The Idea Behind OurDojo

This essay explains why OurDojo exists: the convergence of market conditions and personal conviction that led to its founding.

Market Incentives

(1) OurDojo represents a belief that AI will fundamentally transform how we learn. AI will have an outsized impact on education because we're at a pivotal moment where many tools make it easier to outsource our thinking. Once that happens, we become less curious and less likely to learn. The result is a world that's less empathetic. Therefore, it is our duty to ensure that innovations in AI and education amplify humanity, rather than replace it (NB: this is exactly the OurDojo mission statement). “Amplification of humanity” is an idea borrowed from Kentaro Toyama, who expressed how technology doesn't innately improve or degrade society, but rather amplifies the qualities already present. This framework reminds us that AI improves education only when it strengthens human teaching and learning. The $8 trillion education and skills sector is evolving. OurDojo will set its standard of quality and measurement.

(2) OurDojo is a bet that quality will prevail. The commoditization of AI tools is far outpacing guardrails and validation. Headlines brag about adoption numbers. Markets reward engagement over everything else — a standard set by the last wave of social media apps like Facebook and TikTok. But the quality of AI varies greatly between providers, use cases, and methodologies. Once the hype fades, the truly transformational AI applications will be those that relentlessly prioritized quality over everything else.

Personal Conviction

Most founders share common motivations: ownership in an important problem space and the desire to build wealth. Those apply here too. But there are uncommon reasons I felt compelled to start OurDojo.

My life is a product of the power of education and its ability to improve lives. Both of my parents are immigrants who found success through academics. My mom and both aunts are school teachers. I've always gravitated towards teaching — starting as a math and English tutor at Kumon in high school, working as a TA in college, and volunteering as a campaign coach for a NYC non-profit once I entered the professional world. I'm acutely aware of how education quality can vary, and I feel a personal responsibility to use my technical expertise to support this domain.

The second driver is my experience working on the frontier of applied AI agents over the last 2+ years. I saw firsthand how dramatically AI can amplify individual output. I also saw that even well-funded, fast-moving startups couldn't explore and build as quickly as the new ways of working now enable. And so, I took the leap.

What We're Building

OurDojo brings AI evaluations expertise to educational institutions. The specific products will evolve, but the commitment won't: rigorous, independent analysis of how AI tools perform in real learning environments. In a market flooded with adoption metrics and vendor promises, we provide evidence. We hold AI in education to the highest standard because we understand that education shapes societies.

The market thesis and my personal conviction form an important cyclical relationship. Education shaped my life, and AI is reshaping education. The defining question is whether this transformation becomes a virtuous cycle of learning, or a downward spiral in quality. OurDojo exists to ensure the former. All that's left is to see the places we'll go.