Key Highlights
- Former Google and Airbnb executive Peeyush Ranjan has launched AI-first edtech startup Fermi.ai.
- The platform focuses on deep conceptual understanding rather than instant answers.
- Fermi.ai begins with high school Math, Physics, and Chemistry across the US and India.
Fermi.ai is a global AI-first edtech startup headquartered in Singapore. It has officially launched its personalised learning platform for high-school STEM students through subsidiaries in the United States and India.
The company is led by Peeyush Ranjan, former GM & VP at Google and Airbnb and former CTO of Flipkart, and has emerged from the Meraki Labs ecosystem, where Ranjan partners with entrepreneur Mukesh Bansal.
Unlike most AI-powered learning tools that prioritise speed and instant answers, Fermi.ai is designed to emphasize understanding, reasoning and mastery.
The platform is built around the concept of “productive struggle,” encouraging students to work through problems step by step rather than rely on shortcuts.
“AI has made hard things easy for all of us. But as lifelong learners, we saw that this process of making hard things easy could hamper learning, unless AI is used the right way,” said Peeyush Ranjan, CEO, Fermi.ai and Partner, Meraki Labs. “The industry has spent years building AI that gives answers. We built Fermi.ai to do the opposite: to protect the ‘productive struggle’ that leads to actual mastery. We want to use AI to keep the brain working, not give it a reason to switch off.”
Built for Deep Learning, Not Shortcuts
Fermi.ai’s platform is structured around four core pillars. At its centre is an adaptive real-time tutor that guides students through problems without directly revealing solutions. Instead of acting like a chatbot, the tutor offers stepwise coaching aligned with proven pedagogical methods.
A handwriting-first experience allows students to work naturally with equations, diagrams and chemical structures using digital ink and stylus input. This is complemented by a concept-driven question bank, aligned with major curricula such as AP, IB, and JEE, ensuring students are always presented with the next most relevant challenge.
An advanced diagnostics and analytics layer gives students and educators visibility into exactly where reasoning breaks down, enabling targeted intervention rather than generic feedback.
Empowering Teachers and Classrooms
Beyond student learning, Fermi.ai aims to transform classroom teaching. Its “Classroom Command” feature gives educators insight into silent struggles, highlighting misconceptions students may never articulate. This allows teachers to address gaps early and personalise instruction at scale.
“We have entered an era where AI can solve any equation, but it can’t yet explain why a student’s logic faltered at step three,” added Mukesh Bansal, Partner, Meraki Labs. “Fermi.ai isn’t here to give answers; it’s here to provide the map and the mirror – showing students how they think and giving teachers the visibility to lead them back to the path of mastery.”
Strong Early Results
Ahead of its public launch, Fermi.ai ran a three-month pilot involving 79 students and over 15,000 concept tests. Results showed measurable gains in mastery, particularly among students who initially struggled.
Learners who engaged deeply with the platform demonstrated improved scores and reduced reliance on hints, signalling stronger conceptual understanding.
