Build It Right the First Time: Literacy EdTech Backed by Science

Recorded live at the 2026 ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, this session featured Sebastian Belmar, Head of Engineering at LitLab.ai, Dan Lee, Head of Product at Lirvana Labs, Medha Tare, Senior Director of Research, Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop.EdTech products were described as too often being judged after they reached classrooms—when design decisions were already locked in and impact was harder to course-correct. The session explored how evidence, child voice, and rigorous learning science could instead shape products from day one. The Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop was highlighted for partnering with early-stage founders to embed research and real learner feedback into literacy technologies before they scale. From foundational phonics tools to AI-powered writing agents, these collaborations demonstrated that intentional design is not a luxury, but a competitive advantage.In this fireside conversation, Senior Director of Research Dr. Medha Tare joined partners from the Center’s Sandbox for Literacy Innovations to share how early research engagement reshaped product strategy, features, and outcomes. Sebastian Belmar discussed how literacy expertise informed everything from error analysis to learner scaffolds and playful interactivity. Dan Lee shared how their AI writing agent was co-designed with children—leveraging supportive personas to strengthen reflection, revision, and confidence.The session offered a blueprint for founders, product leaders, and investors: align with the science of literacy, design for the whole child, and treat young learners not as end users, but as expert partners. It emphasized that the products that truly scale are the ones built to work.