As of 2023, 250 million children worldwide were unable to attend school, while the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the education of over 1.6 billion students. This has made the need for accessible learning tools more urgent than ever. Quizard AI has risen to meet this challenge, serving students across the U.S., Peru, Indonesia, Canada, South Africa, and beyond, empowering nearly three million students with its AI-powered educational platform.
Under the leadership of cofounders Michael Giardino, Sidhant Bendre, and Achraf Golli, the company having raised funds from prominent venture funds has achieved profitability in November 2023, with $2.4 million in realized revenue for 2024 and a projected $5.2 million ARR for the coming year. This incredible growth is a testament to Quizard AI’s innovative approach, and its ongoing commitment to scaling solutions to meet students’ educational needs worldwide.
Meet the Founders Behind Quizard AI
The story of Quizard AI began at the University of Rochester, where cofounders Michael Giardino, Sidhant Bendre, and Achraf Golli connected through their shared vision of democratizing education. Recognizing the barriers that many students face across social, geographic, and economic lines, they developed Quizard AI to address these challenges.
Michael Giardino, CEO, brings both entrepreneurial experience and technical expertise to Quizard AI. He scaled his first venture, Funko Dojo, to significant revenue before college and later led a student-run software consultancy. His time as a software engineer at Slack further refined his leadership and technical skills, which have been instrumental in steering Quizard AI to profitability in just a few short years.
Sidhant Bendre, Quizard AI’s CTO, brings a diverse, globally influenced perspective, having grown up in Nigeria and studied in both India and the US. Bendre’s experiences at the prestigious United World Colleges shaped his belief in education as a vehicle for global change. As a Neo Scholar and Z Fellow, Bendre has also worked at tech powerhouses like like Slack, Microsoft, and Zendesk. Today, at Quizard AI, he leads the development of the Unstuck AI agent, which offers students dynamic, tailor-made learning experiences based on their study materials and input. “Our goal is to create a platform that empowers every student, no matter where they are or what resources they have,” says Bendre. “Unstuck AI is about helping students engage with their study materials in a more intuitive, immediate way.”
Achraf Golli, the company’s CPO, is driven by a passion for accessibility in education. A graduate of the African Leadership Academy, Golli has dedicated his career to helping students gain access to international opportunities despite the increasing number of obstacles. Through his initiative, International Highway, he has helped countless students secure scholarships abroad. At Quizard AI, Golli leads the development of the Unstuck UI and web experience, which is set to revolutionize how students engage with study materials. “Access to education unlocks an incredible amount of potential, and it’s easy to take for granted,” says Golli. “At Quizard, we’re building tools that break down some of the highest barriers. Students deserve the support they need to thrive.”
Smarter Personalized Learning, Powered by AI
Quizard AI has quickly become a trusted resource for students facing academic challenges, making use of AI and optical character recognition (OCR) technologies to offer real-time tutoring support. Available on iOS, Android, and as a Chrome extension, Quizard AI has answered over 35 million academic questions to date, delivering on its promise to provide on-demand learning solutions to millions of students worldwide.
The company’s latest innovation, Unstuck AI, takes this mission further by allowing students to upload their PDFs, PowerPoints, YouTube videos, and more, turning these resources into digestible and interactive study tools. Unstuck’s ability to provide cited answers and analyze visual data gives students deeper insights into their study materials, aligning with the accessible, personalized educational experience that Quizard AI is known for. The Unstuck mobile app, set to launch in October 2024, will further extend these capabilities, offering an even more seamless, on-the-go learning experience.
The Promise of the Global Classroom
Quizard AI’s impressive growth and innovative approach have continued to garner recognition. In the past year, the company was selected for the AWS Education Accelerator and named one of the GSV Cup 50’s most innovative edtech startups, affirming its leadership in the rapidly growing edtech space.
As the trio look to the future, they remain dedicated to expanding Quizard AI’s global impact, proving that technology can break down both geographical and financial barriers to education. With a growing user base around the world, Quizard AI is cultivating a global classroom where every student has the opportunity to succeed, no matter their location or the academic challenges they face.