From Helsinki to Turin, a collaboration between Fondazione Sviluppo e Crescita CRT, xEdu, and OGR Torino to support 10 international startups.

The third edition of NextEdu officially kicks off — the international acceleration program dedicated to startups in the Education Technology sector, supported by Fondazione Sviluppo e Crescita CRT, the impact-oriented entity of Fondazione CRT, and by xEdu, Finland’s leading EdTech startup accelerator, in collaboration with OGR Torino, the innovation hub of Fondazione CRT.

Ten startups, selected through an international call, will take center stage: innovation and lifelong learning define the 7 Italian and 3 non-European companies that, over the 4-month acceleration program, will be supported in developing transformative learning solutions with a strong pedagogical impact, closely connected to the local ecosystem.

Turin-based companies (Experta, PRC Multimedia, VirtuaMentis) will be joined by 4 firms from the rest of Italy (Boosted AI, MemorAIz, Minerva AI, SecureQuest), along with the Jordanian Curans, the U.S.-based Newsreel, and the Brazilian SimpleRead.

The range of sectors involved is broad: from personalized language learning to upskilling through gamification, from AI-driven creation of individualized and accessible educational content to post-graduate professional training.

The shared goal is to create inclusive and effective learning environments, fostering growth potential and enhancing soft skills across formal education pathways as well as informal learning and professional upskilling/reskilling experiences.

The thematic verticals include experiential and adaptive learning technologies, AI applied to education, micro learning, blended learning, tools supporting learning for neurodiversity and accessibility, as well as corporate training.

NextEdu 2025 brings together mentors, investors, and entrepreneurs from around the world, while strengthening connections with the local ecosystem through OGR’s collaboration with other acceleration programs and by involving startups in the network and initiatives related to innovation and education — from the Social Festival delle Comunità Educative to Torino Capitale dell’Innovazione — actively engaging with local stakeholders in a spirit of mutual exchange.

Highlighting the value of the impact generated by EdTech enterprises, the program opens with a workshop day led by Prof. Pierluigi Sacco, Full Professor of Economic Policy, Senior Advisor at the OECD Center for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions, and Cities, and Associate Researcher at metaLAB (at) Harvard.

The 2025 edition, starting on October 29 at OGR Tech, will conclude on February 11, 2026 with a Demo Day featuring international guests, where the startups will showcase the results of their journey to an audience of potential investors particularly focused on Educational Technology.

Here are the 10 selected companies and their missions:

• Boosted AI (Italy): Boosted AI is an innovative LMS platform that automates most of teachers’ manual tasks while providing full support and access for students. It also delivers clear performance analytics and data, suggesting personalized content versions tailored to each learner’s specific educational needs.


• Curans (Jordan): Curans is the first virtual patient simulator focused on the MENA region. It offers evidence-based clinical cases, an AI-powered adaptive assessment system, and a framework compliant with accreditation standards. The platform covers the entire clinical pathway, including history taking, physical examination, lab tests, imaging, diagnosis, treatment, and discharge.


• Experta Business Solutions (Italy): The company has developed Xcamp – the Excel course that didn’t exist before, a modular, free, online training project. This innovative digital learning initiative has already helped thousands of professionals and students master Excel through a structured course featuring a 10-level YouTube theory playlist and a comprehensive library of exercises, always available.


• MemorAIz (Italy): Offers a suite of integrable modules (summaries, quizzes, flashcards, mind maps, tutor chat, audio guides, study plans, etc.) that can be embedded into existing platforms such as LMS systems, websites, apps, publishing platforms, or museum applications. MemorAIz leverages artificial intelligence, gamification, and pedagogy to foster faster and more effective learning.


• Minerva AI (Italy): Minerva provides teachers with an easy-to-use platform that uses AI to turn tasks that would take hours into minutes. Teachers can generate personalized learning activities, curriculum-aligned administrative documents, and interactive exercises for their students.


• Newsreel Media (United States): Newsreel is designed to deliver the news in a radically different way — interactive, multimedia, and suited to today’s attention styles. The app provides a daily interactive briefing and an ever-growing library of timelines that explain how stories evolve over time.


• PRC Multimedia (Italy): PRC Multimedia has developed Fam@Academy, an app offering a digital approach to learning the Italian language — not only for native speakers but also for foreigners and second-generation students attending Italian schools. The app features listening, pronunciation, and vocabulary exercises, quizzes for all levels, and both 1-to-1 and group challenges.


• SecureQuest (Italy): SecureQuest created Cyber Nemesis, a virtual reality platform designed to capture users’ attention and enhance cyber resilience through experiential training. It’s a next-generation video game that transforms cybersecurity education into an interactive experience.


• SimpleRead (Brazil): SimpleRead transforms traditional reading into a fully adaptable multisensory experience, designed to maximize comprehension for individuals with dyslexia, ADHD, and other specific learning needs. The platform is based on the SR Method — a reading approach that combines optimized text presentation, synchronized audio narration, and contextual images every few sentences.


• VirtuaMentis (Italy): VirtuaMentis trains tomorrow’s psychologists through AI-driven practical experiences on a digital platform that supports psychological education with interactive tools, simulations, and practical content. Digital patients respond in real time to user interactions and interventions, offering an immersive, realistic experience comparable to a “flight simulator” for mental health.