Miami-based Startup Joins AT&T’s $1M Skills Building Challenge

Next week, AT&T will kick off the 6th annual Aspire Accelerator class, a cohort of 8 innovative ed-tech startups focused on everything from teaching science through online gaming to increasing student engagement through virtual reality.

This year’s class includes Miami-based company KlickEngage. Founded with a mission to ensure that all children feel psychologically safe in every environment, KlickEngage empowers students to report their emotional state daily and receive the support they need more efficiently. In addition to a $125,000 investment from AT&T, KlickEngage will spend six months receiving the mentoring, resources, services and expertise needed to drive change and help reach students across the country.

According to 2017-18 data from the National Survey of Children’s Health, a nationally representative survey of households with children, 8.1% of Florida respondents said their child had received counseling or treatment from a mental health professional in the last year. With more than 2.8 million K-12 public school students in Florida, many are now engaging with their teachers and counselors virtually as a result of COVID-19 school closures. KlickEngage is well positioned to help teachers cultivate a safer and more supportive learning environment, whether that be in a virtual or traditional classroom.

Throughout the 6-month program, KlickEngage and its peer companies will also explore the potential of 5G, specifically how the wireless technology may enhance educational outcomes and help reach more students. The 35 previous Accelerator participants, which combined are reaching more than 32 million students and have raised more than $48 million since participating, also will be offered access to AT&T’s 5G leaders.

“Students today are facing a number of new and complex challenges, from adapting to the new world of distance learning to coping with not being able to see family and friends,” said Samantha Hoare, Executive Director, Teach for America—Miami-Dade.

“I’m thrilled to see local Miami startup KlickEngage join AT&T’s 6th Annual Aspire Accelerator 2020 class, and incredibly proud of alumna Samantha Pratt for her continued dedication to expanding opportunities for students in low-income communities, first in the classroom and now as an entrepreneur,” Hoare said. “KlickEngage’s mission -- to use technology to empower students to promote their own socio-emotional wellness – is incredibly important right now, and Samantha is making it more accessible for students and teachers alike to check-in. I’m excited to watch KlickEngage grow through the AT&T Accelerator Program, and for it to positively impact more teachers and students throughout South Florida.”