As an Albanian immigrant who grew up poor, Aldi Agaj dreamed
for his children to have the access and opportunities he didn’t
have. When his daughter was 4, he had an idea to create an edtech
company that gives kids free access to innovative games.
His upbringing plus the cost of living realities in the U.S.
inspired him to launch Alter Learning, a Davis-based
startup that builds innovative STEAM games for kids, like his
daughter, who is 10 now.
“And I’m like, okay, so I can’t afford to live in the fanciest
areas,” says Agaj, founder and CEO of Alter Learning. “My
daughter has to go to schools that don’t have adequate materials.
So the idea of Alter Learning was like, okay, let’s make a
platform where every school, no matter where they are, can have
the latest technology everywhere in the world.”
One game, called “Celestial,” puts players in the role of robot
astronauts surviving on a moon base after a supply cargo
explosion. Another game, which is coming soon, is called “Marine
Biology,” where players can explore marine habitats and populate
them with sea life.
With the focus on STEAM — science, technology, engineering, the
arts and math — the goal is to make learning games that aren’t
boring, blending virtual and augmented reality with education.
“It’s not like AAA games,” he says, referring to high-budget,
widely marketed games like “Grand Theft Auto” and “Fallout.”
“Those games are popular because you go there, you spend a couple
of 100 bucks with your friends, and you shoot things that move.”
With the focus on education, he builds games that kids might
enjoy, but with the parents in mind.
“If you are a parent, would you rather your child kill monsters
in a zombie apocalypse?” he says. “Or would you want them to
learn about technology, science, biology?”
As a corporate security lawyer for 18 years, Agaj had experience
with startups, but he needed experts in academia to bring his
vision for innovative games to life. To find them, he created
another AI-powered company in tandem (AAK
Tele-Science), which he says tracks all the PhDs and
every investment made around the globe.
This platform became the foundation for building a team of nearly
800 people, operating all over. The company is 100 percent
employee-owned, he says. Any public school can access these games
for free, he says, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. If parents want to
access the games at home, they pay a $13 per month subscription.
“There is little available right now in the VR field to use in
the teaching setting,” says Fernando Fierro, an associate adjunct
professor at UC Davis Health; his daughter is friends with
Agaj’s. He hasn’t seen the games yet, but emphasizes the
importance of educational games that have a fun factor. Most
games “are either boring or too simple and not engaging for
kids,” he says. “Or pure entertainment with no educational
function. This is an interesting balance of looking at both.”
Fierro mostly studies stem cells for application and regenerative
medicine, working to set up various trials. From this
perspective, he knows the value of STEAM teaching and, he says,
“it’s important to do it in a way that’s motivating.”
When it comes to motivation, Agaj reiterates the bigger purpose
behind Alter Learning’s games.
“You’re not thinking about the popularity of the game,” Agaj
says. “You are trying to think in terms of: Does this game serve
a purpose? Can this game help the future generation learn
something? Can this learning process become more pleasant, more
fun?”
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