EdTech startup FlixAcademy wins again, but teachers are the real winners

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EdTech startup FlixAcademy wins again, but teachers are the real winners - Published on 12/12/14

FlixAcademy, the Ed-Tech startup that is building a curated database of educational movies and videos, is a winner of the Verizon Apps For Class Challenge. Instead of manually searching Google, YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, iTunes, the History Channel, PBS, National Geographic and more, users can go to the FlixAcademy website. With FlixAcademy, teachers, parents and students can find quality educational movies and videos, filtered by running time, age range, and subject.

Rochester, New York - FlixAcademy, the Ed-Tech startup that is building a curated database of educational movies and videos, is a winner of the Verizon Apps For Class Challenge. Instead of manually searching Google, YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, iTunes, the History Channel, PBS, National Geographic and more, users can go to the FlixAcademy website. With FlixAcademy, teachers, parents and students can find quality educational movies and videos, filtered by running time, age range, and subject.

The prize money will go towards further development of the website, app and database. FlixAcademy also plans to compensate teachers for their contributions to the database. Teachers can earn rewards simply by submitting links to movies and videos they use, as well as their own custom videos and companion lesson plans. The FlixAcademy website is free to use and mobile apps, currently in beta for iPhone, iPad, Android, and Windows Phone, will be free as well.

FlixAcademy's submission for the Apps For Class Challenge was in partnership with the Rochester Education Foundation, an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to raising resources and offering programs to support the success of city schoolchildren. "We are pleased to partner with FlixAcademy to support innovative, quality activities in Rochester supporting education and educators," said Patricia Braus, executive director of REF.

FlixAcademy also won the Rochester Startup Weekend contest in April, 2014 and has built on that success. FlixAcademy CEO Todd Bernhard noted, "Teachers have a tough enough job. When my wife, a professor at Monroe Community College, wants to find a video that explains a tough subject, it's harder than it should be. Technology should make teachers' lives easier, and make education more entertaining for students."

Ray Leone, FlixAcademy COO added, "With the increasingly popular Flipped Classroom concept, teachers can assign recommended viewing. Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, and other services make it practical to turn a Home Theatre into a Home School! FlixAcademy makes it easier to find quality content for educational purposes."

"FlixAcademy enhances teachers' ability to reach students and extends that education to the home. This award further validates the significant market opportunity the team is poised to capture," says Rami Katz, COO of Excell Partners, a venture capital fund that organizes Startup Weekend in the Rochester region, and an advisor to FlixAcademy.

"There is great value in helping students, teachers and parents easily find content that is both high educational and entertaining, as well as being optimal relative to age appropriateness and video length," said Alex Zapesochny, a technology entrepreneur that is also a Board member of FlixAcademy.

"I'm so encouraged that my series on educational movies and television shows has inspired the creation of a sophisticated app like FlixAcademy," said Michael J. Petrilli, president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a Washington-based education policy think tank. "Any effort to get great content in front of children is worthy of support and encouragement, and this initiative shows great promise and potential."

FlixAcademy will be adding thousands of movies and videos to their database during the beta testing period, before releasing the mobile apps. Phase Two of the Apps For Class Challenge will have FlixAcademy work closely with schools to test the app and enhance the service. Teachers, parents, and students are encouraged to visit the FlixAcademy website and follow @FlixAcademy to stay informed.

FlixAcademy: http://www.FlixAcademy.com
AppsForClass Challenge: http://appsforclass.challengepost.com/submissions/28853-flixacademy-com-watch-and-learn
Rochester Education Foundation: http://www.rochestereducation.org
YouTube Video ( FlixAcademy): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLWaRj5aJeI
Screenshot 1: http://s3.amazonaws.com/challengepost/photos/production/solution_photos/000/179/324/datas/xlarge.png?1414511499
Screenshot 2: http://s3.amazonaws.com/challengepost/photos/production/solution_photos/000/177/135/datas/xlarge.png?1414078009


Based in Rochester, New York, FlixAcademy offers a curated searchable database of educational videos and movies. Teachers, parents, and students can search one website (or use one mobile app) to find quality videos for use in the classroom or as a way to supplement education. All Material and Software (C) Copyright 2014 FlixAcademy. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other trademarks and registered trademarks may be the property of their respective owners.


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