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Circle Blocks Edu
Techstars '21Lees Summit, US · Founded 2018 · 2 employees on LinkedIn · 1 known investors
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Plabook is an AI-powered reading instruction platform that uses natural language processing and speech recognition to assess oral reading fluency and identify student learning gaps. It generates diagnostic reports for teachers and parents to guide reading instruction for children.
Also known as Plabook · Plabook Education
Founders & leadership
Circle Blocks Edu was founded in 2018 by Dr. Philip Hickman.
Investors · 1
How we know: the Techstars portfolio · open dataset · Top 3000 Accelerator Startups (no YC) 2026-08 · Not right? Tell us
Company profile
researched Sep 2026Plabook (Circle Blocks Edu) develops a portfolio of education technology products aimed at helping children build confidence in reading and math. Its two core applications are a reading app and an augmented reality (AR) math app. The reading app uses in-house reading technology built on natural language processing, speech recognition and real-time artificial intelligence analysis to teach children to read, correct common mistakes and surface the areas where a student needs additional support. The AR math app combines augmented reality with curriculum-based math concepts, presenting math problems in a student's physical environment; the company states the app has generated hundreds of questions and thousands of hours of learning for students of all ages.
Both products feed dashboards designed for teachers, parents and students, providing real-time fluency and literacy reporting and a view of learner progress. Teachers can assign homework, comprehension questions and tests, and group students by reading characteristics such as fluency scores in order to match books and assignments. The company also describes a research-based training program and curriculum intended to prepare teachers to work with beginning and struggling readers, including students with dyslexia.
Traction
The company reports a first pilot program across 100 schools with access on PC and Mac, and cites a district administrator implementing its products in 10 schools within a district. Its AR math app is described as having generated hundreds of questions and thousands of hours of student use.
Latest developments
Plabook announced selection into the 2021 class of the Techstars Kansas City Accelerator program, the launch of its first 100-school pilot, and the release of its augmented reality math app on the app store.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market
Market position
Positions itself around automated reading instruction and reading-disparity reduction, combining literacy assessment with AR-based math learning within a single education product portfolio.
Combines in-house natural language processing and speech recognition for reading fluency assessment with an augmented reality math app that the company describes as the first AR education app on the app store allowing teachers to input their own questions.
Technology
The reading product is built on natural language processing, speech recognition and real-time AI analysis to assess oral reading and generate fluency and literacy reports. The math product uses augmented reality to place curriculum-aligned math questions into a student's physical surroundings, with teacher-authored question input supported in the app.
Go-to-market
Products are distributed as apps for PC, Mac and mobile app stores, with adoption through classroom and district-level deployments alongside direct use by parents. The company ran an initial school pilot program and participated in an accelerator program.
Teachers, school districts and district administrators, as well as parents and students; the company describes use both in classrooms and at home.
Compiled by commissioned research from 3 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Timeline · 3
launches, deals, and filingsPlabook announced it was selected into the 2021 class of the Techstars Kansas City Accelerator program, citing its automated teacher technology addressing reading disparities through artificial intelligence, natural language processing and speech recognition.
Plabook released an augmented reality education app on the app store that allows teachers to input questions for students, built around curriculum-based math concepts.
Plabook launched its first pilot program in 100 schools, making its reading technology accessible to teachers and students on PC and Mac devices.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 3
primary sources listed
- Circle Blocks Eduplabookeducation.com · web
3 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Circle Blocks Edu do?
- Plabook builds AI-based reading and augmented-reality math applications for schools, teachers, parents and students.
- Who founded Circle Blocks Edu?
- Circle Blocks Edu was founded by Dr. Philip Hickman in 2018.
- Who are Circle Blocks Edu's investors?
- Circle Blocks Edu's investors include Techstars.
- Where is Circle Blocks Edu headquartered?
- Circle Blocks Edu is headquartered in Lees Summit, US.