Giving everyone access to personalized learning

Why we applaud this AI startup's atypical market strategy

Author

Peter Juel Jensen
September 20, 2024

Pioneer AI: Checking the Nordic AI Pulse

Welcome to Pioneer AI’s newsletter, The Nordic AI Pulse.

We are a Nordics-focused AI investment fund.

We track, share, and analyse information and insights on Nordic-related AI news, deals, and trends.

📚 In This Issue:

  1. Giving Everyone Access to Personalised Learning

  2. Top Global AI News

  3. Nordic AI Funding News

  4. Podcast Insights

  5. Upcoming: Nordic AI Events

Giving Everyone Access to Personalised Learning

The Alice.tech team. Kim Rants is far left in the photo.

Danish AI learning platform Alice.tech is less than a year old but has already hired its A-Team and raised DKK 7.5 million. We spoke to co-founder Kim Rants as the company sets out to accelerate its growth. The conversation covered Alice’s journey and its somewhat un-Danish business strategy.

Pioneer AI: Could you start by telling us a bit about Alice.tech and your solutions?

Kim: Alice.tech is a Danish AI startup focused on delivering personalised learning experiences built by deep domain experts in AI and learning.

During my time as a university lecturer, I encountered a lack of such learning opportunities. Given the structure of university teaching, it is extremely difficult to provide personalised tutoring and guidance to sometimes hundreds of students who all have different levels, interests, etc.

Students across ages, learning levels, and countries face similar issues, which we seek to address.

We would describe ourselves as a value-driven company focused on democratising access to personalised tutoring at a fraction of the cost, optimising students' learning ability and levelling the educational playing field.

When students upload materials they want to learn, Alice generates syntheses, notes, practice tasks, study plans, and more. The system also gives feedback as the student interacts with it.

We support students across their entire study journey, and not just up to the exams.

Pioneer AI: It seems like a B2C approach. What is the reasoning behind this?

Kim: Our AI solution offers students personalised learning when and where they want it.

Organizational-level implementations risk being much slower in terms of adoption due to regulations and existing structures. There are good reasons for these, but we felt that a direct-to-student (B2C) approach equalled more immediate impact and a stronger business model.

I would hasten to add that we are also working with organisations considering offering our solutions to all their students.

Pioneer AI: What about AI and the different aspects of teaching and learning? What do you see AI as being particularly good at, and where might it struggle?

Kim: AI excels at complex tasks, personalising learning, and covering multiple subjects simultaneously. It also never gets tired and is available 24/7.

However, AI also has its limitations. For example, building personal connections is a crucial part of some aspects of teaching and learning.

We see AI’s role as double: personalising the individual learning experience and enabling teachers to be more personal. By that, we mean giving them more time to focus on the most meaningful interactions.

Pioneer AI: You have stated that the US is your next target market. This is quite atypical for Danish startups (and something we applaud). Could you tell us about the reasoning behind it?

Kim: Our market strategy begins with Denmark, focusing on individuals and then organisations. Danes are often open to adopting new technologies, making Denmark an ideal initial market—or sandbox, if you will—for refining our approach and demonstrating value and growth while gathering insights on what works and what doesn't.

The US is the biggest and deepest market for personal tutoring and learning, in part due to uneven access to such solutions today. The US is also where we will face the biggest competitors, so we’ll be prepared to allocate additional resources to establish our presence and compete.

We believe that a handful of companies will emerge as global leaders in this space over the next five to ten years. We intend to be among them.

Pioneer AI: What will be the deciding factors for who will win?

Kim: The winners will have a technically strong product, deep domain expertise, and solutions that meet users where they are. Brands that dare to innovate and speak in an authentic voice will also have an edge. It is important to recognise that financial resources will also play a crucial role.

Our USPs include a strong focus on engaging with our users—meeting them where they are and actively seeking their input through focus groups and direct conversations—along with a technically innovative product and a distinctive brand.

Pioneer AI: What are some of your major learnings since founding Alice.tech that you would like to share with other startup founders or people thinking about founding a company?

Kim: Domain expertise has been critical. My team and I enhanced our ability to secure funding by bringing deep expertise and technical insight to the table.

Our success so far has also been propelled by the fact that we’ve assembled a group of individuals with different skills. Bringing them together in an environment where work is both flexible and purpose-driven sounds cliché, but it has undeniably been crucial in attracting top talent.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I’ve learned just how fun and rewarding—and challenging—it is to run a startup. The work is way beyond nine to five, but it’s made worth it by the purpose that drives us.

