Tutoring remains one of the most powerful tools to enhance student learning, yet access to it is still limited across the United States. A 2023 survey revealed that fewer than 10% of students in the country’s largest school districts received any form of tutoring support. The main reason? Cost. With traditional tutoring often running hundreds or even thousands of dollars per month, it remains out of reach for most families.
A Mission to Make Tutoring Accessible
Tim Novikoff, a former Google product manager and educator, is determined to change that narrative. His startup, Super Teacher, is building an AI-powered tutoring platform for elementary school students, offering personalized, affordable learning assistance for just $15 per month, or $10 with an annual plan. The goal is simple yet ambitious: to make private tutoring accessible to families nationwide.
Founded four years ago, Super Teacher has already begun to gain impressive traction. According to Novikoff, more than 20,000 families have signed up for the service, and public schools across New York, New Jersey, and Hawaii have integrated the app into their classrooms. The company has now been named a Startup Battlefield Top 20 finalist at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, to be held in San Francisco.
Bridging the Educational Divide
Novikoff’s passion for education stems from his own teaching experience in New York City. He began as a math teacher in Harlem and later joined Stuyvesant High School, one of the city’s top-ranked public schools. The contrast between the two environments was eye-opening, while most students at Stuyvesant received private tutoring, many in Harlem had little to no access to extra academic help.
“Tutoring is by far the most effective educational intervention, and it’s not even close,” Novikoff said in an interview with TechCrunch. “It’s deeply unfair that so many children miss out on this opportunity simply because of cost. That’s what drives our mission to democratize access to private tutoring.”
How Super Teacher’s AI Tutor Works
Super Teacher’s platform uses AI-driven animated tutors that speak with realistic, AI-generated voices, guiding students through interactive and engaging lessons. The system is designed to simulate a natural teacher-student conversation, children can ask questions and respond verbally, much like they would in a classroom.
However, unlike many other AI tools that rely on large language models (LLMs), Super Teacher’s system is built on a deterministic framework. This ensures that responses are always correct and consistent, eliminating the inaccuracies and “hallucinations” sometimes produced by generative AI models.
This approach allows students to build a reliable learning experience while keeping the focus on clarity and confidence.
AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement
Despite the growing integration of AI in education, Novikoff emphasizes that AI tutors are not meant to replace human teachers. Instead, he envisions them as a supportive classroom tool, much like calculators or smart boards.
“Our goal is to empower teachers — not replace them,” he said. “AI tutors can help personalize learning and give every student more one-on-one attention, while teachers focus on guiding, inspiring, and supporting students emotionally.”
Focused on Early Learners
Super Teacher currently serves elementary school students, a deliberate choice by Novikoff, who wanted to create tools that would benefit his own children and fill a gap in the EdTech market. Few companies have focused specifically on this age group, making Super Teacher’s approach both unique and timely.
Looking ahead, the startup plans to expand its reach to younger and older grade levels and form new partnerships with school districts across the U.S. to further scale its impact.
A Vision for the Future of Learning
Super Teacher’s rise signals a broader shift in education technology, where AI-driven solutions are beginning to redefine accessibility, personalization, and engagement. By offering affordable, intelligent tutoring on a national scale, the startup is helping bridge educational gaps that have persisted for decades.
Novikoff’s previous success with Fly Labs, a mobile video editing app acquired by Google in 2015, gives him the technical and entrepreneurial background to bring this mission to life.
Super Teacher’s appearance at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 highlights the growing importance of AI and EdTech innovations in shaping the next generation of education.
To learn more about Super Teacher and other disruptive startups, join TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 from October 27–29 in San Francisco.
