SigIQ.ai secures USD $9.5m to transform AI tutoring

SigIQ.ai has emerged from stealth mode, securing USD $9.5 million in funding to further its AI tutoring technology aimed at transforming education.

Based in Berkeley, SigIQ.ai aims to address "Bloom's Two-Sigma Problem", which highlights the significant performance improvement of students receiving one-on-one tutoring compared to those in traditional classroom settings. The company utilises AI to provide personalised tutoring at the cost of computation, rather than expensive human labour.

The seed funding round was co-led by House Fund and GSV Ventures, with additional investments from Duolingo, General Catalyst India, Peak XV Partners, Calibrate Ventures, and notable angel investors, including Andy Konwinski, Christian Storm, Prof. Trevor Darrell, Prof. Jitendra Malik, Prof. Srini Devadas, and Prof. Sharad Malik. These funds will be used to recruit talent, enhance AI models, and expand the delivery of the platform to global educational systems.

Dr. Karttikeya Mangalam, CEO and co-founder of SigIQ.ai, stated, "We're at a pivotal moment in education where modern GenAI can provide a personal 1:1 tutor to every student and reduce the cost of one-on-one learning from hundreds of dollars an hour to the cost of computation. We've started by first creating a tutor that itself can ace the very exam students are preparing for. This is a necessary step to ensure accuracy and quality in teaching delivered. And will set a new benchmark in personalised education, making the highest-quality education accessible to everyone, regardless of geography or socioeconomic status, at a fraction of the traditional cost."

SigIQ.ai was co-founded by Dr. Karttikeya Mangalam and Professor Kurt Keutzer in July 2023. The company seeks to democratise access to quality education worldwide. Mangalam, who grew up in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, experienced the challenges of limited educational opportunities, which inspired his mission after completing his studies at IIT Kanpur and UC Berkeley.

With two products launched in the last 18 months, SigIQ.ai has gained significant traction. PadhAI, its tool for UPSC exam preparation in India, attracted over 200,000 users within six months. In a live demonstration, PadhAI scored 175 out of 200 on the UPSC Prelims exam, setting a new record. This accomplishment was widely covered by Indian media outlets.

The company's latest service, EverTutor.ai, focuses on GRE preparation in the US. It has reached over 10,000 users since its introduction three months ago.

Jeremy Fiance, Managing Director of The House Fund, remarked, "SigIQ.ai isn't just a regular EdTech startup — they've built an AI system that publicly demonstrated its ability to outperform both humans and leading commercial AI models on one of the world's most challenging exams. This redefines what's possible in personalised education."

What sets SigIQ.ai apart is its approach to personalisation. Unlike standard AI tools with basic interaction capabilities, SigIQ.ai's products offer highly interactive and personalised instruction and feedback. Students using the platform have reported significant improvements in study hours and performance, with many gaining confidence in tackling challenging subjects.

Looking towards the future, SigIQ.ai plans to increase its presence in the GRE market with EverTutor and expand further in international education settings. The company's focus is on enabling high-quality learning irrespective of geographical, linguistic, or economic barriers, striving to make elite education universally accessible. The team is committed to showcasing that quality education doesn't need to be restrictive but can be universally available to all.