Rocket Tutor, founded in 2022 by Yue Wu, Lionel Rühlemann, and Komaldeep Chahal, has set itself the mission of personalizing education through the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and making it accessible to every learner. The co-founder explains why the use of AI in teaching is necessary from the perspective of the Rocket Tutor founders. Yue Wu:
"To provide every student with a fully personalized education, we would have to clone every teacher on Earth 20 times. That's why we're using AI and data-driven techniques to achieve this,"
Nationwide expansion plans
The Rocket Tutor platform is currently open to secondary school students in grades 11, 12, and 13 in Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia and is initially focused on mathematics. By the end of 2024, the platform is to be expanded to cover all of Germany, covering grades 8 to 13. Expansion to other subjects, particularly other STEM areas, is planned for later. All expansion plans are part of the recently completed €1 million pre-seed financing round led by Caesar Ventures.
The basic version of Rocket Tutor's services is freely accessible to all students; a premium account offers additional features, such as the ability for exam candidates to track their progress based on the Abitur format.
AI as a tool
Will AI even replace teaching staff in the future? Lionel Rühlemann, co-founder of Rocket Tutor, not:
"We don't believe that AI and technology will or should replace the role of teachers; rather, they should serve as tools to make education better, more accessible, and more efficient. High-quality education should be available to every student. Good high school results open doors for students to more career opportunities and thus to a better future."
And Gregor Unger, Managing Partner of Caesar, adds:
"While we could wait on the sidelines for more schools, more funding, or more teachers, Rocket Tutor is taking action by using technology to immediately improve results and boost students' confidence—so they can set themselves on the path to success. We are very proud to be part of this journey."
