What does an AI-Driven Education look like? - Benedict Kurz, Founder and CEO of Knowunity

Benedict Kurz is the co-founder and CEO of Knowunity, an AI learning platform with over 18 million users and $23 million in funding. He founded Knowunity while still in high school, when he was also playing competitive tennis and was the German junior Vice Champion at the age of 17. Now 23, he leads over 100 employees and is building the future of education with AI, making a better education accessible for every student and shaping a more democratised world. He is also the youngest board member of the German Startup Association.In this episode, we talk about:
✅ How Benedict transitioned from tennis to tech and built Knowunity straight out of high school✅ Why growing up in an entrepreneurial family shaped his mindset early on✅ The role competitive sports played in developing grit, confidence, and leadership skills✅ How Knowunity used TikTok and student creators to go viral in new markets✅ Why cultural fit is more important than skill in early-stage hiring✅ How they navigate firing — and why it should never be a surprise✅ Lessons from launching in Latin America and soon the U.S.✅ Why product-led growth and A/B testing fuel Knowunity’s scaling✅ How a strong internal feedback culture supports team development✅ The importance of authentic leadership as a young founderThis Episode is hosted by Ahmad Zandnia.-----------------Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Benedict and Knowunity03:26 The Journey from Tennis to Entrepreneurship06:13 Influence of Family Background on Entrepreneurial Path09:09 Deciding Between Tennis and Entrepreneurship12:14 Building Knowunity: Early Days and Challenges14:41 Hiring and Team Culture at knowunity17:41 Expansion Plans and Market Strategies20:23 Virality and Branding Strategies23:22 Leadership and Team Management26:15 Lessons Learned and Future OutlookSubscribe on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/42ijB4A...Subscribe on Apple Podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast...Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/roots2disrupt?igsh=MXJ3eW9sZnVoa2Vibg==Visit our Website:https://youngfounders.network/Visit Benedict's LinkedIn Profile:https://www.linkedin.com/in/benedict-kurz-11abb1159/Visit Knowunity's Website: https://knowunity.ai/----------------#AILearning #EdTech #AIStartup #FutureOfEducation #roots2disrupt #ArtificialIntelligence #GenZ#EducationInnovation #Tech #Knowunity