What do you think? Any comments or thoughts? Let us know via email or contact us on the Pioneer AI LinkedIn page here. 

🌍Top Global AI News🌏

Select recent global AI news stories - and why they matter.

1: First global legally binding international AI treaty signed.

What happened: The US, UK, and EU signed a legally binding treaty on AI. (Reuters)

Why it matters: While some experts express concerns over its broad language and limited enforceability, the agreement marks an important step toward creating a global framework for AI governance. For AI companies and startups in the signature nations, it could lead to more consistent regulations across major markets, offering clarity on legal expectations while ensuring ethical development and use of AI technologies.

2: Apple launches AI-powered range of new phones

What happened: Apple launched the iPhone 16, full of new AI-powered features. (WIRED)

Why it matters: This is the first Apple phone to fully embrace AI. With dedicated AI chips and some systems powered by ChatPGT, the new range could be a real test of how AI-hungry smartphone buyers really are. Some analysts predict a “super-cycle” of intense buying, while others remain sceptical. For AI startups and companies, the performance of the iPhone 16 may be a weathervane that indicates if consumers are ready for “AI in your pocket” solutions.

🚀AI Funding News🚀

Select Nordic AI-related deals, investments, acquisitions and insights. 

Congratulations to all of the founders and teams!

Pioneer AI’s top Nordic AI funding insights and highlights:

Finnish AI deals shine

The recent rounds raised by Zefort, Behavix, Root Signals, Jobilla, and Omnia put a thick line under how vibrant the Finnish AI scene has become. Our analysis found more than 250 active Finnish AI companies. Companies like Relex, Aiven, and Rive illustrate how many of the best-funded companies are in the “AI + X” category (AI is not a standalone product but integral to another product or service).

Staying above 1000

We recently looked through the lists of active Nordic AI companies and startups and were pleased to find more than 1000. The list includes companies that offer AI products, integrate AI, machine learning or similar in their products, and companies offering other AI-related services. Still, this is a testament to how active AI is in the Nordic region and the market opportunities, including many untapped ones.

🎧Listen To🎧

Nordic AI news and analysis for your ears.

  • Teknologi og mennesker [NO] - How will AI change your job? Get answers from experts in this podcast episode.

  • AI Podden [SE] - Takes a look at recent developments at OpenAI, and the companies new "Strawberry" model.

  • AI Revolutionen [DK] - Examines if OpenAI is losing its lead over other AI companies and competing LLM models.

📅Training, Meetups & Conferences📅

Nordic AI events for everyone.

Conferences

  • October 1-3: Kickstart AI: How companies can use AI to create business value with both free tools and tailored solutions. [Malmö, Sweden]

  • October 3: AI and research ethics: A full-day conference on the research ethics risks and dilemmas - and new research opportunities - created by AI. [Stockholm, Sweden]

  • October 14-18: Process Mining Conference 2024: Industry and scientific conference on process mining. [Copenhagen, Denmark]

  • October 18: IMA AI Conference: The 50th International Management Assistants Conference will examine the state of the industry and potential disruptions by AI. [Stockholm, Sweden]

  • October 21-22: Nordic AI Meet: Symposium early-career AI researchers to network, collaborate, exchange ideas, and form a Nordic approach to building AI solutions for the societal good. [Helsinki, Finland]

  • October 21-23: D3A: The Danish Digitalization, Data Science and AI brings together a diverse audience to explore the latest trends and research in AI. [Nyborg, Denmark]

  • October 30-31: Digital Tech Summit: Denmark's largest deep tech conference, exhibition, and meeting place for researchers and Danish companies. [Copenhagen, Denmark]

  • November 6: AI Summit 2024: Explore real-life use cases for AI in businesses with input from leading Danish companies on their experiences and initiatives. [Aarhus, Denmark]

  • November 13: AI Day 2024: The latest AI knowledge from 35 Danish and international experts and inspiration for your company on implementing AI tools. [Aarhus, Denmark]

  • November 13: AI in municipalities and civil society: AI lessons learned from public organisation and focus on what challenges and solutions look like going forward. [Stockholm, Sweden]

  • December 10-12: First International Conference in AI Music Studies: Explores the prospects, challenges and new methodologies required to study AI music. [Stockholm, Sweden]

Meetups

Do you know an event, meetup or similar that you think should be on the list? Let me know!

Got an AI story or insight from the Nordics? Share it with us!

Reply to this email or connect on LinkedIn.

Until next time,

Pioneer Venture AI,