What is the name of your organization?
Global Tinker
What is the name of your solution?
MathMaker: Calm-Tech Learning
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
MathMaker delivers hands-on math learning through paper, ePaper, WebAR, and AI — built to scale where most EdTech can’t.
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Boston, MA, USA
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
USA
What type of organization is your solution team?
Hybrid of for-profit and nonprofit
Film your elevator pitch.
What specific problem are you solving?
Despite decades of investment, math education remains in crisis: less than 25% of U.S. 4th graders are proficient in math and globally, more than 250 million children are out of school or failing to meet basic learning benchmarks . But this isn't just a problem of access—it’s a problem of engagement. Over 90% of EdTech tools are never used, and more than 70% of teachers report tech fatigue and implementation barriers.
This is a crisis of design.
Most tools replicate outdated models, digitizing worksheets and flooding classrooms with screen-heavy, high-stimulation content. These tools often overwhelm teachers, exclude neurodiverse learners, and fail to build conceptual understanding. Worse, they reinforce inequity by relying on constant connectivity and expensive devices, which many schools and families don’t have.
MathMaker targets the root cause: the failure to make math meaningful and accessible. It delivers rigorous, joyful math learning through low-cost materials—paper and ePaper displays—paired with WebAR and AI for personalization and reflection. Inspired by the constructivist philosophy of MIT’s Seymour Papert and supported by proven storytelling IP from The Paper Girls Show, MathMaker bridges foundational numeracy with 21st-century skills. It is built for underserved classrooms, refugee camps, bilingual learners, and neurodiverse children.
What is your solution?
MathMaker is a paper-based K–5 math learning platform enhanced by WebAR, GenAI, and calm-tech — including ePaper displays. It turns foundational math into joyful, screen-light experiences that work in any setting, from classrooms to conflict zones.
Version 1.0 includes 20 essential lessons covering early math concepts from number sense to geometry. Each lesson features:
-A real-world story prompt inspired by The Paper Girls Show
- A hands-on paper modeling activity (e.g., origami fractions, measurement grids)
- Optional GenAI reflections personalized to learner input
- A WebAR layer that brings math concepts to life — no app required
MathMaker isn’t built only for ePaper — but it’s uniquely suited to it. Using low-power E Ink displays, teachers can loop math visuals and prompts for weeks with no recharging, ideal for offline or mobile classrooms.
No logins. No passwords. Just accessible, engaging math that builds confidence and curiosity. Tech when you want it. Paper when you need it.
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
MathMaker was designed from the ground up to serve those most left behind by traditional EdTech:
-Title I schools with limited budgets and high multilingual populations
- Refugee or crisis-affected communities where tech is unreliable or absent
- Students with learning differences, especially those who struggle with abstraction or screen-based learning
- Neurodiverse learners who thrive with tactile, flexible, visual learning experiences
Students gain access to hands-on, creative math lessons that feel like making—not memorizing. Math becomes visible, flexible, and personal.
Educators are empowered by turnkey materials that reduce prep time and align with Common Core and state standards. No logins. No apps. No gimmicks. Just story-led, hands-on instruction that works.
Families are invited in through bilingual take-home kits and accessible paper-based tools. In a world where so much feels out of reach, MathMaker makes math doable, joyful, and collaborative.
