Super Teacher, an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tutoring application, has been named a Top 20 finalist for TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 in San Francisco. The startup, which offers elementary school students an AI-driven tutoring experience for a monthly fee of $15, aims to expand access to private tutoring services, which have traditionally been costly for many families.
Founded by former Google product manager and educator Tim Novikoff, Super Teacher has reported approximately 20,000 family sign-ups since its inception four years ago. The app is currently being utilized by public schools in New York, New Jersey, and Hawaii, indicating its growing adoption within educational institutions.
The platform features animated AI tutors with AI-generated voices that guide students through interactive lessons. Unlike some educational technology tools, Super Teacher's content delivery relies on a deterministic system rather than large language models (LLMs) to ensure accuracy in responses, according to the company. Students interact with the app using voice commands, simulating a conversational learning environment.
Novikoff, who previously taught math in New York City, stated that his mission is to "democratize access to private tutoring." He noted the disparity in tutoring access during his teaching career, observing that nearly all students at one highly rated public school received tutoring, a stark contrast to students in other areas. Novikoff emphasized that AI tutors serve as a supplementary tool for teachers, comparable to smart boards or calculators, rather than a replacement for human educators in a classroom setting.
Super Teacher is currently focused on elementary school students, a strategic decision Novikoff made due to personal experience and an identified gap in the edtech market for this age group. The company plans to expand its services to include younger and older grades in the future and aims to establish partnerships with additional school districts across the United States. Novikoff's previous venture, Fly Labs, a mobile video-editing app, was acquired by Google in 2015.
