Stay up to date on Miami entrepreneurs, events, research and more.
Across the US, September means only one thing: break is over, it’s time to go back to school. Endeavor Spain company, Smartick, understands that not all education programs are equal and has developed a tool to supplement kid’s math education. That tool is called Smartick, and it is now moving to the South Florida area with plans for an aggressive expansion. Erika White, our ESG manager, had the opportunity to interview Endeavor Entrepreneur Javier Arroyo on what this decision means for the future of his company.
Erika White: Hello Javier! Thank you so much for talking to us. We are excited about Smartick’s arrival in South Florida! But before we get into specifics, why don’t you tell us a bit about Smartick and how it is different from other education tools available in the US (Khan Academy, Kumon, etc)
Javier Arroyo: Smartick is to Kumon, what Uber is to the taxi. We have improved the existing programs in the market. The main difference is that Smartick is the only program to truly adapt to each child’s learning pace and skills. All the other tools are either paper-based and not adaptive or online but follow the official curriculum and unable to provide a tailored experience for each student as they must follow the same rigid path.
Based on cutting-edge artificial intelligence, Smartick designs a calibrated study plan that adjusts to each student, honing their math skills and developing a hard-working mindset while leaving the frustration behind.
Additionally, Smartick combines in one single product: math + reading comprehension + logic and reasoning. It will maximize the child’s school performance and math self-confidence.
Why did you decide to expand into the South Florida area?
South Florida is a unique area, with a culture hardly found anywhere else in the world. It is the perfect mix of the Hispanic and American culture. Parents are committed to their children’s education, upholding high standards and setting clear expectations that help them compete and access the top colleges in the country.
Business-wise, it’s a natural bridge between the U.S., Latin America, and Europe, which are Smartick’s key markets. In South Florida, we also plan to identify potential partnerships to enter the U.S. market.
What do you believe Smartick has the ability to accomplish in South Florida? Globally?
Smartick takes the math tutoring and after-school sphere beyond automated calculation. With Smartick, children develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills in addition to strong arithmetic skills. We want to future-proof children’s careers in South Florida, as we have already accomplished with thousands of children in 100 countries. Results speak for themselves: 94% of the children have improved their math skills and grade. In addition, Smartick is available in Spanish and English reaching out to diverse families.
As the Harvard Business Review published, “Smartick tackles a major socio-economic issue affecting Western children, notably in the U.S.: the poor level of math education, lagging far behind their peers from several countries in Asia”. In this regard, we just want to give the children of the world a better future.
What made you pursue entrepreneurship in the education space?
Daniel de Vega and I co-founded Smartick moved by our passion for education and math to use as a driving force to build a more positive future for children. Championing students to develop the confidence to excel in math and foster an affinity for the subject will lead to promising opportunities.
We became entrepreneurs to redefine the current one-pace-fits-all education paradigm. It has been recognized by the MIT G-Lab Program as one of the 15 High Potential initiatives worldwide.
What is your favorite thing about Endeavor?
Daniel and I are very proud members of the Endeavor family. Their help has been incredibly valuable in our international growth. We most enjoy meeting with diverse entrepreneurs to learn from each other. Endeavor’s training efforts are remarkable. Recently, Daniel has had the opportunity to complete Endeavor’s Program at Stanford University.
Endeavor has been crucial in the history of Smartick.