FIRST ISRAELI EDUTECH JOINS OXFORD INCUBATOR EVEN WHILE GAZA WAR IS RAGING
"During the war no less!” boasted founder Gary Pickholz, currently with the Columbia Business School, following the the announcement of his startup, Israeli EduTech “Weird Science Lab,” joining the University of Oxford affiliated Isis Software Incubator program.
The Isis ventures support young software ventures in their developmental stage.
Weird Science Lab uses gaming and virtual reality software to advance STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education in middle and secondary schools.
“Weird Science is adapting advanced virtual reality technology found in computer games to create interactive science experiments for students worldwide,” explained Director Gary Pickholz.
Pickholz suggested this means “lower costs per student compared to traditional science kits, and the ability to conduct a wide range of experiments beyond the capabilities of a school laboratory.”
The British Embassy in Israel released the following statement: “The embassy was delighted to have helped pull this exciting deal together. It brings together one of the world’s most distinguished universities, and one of the world’s most exciting tech economies. Oxford’s technology subsidiary and Israel will prove a powerful combination.”
Weird Science’s first series, SpaceLab™, allows students to conduct experiments as if they were in space.
Originally devised through Bento Accelerator, Weird Science Lab is now joining the University of Oxford affiliated Isis Software Incubator. “We are delighted to partner with the Isis Software Incubator,” stated Bento Accelerator Director Gabor Szecsi in San Francisco.
Based at the offices of Isis Innovation, the Isis Software Incubator is a key part the University of Oxford’s entrepreneurial infrastructure, supporting young software ventures in the development of products or services before they receive investment. The incubator has been operating since late 2010, and has taken in 29 ventures with 6 graduating from the program.
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