Inspirit: Minecraft for Biology Education

Aditya Vishwanath, the founder of Inspirit, aims to integrate the inventive spirit found in Minecraft into the everyday learning experiences of students globally.

He observed that today’s students are accustomed to the highly interactive and captivating environments of platforms like TikTok and Roblox. He contrasted this with the traditional classroom setting, where students often spend twenty minutes passively listening to a lecture. To address this disconnect, Vishwanath and his co-founder, Amrutha Vasan, developed a novel solution.

This virtual science platform allows both students and educators to design and participate in STEM simulations, covering topics ranging from DNA replication to the principles of projectile motion. Much like Minecraft allows users to construct their own unique worlds, Inspirit intends to empower users to create customized science experiments and learning environments through a low-code approach. The platform’s foundation is a 3D environment built using Unity, a popular game engine for developing games and interactive experiences.

Currently, the startup is maintaining complete control over content creation to understand how users naturally interact with different learning materials. Teachers can utilize pre-designed learning paths, such as explorations of the moon or a eukaryotic cell, and enhance them with annotations, quizzes, and audio explanations.

While the company is initially focusing on these concise lessons, Vishwanath envisions the ultimate potential as a Minecraft-like environment specifically for educational purposes. The core principle behind Inspirit is the belief that students at all levels desire an engaging, self-directed learning method to complement their formal schooling.

Although the tool doesn’t currently utilize virtual reality technology, the initial focus is on ensuring compatibility with a wide range of hardware to achieve product-market fit and maximize user reach. The company is exploring integrations with Oculus Quest, but has not yet made this option broadly available.

Following the launch of a waitlist in September, Inspirit garnered 50,000 sign-ups from users within the K-12 education sector for access to the private beta.

The use of gamified, VR-based approaches to learning has been a long-standing trend in edtech, aimed at boosting engagement and enthusiasm for learning. This startup, which has not yet been publicly released, faces competition from several existing companies. Labster, a well-funded startup based in Copenhagen, was established in 2011 to offer lab simulations as an alternative to traditional science classes. Labster recently expanded its software to Asia following a surge in platform usage. Vishwanath believes Inspirit distinguishes itself from Labster by encouraging students to become creators, rather than simply consumers.

Another recent example of the intersection of edtech and virtual reality is Transfr, which secured $12 million in funding to provide skills training for the workforce. While Transfr targets a different market – trade workers – it shares Inspirit’s investment in developing a library of modules to accelerate curriculum development.

A key challenge for Inspirit will be its ability to replicate the spontaneity and immersive quality of Minecraft. Will students be motivated to create within the platform? More importantly, will they return to use it repeatedly? It’s important to note that Inspirit is designed as a supplement to traditional schooling, which currently relies heavily on curriculum-driven instruction. Therefore, a student’s ability to utilize Inspirit for learning is guided by a defined set of parameters.

This distinction highlights the difference between a game and an interactive simulation.

“I strongly believe, and have good reason to, that the primary drivers of engagement with Inspirit won’t be teachers,” Vishwanath stated. He cited an example of a 12-year-old student who used Inspirit’s pre-made modules to construct a Quantum funnel.

Furthermore, the startup must demonstrate measurable outcomes and effectiveness before it can responsibly market its product to end users. While virtual reality clearly holds significant potential for enhancing comprehension of complex subjects, infrequent or limited exposure to the technology may not be sufficient.

Looking ahead, Vishwanath anticipates a shift in edtech towards a focus on creation, rather than mere consumption. He has already successfully conveyed this vision to a number of investors. The startup announced today that it has secured seed funding to pursue this ambitious goal. The $3.6 million funding round was led by Sierra Ventures, with participation from Unshackled Ventures, AME Cloud Ventures, January Ventures, Edovate Capital, Redhouse Education and Roble Ventures.

These funds will be allocated to developing a sustainable business model and monetization strategies, as well as expanding the team. Vishwanath believes that the combination of edtech and gaming will help them avoid becoming “another education company that experiences rapid growth but struggles to achieve profitability.”