mSchools Lab: Identification, piloting and impact assessment of digital solutions with the potential to improve and digitally transform education.
In November 2024, we are launching the second call of the mSchools Lab to identify innovative digital solutions at national and international level to answer the challenge:
How can technology enhance inclusive learning from the initial school stages?
Technological innovation to enable early detection, timely intervention, and socio-emotional support to foster students’ personal and academic growth.
The need to refocus and expand the education system’s efforts to improve students’ academic performance has become evident in recent years. This requires personalized strategies to address specific learning difficulties at their root. Biological and psychoeducational conditions often lead to neurodevelopmental challenges affecting areas such as attention, concentration, behavior, reading, writing, and math. These difficulties significantly impact academic success, social integration, and emotional well-being.
Context
Nowadays, it is estimated that 18.3% of children in Catalonia exhibit significant learning challenges related to at least one neurodevelopmental disorder. However, in Spain, only one in five children with learning difficulties receive adequate early diagnosis and timely intervention alongside the necessary support. These unmet needs can hinder academic and personal development, becoming major factors in school failure and dropout rates.
Scientific evidence demonstrates that timely and appropriate interventions can mitigate poor outcomes and even reverse the effects of these dysfunctions, enabling students to lead healthy, productive, and autonomous lives.
Considering this context, this call seeks to identify and pilot innovative digital solutions— nationally and internationally—that enable early detection, timely intervention and socio-emotional support to create an educational and social environment that allows students to overcome barriers and thrive academically and personally.
The Lab Process
1
EdTech Solutions Call
2
Selection of Finalists and Winners
3
Call for Schools
4
Implementation of pilots
5
Evaluation and Dissemination
Collaboration
mSchools Lab is an open innovation program driven by Mobile World Capital Barcelona and mSchools.
Through public-private collaboration and in partnership with educational centers and the EdTech industry, we promote the identification, piloting, and evaluation of the impact of digital solutions with the potential to address real needs of the educational community and contribute to the improvement and digital transformation of education.
We want to catalyze the participation of various stakeholders with the potential to make a positive impact in promoting equitable and inclusive learning through the transformative, safe, and healthy use of technology.
How can technology enhance inclusive learning from the initial school stages?
Technological innovation to enable early detection, timely intervention, and socio-emotional support to foster students’ personal and academic growth.
Focus of solutions
1. Early Detection
Early, effective, and efficient identification of neurodevelopmental conditions leading to learning difficulties such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, ASD, and ADHD.
2. Timely Intervention
Personalized strategies to, ideally, reverse specific needs caused by neurodevelopmental conditions such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, ASD, and ADHD.
3. Socioemotional Support Linked to Neurodevelopmental Conditions
Promoting an inclusive culture that fosters well-being and connection between schools, homes, and other stakeholders.
What do we offer?
Piloting: Pilot your solution in educational centers in Catalunya to validate your proposal and its impact.
Funding: €25,000 for each of the two winning solutions to be piloted in educational centers.
Visibility: Get high visibility of the pilot’s implementation in various events.
How to participate?
Proposals will be accepted from November 26, 2024, to February 4, 2025, at 12:00h (CET).
Winning Solutions
Key2Enable
United Arab Emirates
Assistive technology to enhance early screening and intervention of neurodiverse children with more severe difficulties, allowing them to interact and communicate more easily. The devices track cognitive and developmental indicators and early identify learning difficulties. Adaptive learning paths offer multisensory strategies and gamified exercises to foster cognitive development and tools for emotional regulation, focus-building, and anxiety reduction while promoting an inclusive learning environment.
Key2Enable.org
Key2Enable.org
Neureka Lab
Spain
Digital tool for assessing and identifying learning difficulties and strengths related to dyslexia and dyscalculia. Based on the results, the tool personalizes learning in language and math subjects, replacing some classroom activities with its use. This proposal includes evaluating working memory and attention areas related to ADHD, addressing a broader range of cognitive and emotional aspects.
NeurekaLab.es
NeurekaLab.es
Call closed successfully
More than 50 EdTech Proposals: After closing the first phase of solution selection, we have confirmed the success of the call at a global level, with an amount that highlights the importance of identifying and addressing learning difficulties on time.
National and International Ecosystem: The call has seen significant international participation, with 47% of the proposals coming from countries such as the United States, Australia, Finland, the Netherlands, or Argentina.
Typology of Organizations: The majority of solutions come from startups (72%), followed by SMEs (13%) Corporations (8%), Foundations, freelancers, NGOs, and other entities (7%).
Finalists
Atenxia
Spain
Platform that uses AI algorithms and gamification to interactively assess attention parameters and reading skills from an early age. Based on the diagnostics results it designs personalized intervention pathways for students with ADHD and/or dyslexia, which can be adapted in real-time.
Atenxia.com
Atenxia.com
Cogniphant
Estonia
An AI-powered ADHD screening and intervention platform designed specifically for schools. It uses behavioural data analysis, cognitive assessments, and predictive analytics, providing real-time, research-backed reports and personalized, classroom-ready strategies. The platform also includes training for educators, school administrators, and parents to foster a better understanding and management of ADHD within the school environment.
Cogniphant.org
Cogniphant.org
Dide
Spain
A digital tool that gathers information from parents and teachers to develop a comprehensive profile of students' strengths and educational needs. It thoroughly analyzes learning patterns, development, behaviour, and emotional regulation, while providing guidelines for immediate intervention to support neurodiverse students and reduce waiting times for external services.
Dide.org
Dide.org
Sincrolab
Spain
Cognitive trainer that assesses, maps the student's profiles, and personalizes learning through adaptive training based on AI and neuroscience. It enhances brain plasticity with intelligent algorithms and adjusts tasks according to student performance, improving working memory, attention, and executive functions. Teachers and families receive real-time reports to monitor progress.
Sincrolab.es
Sincrolab.es
Evaluation Process
The first round of selection will conclude on February 4th with a maximum of 16 semifinalists.
The semifinalists will have until March 7th to complete a second form with additional information about the proposed implementation. Based on these responses, the 6 finalists will be selected to present their initiative during the Pitch Day in the first week of April.
An external jury, composed of representatives from the academic sector, Public Administration, the EdTech industry, and educational institutions will select this edition's two winning proposals.. These will be adapted and piloted during the 2025/2026 school year in public and charter schools in Catalonia.
Call for Educational Centers
The two winning solutions will be implemented in pilot format in a real-world context, in several educational centers in Catalonia. An external evaluation will also be provided to coordinate the measurement of results, ensuring that the technology meets the needs of the students and the established pedagogical objectives.
If you are part of a public or charter school in Catalonia and are interested in participating in the pilot of one of the two solutions during the 2025-2026 school year, please fill out the following form.
Implementation of pilots
The pilots will be carried out during the 2025-2026 school year.
More information is coming soon.