As artificial intelligence becomes integral to student life, concerns are growing about over-reliance on instant answers at the expense of genuine understanding. Fermi, an AI-led edtech startup, is reshaping classroom technology to prioritise reasoning, problem‑solving and conceptual clarity rather than quick solutions.
From productively struggling to effective learning
Founded by Peeyush Ranjan, a former senior executive with experience at leading global technology companies, Fermi is built on the principle that meaningful learning emerges when students engage in productive struggle. The company advocates AI that acts more like a thoughtful teacher—guiding the thinking process instead of simply supplying answers.
With chatbots and AI assistants becoming common study aids, many students default to convenience-driven approaches that can bypass true comprehension. Fermi’s platform is designed to reverse this trend by emphasising how students arrive at answers, not just the answers they submit.
Guided prompts and conceptual nudges
Rather than presenting direct solutions, the system uses targeted questions, strategic hints and conceptual prompts that lead students through problem solving. This scaffolding keeps learners actively engaged, deepens retention and builds intellectual confidence over time.
Designed for STEM and handwritten work
Fermi initially targets high‑school STEM subjects—mathematics, physics and chemistry—where analytical thinking and stepwise reasoning are essential. A handwriting‑first interface allows students to write equations, draw diagrams and solve problems naturally with a stylus or touch input, closely mirroring traditional classroom practice.
By removing the need for typed prompts or elaborate instructions, the platform makes AI interaction intuitive and low‑friction: students work as they normally would while the system observes, interprets and responds in real time.
Supporting teachers with actionable classroom intelligence
Fermi’s Classroom Command provides teachers with granular, actionable insights into student learning patterns. Educators can identify specific concepts that confuse learners, trace the evolution of reasoning errors and intervene before summative assessments reveal gaps.
These data‑driven insights help personalise instruction and enable early remediation. In pilot programmes, teachers reported measurable improvements in outcomes as students completed more concept‑based practice and gradually relied less on hints.
Pilot results and early impact
In early testing over three months, dozens of students attempted thousands of concept‑focused questions. Learners who began below benchmark levels showed steady improvement, underscoring the benefits of a reasoning‑led approach.
Teachers involved in the pilots noted higher classroom engagement and clearer visibility into student progress, while students demonstrated increased independence and confidence as their conceptual understanding deepened.
India as a strategic market with global intent
Although Fermi operates with global ambitions, India is a focal market because of its large school population and strong demand for quality STEM education. The startup is conducting pilots across Indian classrooms alongside trials in international markets and aims to partner closely with schools and institutions for broader adoption.
Future plans include flexible pricing models for individuals and institutions, as well as potential expansion into tertiary and professional learning markets, while maintaining a core emphasis on high‑school STEM learning.
By combining human‑centred pedagogy with responsible AI design, Fermi seeks to offer an alternative to answer‑centric education, promoting deeper learning and more robust reasoning skills in AI‑enabled classrooms.
