge.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- AICE (AI Competency for Educators) Framework: A research-based framework developed with University of Washington that defines and supports educator AI competency through four dimensions: Functional, Content, Pedagogical, and Ethical.
- AICE Certified Educator Badge
- CoreDocs Assistant
Products and services
- AI for Educators Primary teacher-facing platform providing AI-powered tools for lesson planning, assessment creation, grading (Marzano method), differentiated instruction, and IEP assistance, while keeping teachers fully in control of final decisions.
- AI for Schools Administrative platform for school and district leaders providing AI tools for leadership, administration, planning, reporting, and governance across the K-12 ecosystem, including the Admin Dashboard and Customized AI / CoreDocs Assistant.
- AI for Students Student-facing AI platform providing tools for personalized learning, 24/7 AI tutoring in 50+ languages, and classroom engagement with age-appropriate experiences and learning integrity safeguards.
- CoreDocs Assistant Context-aware AI assistant that lets district leaders upload foundational documents (evaluation rubrics, grading policies, curriculum guidelines) for policy-aligned AI responses grounded in the organization's own knowledge graph.
- Colleague AI Chrome and Edge Extension Free browser extension for Chrome and Edge that enables Colleague AI integration across websites where educators conduct their work.
Quantifiable outcome
- Thousands of educators nationwide adopted the platform by H2 2024 following soft launch in May 2024.
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Colleague AI
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Colleague AI technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration10 records
AI capability10 records
Feature18 records
Colleague AI partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Hensun Innovation LLCcoreUniversity-industry partnership entity that co-founded Colleague AI and manages it as a spin-off from the University of Washington. Hensun Innovation LLC is the operating entity behind Colleague AI, incorporated as dba Colleague AI. The company soft launched as an independent entity in May 2024, managed by Hensun Innovation LLC.
- University of Washington AmplifyLearn.AI CentercoreColleague AI originated as a research project at UW's AmplifyLearn.AI Center focused on developing algorithms and models to identify high-quality math and science lesson materials, funded by NSF. The company spun off from the university in May/June 2024 while maintaining a close partnership for ongoing research and evaluation of product impact on teacher efficiency and student learning outcomes. Colleague AI is also affiliated with UW's AmplifyGAIN Center.
- University of Washington AmplifyGAIN CentercoreAmplifyGAIN is a research institute at UW focused on generative AI for K-12 math and science. Its surveys and studies directly inform Colleague AI's design, including helping create AI tools for high-quality lesson materials, assessments, and personalized student feedback.
- University of Washington (College of Education)coreAcademic research partner through which Colleague AI grew. Dr. Min Sun serves as Co-Founder. Affiliated researchers include Dr. Lorraine Males (University of Nebraska-Lincoln), Dr. Melissa Boston (Duquesne University), Dr. Joshua Rosenberg (University of Tennessee), Dr. Wei Ai (University of Maryland), and Dr. Jing Liu. Co-develops the AICE Certified Educator Badge.
- University of MarylandminorAffiliated researcher Dr. Wei Ai (Assistant Professor of Information Studies) contributes to research on ML and data mining in education AI.
- University of Tennessee, KnoxvilleminorAffiliated researcher Dr. Joshua Rosenberg (Associate Professor, STEM Education) contributes research on STEM education and educational AI.
- Duquesne UniversityminorAffiliated researcher Dr. Melissa Boston (Professor of Mathematics Education) contributes research on mathematics education and teacher development.
- University of Nebraska-LincolnminorAffiliated researcher Dr. Lorraine Males (Julie and Henry Bauermeister Associate Professor in Education and Human Sciences) contributes research on math education and teacher development.
- WestEdminorEducation research and development organization listed as a research partner supporting Colleague AI's research and development initiatives.
- MIT Blueprint LabsminorMIT research initiative listed as a research partner supporting Colleague AI's research and development initiatives.
- Tacoma Public SchoolscoreResearch-practice partner school district participating in co-design sessions, pilots, and ongoing evaluation of Colleague AI's impact on teaching and learning. One of the founding district partners.
- Bellevue School DistrictcoreResearch-practice partner school district participating in co-design sessions, pilots, and ongoing evaluation of Colleague AI's impact on teaching and learning.
- Bellingham School DistrictcoreResearch-practice partner school district participating in co-design sessions, pilots, and ongoing evaluation.
- Northshore School DistrictcoreResearch-practice partner school district participating in co-design sessions, pilots, and ongoing evaluation.
- Puget Sound Educational Service DistrictcoreEducational Service District partner participating in research-practice partnerships and training delivery for constituent schools.
- KIPP NJcoreCharter school network partner in New Jersey, part of Colleague AI's district partnership program.
