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 founder





This Episode is hosted by Ahmad Zandnia.


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Chapters:





00:00 Introduction to Benedict and Knowunity


03:26 The Journey from Tennis to Entrepreneurship


06:13 Influence of Family Background on Entrepreneurial Path


09:09 Deciding Between Tennis and Entrepreneurship


12:14 Building Knowunity: Early Days and Challenges


14:41 Hiring and Team Culture at knowunity


17:41 Expansion Plans and Market Strategies


20:23 Virality and Branding Strategies


23:22 Leadership and Team Management


26:15 Lessons Learned and Future Outlook





Subscribe 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/


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#ArtificialIntelligence #GenZ#EducationInnovation #Tech
#Knowunity