Nolan Bushnell, Founder of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese, Brings Game-Changing Vision to Edtech Startup Merging Fun and Education

ExoDexa, an adaptive learning gaming platform, today unveiled from stealth its AI-driven learning gaming platform that transforms traditional education by integrating the engagement principles of video games.

The company, founded by serial entrepreneur and legendary Atari founder and video gaming icon Nolan Bushnell and led by Dr. Leah Hanes, aims to address the crisis in modern education by meeting students where they are – in interactive, digitally native environments.

Addressing a Broken System

Education budgets are reaching record highs – $872.2 billion in the U.S. alone in 2024 – while student outcomes continue to decline, with 617 million students unable to reach minimum proficiency levels in reading and math. ExoDexa is tackling a fundamental disconnect in current education. Current statistics show alarming trends: teachers are leaving the profession within five years, millions of children struggle with basic reading and math skills and students are increasingly disengaging from traditional classroom instruction.

"The system doesn't work," said Dr. Leah Hanes, CEO of ExoDexa. "We are seeing digital native teachers forced to step back from 20 years of technological progress to teach in our current system. Meanwhile, students are bored or unable to follow along. It's time to bridge the gap between entertainment and education that has been widening for over a century."

ExoDexa's new education gaming platform leverages adaptive AI technology and game mechanics to create individualized learning experiences that adjust in real-time to each student's needs and progress. The system embeds traditional subjects within engaging, interactive game environments that students naturally gravitate toward.

"For the first time in over 100 years, we are matching learning with entertainment," Hanes explained. "This isn't about replacing teachers — it's about eliminating the parts of teaching that both teachers and students dislike most, while allowing educators to focus their skills where they're most needed."

The global education technology market represents a massive opportunity, with ExoDexa's subscription model targeting both public schools ($10/year per student) and homeschoolers ($19/month per student).

About the Game

Inspired by immersive storyteller games, like Zelda, ExoDexa’s game takes players through a new world where they collect artifacts and face challenges in science, technology, engineering, and math. Featuring Game Play Lesson Structures, the game utilizes AI to deliver immersive, game-like challenges that meet students where they are, adapting in real-time to their understanding. Unlike traditional education, which prizes seat time and test scores, ExoDexa’s game focuses on mastery, agency and engagement.

ExoDexa has already developed core components of its platform, including:

• Adaptive practice systems that measure student progress in real-time
• Curriculum aligned with International Baccalaureate standards
• AI-driven personalization that adapts to individual learning styles

The company expects its middle school English program to be available this fall.

Proven Leadership

ExoDexa’s leadership combines deep educational expertise with legendary gaming innovation:

• Dr. Leah Hanes, CEO: Serial entrepreneur with over a decade of experience as CEO of the Two Bit Circus Foundation, formerly a professor at Antioch University
• Nolan Bushnell, Founder & Board Member: Creator of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese, the father of video games
• Jon Kraft, Chief Strategy Officer: Co-founder of Pandora and Black Diamond Ventures, with a track record of successful acquisitions and IPOs
• Tim Morten: Video game industry veteran with credits on Doom and Call of Duty, co-founder of Frost Giant Studios

"When I created Atari, I learned that the secret to engagement is finding that perfect balance – challenging players just enough to keep them in the 'flow' without overwhelming them," said Nolan Bushnell, ExoDexa founder and founding father of video games. "That same principle applies to education. For too long, we've accepted that learning has to be boring while entertainment gets all the good technology. ExoDexa changes that equation. We're not just putting education in a game wrapper – we're fundamentally reimagining how children learn by harnessing the same psychological principles that made video games irresistible."

About ExoDexa

Based in Los Angeles, ExoDexa ("out of the box, into the game") transforms traditional education by combining proven learning principles with cutting-edge gaming technology and artificial intelligence. An EdTech Award 2022 finalist co-founded by Atari founder Nolan Bushnell in 2021, and led by Dr. Leah Hanes, the platform delivers individualized, interactive learning experiences across Chemistry, Physics, Business Law, and History, with more than 4,000 lessons in development. ExoDexa's scalable platform is adaptable to different languages, topics and content types, empowering students to redefine learning success while providing teachers with powerful instructional tools.

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“We’re done making kids choose between fun and learning — ExoDexa delivers both.” — Nolan Bushnell