Our Story
Teaching Machines was created to answer a simple but difficult question: how do we bring the human qualities of great teaching into a digital learning environment at scale?
The idea took shape during the global disruption of education in 2020. When schools closed almost overnight, learning moved online and students were suddenly separated from the structure, presence, and reassurance of the classroom.
As teachers and technologists, we saw that this shift affected students in very different ways. Some flourished with increased independence, while others struggled not because of the subject matter, but because something essential was missing: the feeling of being seen, safe, and supported by a great teacher.
In March 2020, Preben and Hillevi were working at the Swedish School in Nairobi when Kenya shut down with just two days' notice. They packed up their apartment, left everything behind, and flew back to Sweden only to find their home rented out long-term. They became temporarily homeless and bought a 1994 VW Caravelle camper van (affectionately called "Scooby") to live in while waiting to move back in.
Watching students scattered across the world struggle with remote learning sparked endless conversations: What makes a good teacher irreplaceable? Could technology preserve those human qualities instead of eroding them?
How It Came Together
In spring 2023 shortly after the breakthrough of generative AI with ChatGPT Jonas Aaro met with Preben and Hillevi to explore how these powerful new tools could be used responsibly in education.
Together, they envisioned a platform where trained teachers author the content, structure, and pedagogy, while an AI tutor delivers it conversationally one-on-one adapting to each student's needs, asking questions, providing reassurance, and never letting anyone feel stuck.
Teaching Machines is the result: combining deep pedagogical expertise, human-centered AI, and sustainable business thinking to create learning that feels truly personal at scale.
Meet the Visionaries
Preben Wik
Technical & Philosophical Foundation
PhD in Language Technology and Conversational AI (KTH). Researcher in dolphin communication, CALL, and social robotics. Co-founder of Furhat Robotics and InteractionAction.
Hillevi Helm
Pedagogical Expertise
Chemical engineer and certified teacher (Chemistry, Natural Science). Extensive experience with neurodevelopmental differences (NDD). Taught in Sweden, Spain, and Kenya. Co-founder of InteractionAction.
Jonas Aaro
Business & Scaling
Entrepreneur behind a global financial software company serving 140+ countries. Focuses on long-term impact, sustainability, and responsible growth.
Ready to Change Education?
Join us in building the future of learning one student at a time.