SXSW EDU® Launch and Learn by Design Competitions Announces Winners for 2019

Edmit Wins Launch Competition and Waukee Innovation & Learning Center (WILC) Wins Learn by Design Competition

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Mar 06, 2019, 09:32 ET

AUSTIN, Texas, March 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The SXSW EDU Conference & Festival named Edmit and Waukee Innovation & Learning Center (WILC) as the winners of the 2019 SXSW EDU Launch and Learn by Design competitions respectively. Following a day of pitches from this year's finalists, the announcement was made at the Competition Awards Party presented by VS America and the Walton Family Foundation, in Austin, Texas on Tuesday, March 5.

The Launch competition, now in its eighth year, celebrates early-stage education startups and this year's eight finalists took the stage on Tuesday, March 5 to pitch their ventures in front of the judges and a live audience. This year's finalists showcase projects that teach students how to master mental math calculations, a new app that marries facetime with story time, and robust research that supports the high school to college transition and pathways towards career readiness.

Edmit, which received the top prize last night, helps families make smarter decisions about the dollars and cents of college. With Edmit's personalized and data-driven advising, families make educational investments that are within financial reach and set them up for future success.

The Learn by Design Competition, now in its third year, celebrates the collaboration between designers and educators in reimagining physical space and how it can improve learning outcomes. This year's seven finalists support neurodiversity, adventure education, future education spaces, transdisciplinary learning, and entrepreneurial education that span the entire learning cycle. The finalists were previously announced last night and competed in the Learn by Design competition on Tuesday, March 5.

The winner of the Learn by Design Competition, Waukee Innovation & Learning Center (WILC) in Waukee, Iowa, designed by CannonDesign and INVISION Architecture, joins educational curriculum with business acumen all under one roof. With the nation experiencing rising costs in post-secondary education, as well as ever-evolving changes in employment opportunities, there is a growing opportunity to create programs and facilities that introduce entrepreneurial education earlier through PK-12 intuitions.

"Every year, we are filled with inspiration and awe at the innovation, entrepreneurship, and creative problem-solving happening at the forefront of learning," said Greg Rosenbaum, General Manager of SXSW EDU. " We are honored and proud that SXSW EDU can provide a supportive and interactive environment for these early-stage startups, designers, and educators to collaborate, pitch, and grow their work."

This year's top 8 Launch Competition finalists are: • Amira Learning // Las Vegas, NV • Caribu // Miami, FL • Edmit // Boston, MA • Giide // Boulder, CO • Pie for Providers // Chicago, IL • ROYBI // San Jose, CA • SoroTouch // Tokyo, Japan • Upkey // Chicago, IL.

Since the Launch competition's inception, many of the startups have gone on to receive millions of dollars in funding and greatly impact learning across the country, including: Clever, The Whether by Better Weekdays, BloomBoard, Elsa, and last year's winner Quottly. Recently, Elsa received $7 million in Series A funding.

The top 7 Learn by Design finalists are: DLR Group's Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium Robert B. Daugherty Education Center • University of Kansas's Project Lemonaid • Kurani's Code Next Lab • HDR Architecture's Spero Academy • Ennead Architects and BAUM Architects' Seoul Foreign School, New High School • CannonDesign and INVISION Architecture's Waukee Innovation & Learning Center (WILC) • Gulf of Maine Research Institute's LabVenture. Last year's winner was Pathfinder Education Center.

To learn more about competitions and how to submit for next year, please go here.

About SXSW EDU
The SXSW EDU® Conference & Festival cultivates and empowers a community of engaged stakeholders to advance teaching and learning. The annual four-day event affords registrants open access to engaging sessions, immersive workshops, interactive learning experiences, film screenings, early-stage startups, business opportunities and networking. SXSW EDU is a component of the South by Southwest® family of conferences and festivals. Join the passionate and innovative community at SXSW EDU, March 4-7, 2019 in Austin, Texas. For more information, please visit SXSW EDU.com.

Contact:
Liz Stein
SXSW EDU Press & Publicity
[email protected]
512-467-7979

SOURCE SXSW EDU