Dallas-based tech startup wins international award and marks ‘first’ in competition

Perched high above the bustling streets of downtown Dallas, Taylor Shead’s home office seems like the perfect setting for someone leading a tech startup that just clinched an international award.

“It feels like the entrepreneur’s Olympics,” Shead said, beaming with pride.

As the Founder and CEO of Stemuli, an interactive educational video game platform, Shead noticed a gap in the market for modernizing educational gaming experiences.

“We’re seeing platforms that millions of kids are using that look older than MySpace,” Shead remarked. “Stemuli is about transforming learning into a video game.”

Representing North America at the United Nations AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva, Switzerland, Stemuli competed for the coveted Innovation Factory Award.

“They determined that Stemuli was the best application of AI for Good this year,” Shead revealed. “In 2024, my goal is to underscore the importance of taking women and minorities seriously in this field, and this award is a perfect testament to that.”

Shead made history as the first Black female recipient of the UN AI for Good Summit’s Innovation Factory Award, surpassing a field dominated by men. She hopes her achievement will inspire other women and People of Color in the tech industry.

“We’re on a path to change the world,” Shead emphasized.

Stemuli is currently implemented in Dallas, Garland, and Fort Worth ISDs, as well as Stride, the largest online education platform. The initiative has garnered support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.