Sikanai
Year founded: 2020
Headquarters: Park Hills, Kentucky
Number of employees: Two
Founders: Barry Burkett, executive director; Wasi Khan, technical director
Description: Sikanai is an edtech startup focusing on student-first solutions that benefit both the instructor and the student.
What is your company working on right now?
Sikanai’s immediate focus is raising capital — $250,000.
What’s on the horizon for your company in 2023?
Starting weekly webinars about current trends in cheating; developing faculty to a board of advisers, among the other efforts.
Why grow your company in/from Kentucky?
Kentucky, itself, has a lot to offer. The commonwealth has a supportive startup ecosystem, with incubators, accelerators and co-working spaces designed to help young companies get off the ground and grow.
I have accessed help from KY Innovation resources like BlueNorth and KYSBDC. These resources can provide startups with access to funding, mentorship and other support to help them succeed.
Give us one bold prediction in 2023 for startups, technology, or venture capital/fundraising?
Edtech investment will push the use of GPT to assist academia. Edtech is the space to invest in the coming space. The downturn in marketing will lead to an increase in investment in edtech.
Historically, in times of economic uncertainty, people are more likely to invest in their own education to improve their job prospects and increase their earning potential.
Additionally, higher education is using learning management systems to facilitate learning — distance and in person — leading to new unique challenges in the online or digital environment.