- KIPP MiamicoreCharter school network partner in Miami, part of Colleague AI's district partnership program.
- Everett Public SchoolscoreResearch-practice partner school district participating in co-design sessions, pilots, and ongoing evaluation.
- Quincy School DistrictcoreResearch-practice partner district. Educators from Quincy School District (WA) contributed to the concept of CoreDocs Assistant.
- Chris CraneminorBusiness Advisor and LP/member of Investment Board at VentureUS. Former Senior Director at Microsoft. Serves on Colleague AI's advisory board providing strategic business guidance.
- Steve KesselminorBusiness and Technology Advisor. Former Senior VP at Amazon. Serves on Colleague AI's advisory board providing strategic business and technology guidance.
- Telca K. PorrasminorSchool Relationship Advisor. Former Gates Foundation Program Officer and policy advocate. Serves on Colleague AI's advisory board providing school relationship and policy guidance.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Colleague AI competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- MagicSchool AI: MagicSchool AI is an AI-powered platform built specifically for K-12 educators, offering lesson planning, assessment, differentiation, and IEP tools. It is the closest direct competitor to Colleague AI's AI for Educators suite and serves the same teacher and district buyer.
- SchoolAI: SchoolAI provides AI tools for K-12 teachers and students, including AI tutors, lesson planning, and classroom activities. It overlaps with Colleague AI across both the teacher- and student-facing experiences in K-12.
- Khanmigo (Khan Academy): Khanmigo is Khan Academy's AI tutor and teaching assistant for K-12, offering personalized tutoring, lesson planning support, and student-facing chat. It directly overlaps with Colleague AI's AI Tutor and lesson planning capabilities.
- Curipod: Curipod is an AI-powered lesson planning and interactive lesson platform for K-12 teachers. It competes head-to-head with Colleague AI's lesson planning and AI for Educators modules.
- Eduaide.ai: Eduaide.ai is an AI teaching assistant for educators that generates lesson plans, assessments, and instructional materials. It is comparable to Colleague AI's teacher-facing feature set and target persona.
- Brisk Teaching: Brisk Teaching is a Chrome-extension-based AI assistant for K-12 teachers, providing lesson planning, differentiation, and feedback tools directly in the browser. It mirrors Colleague AI's browser extension and teacher workflow focus.
- Diffit: Diffit provides AI-powered differentiation, reading level adjustment, and content generation tools for K-12 teachers. It overlaps with Colleague AI's differentiated instruction and content generation modules.
- Flint: Flint is an AI tutoring platform that lets K-12 teachers create and assign AI-powered learning activities. It competes with Colleague AI's AI Tutor and Classroom Spaces on the student-facing side.
Broad incumbents
- Newsela: Newsela is an established K-12 instructional content platform offering leveled texts, assessments, and writing tools. While broader than Colleague AI, it competes for district content and assessment budgets.
- Carnegie Learning: Carnegie Learning provides K-12 math and STEM instructional software, including adaptive tutoring and assessment. It is an established incumbent overlapping with Colleague AI's differentiated instruction and assessment features.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Colleague AI social profiles
Digital presenceColleague AI compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Colleague AI financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Colleague AI leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
Colleague AI funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Colleague AI M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Colleague AI
What does Colleague AI do?
Colleague AI sells a comprehensive, research-backed AI platform for K-12 education that gives teachers AI-powered lesson planning, assessment creation, grading (Marzano method), differentiated instruction, IEP support, and an Admin Dashboard with CoreDocs Assistant for policy-aligned organizational intelligence. It also delivers a student-facing AI Tutor and Classroom Spaces, with SSO via ClassLink and Clever, LTI integration with major LMS platforms, and compliance with FERPA, COPPA, GDPR, SOC 2, and ISTE Seal 2026-2028, sold primarily through district/school SaaS subscriptions with a freemium self-serve entry tier.
Is Colleague AI a public or private company?
Colleague AI is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Colleague AI founded?
Colleague AI was founded in 2023. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Colleague AI based?
Colleague AI is headquartered in Kirkland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Colleague AI make money?
One revenue line is on record: school/District SaaS Licensing.
Who are Colleague AI's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are MagicSchool AI, SchoolAI, Khanmigo (Khan Academy), Curipod, Eduaide.ai, Brisk Teaching, Diffit and Flint. Broad incumbents are Newsela and Carnegie Learning.
Does Colleague AI have an API?
No public API is recorded for Colleague AI.
What industry is Colleague AI in?
Colleague AI's product category is K-12 Education AI Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAFAFAC, AI Tutoring Systems (Conversational Tutors, Homework Helpers), with a secondary code of EDANAGAD, AI-Powered Tutoring & Study Assistant Platforms. Its NAICS code is 61171 and its SIC code is 8200.