who is next knowledge?
Next Knowledge is a small but mighty team of individuals that have come together around a mission to create lasting social value. Our methods and tools can change the world’s relationship with learning. We passionately believe that we can change lives by delivering our proven LEARN framework through our online Wordspace. This mission motivates our team every single day.
we
- are a learning company, dedicated to the mission of changing the world’s relationship with learning. Founded in 2018, we have created AI-powered tools and live-instruction programs to support our 30+ year proven comprehension strategy that was implemented in hundreds of private and institutional settings.
- fill a gap in the education world by providing tested and proven strategies, teacher coaching and AI-powered tutoring services in which parents, teachers, administrators, and students can find a solution to the issue of academic illiteracy.
- function as an online teaching and learning platform where our coaches, institutional teachers, and private students of all ages can work to master their academic literacy skills – so they can perform at a level that reflects their true ability and talent.
meet our founders
Lawrence Feld and Stephen Straker are our fearless leaders. They partnered in 2018, meeting over countless coffees to discuss the possible. Together, they brought Next Knowledge to life and built a happy, cohesive and motivated team around them.
Interested to know more about the latest from Next Knowledge? Check out our Founders’ Corner.
Stephen Straker
Chief Executive Officer, Co-founder
Having spent his entire career in business and technology, Stephen is applying his expertise and passion to helping individuals reach their ultimate potential, by helping them embrace the framework and tools they truly need to learn.
Stephen is driven by a firm belief that education should be a right, not a privilege, and through Next Knowledge he hopes to help make that a reality.
As CEO and co-founder of Next Knowledge, Stephen is working to bring innovative, proven reading and comprehension methods to as many learners as possible by leveraging the great power of digital tools and artificial intelligence. Next Knowledge’s technology offerings greatly improve the reading comprehension and retention of learners of various ages and abilities… and by enhancing their learning, he and his team believe it will power their confidence and fuel their success.
Prior to co-founding Next Knowledge, Stephen has had a successful 30-year career in Financial Services and Technology, surrounded by rapid upheaval impacting all of the systems that govern how we live, work and evolve. His career has spanned a multitude of roles: he has been an equities and derivatives trader; built and led sales, strategy and business development teams; and has been a significant contributor to the business plans of tech firms both large and small, domestic and international.
The net result is an expert knowledge of the industries that are changing our present and our future, paired with a passion for transforming the way we learn, engage with our future – and ultimately find our true potential.
Lawrence Feld
Chief Learning Officer, Co-founder
Lawrence has dedicated his entire career to helping people learn. His greatest triumphs have been in transforming the lives of kids that the educational system was leaving behind.
As Co-Founder and Chief Learning Officer of Next Knowledge, Lawrence is bringing his proven LEARN method to countless learners. Next Knowledge is the culmination of decades of his work and innovation. His proven methods have been built into an AI-powered learning companion – Alice – that can be used to help learners of any level, anywhere.
After graduating from McGill University with a Masters of Education, he spent the next ten years dedicated to learning about the various issues in education through direct hands-on experiences. He has been the director of a program for emotionally disturbed children and adolescents, worked as special service coordinator at a school for students with learning disabilities, and served as a special educator for students with neurological and intellectual handicaps. Lawrence has also designed and taught psychology and education courses at McGill and local colleges.
His Elephant in the Classroom workshop series, Word-Mapping reading comprehension series and psychology course “Personality Theory Applied in the Classroom” have been acclaimed as groundbreaking training tools for preparing teachers for the challenges of the classroom. Lawrence has presented at hundreds of conferences and professional development events for teachers and educators, and worked with thousands of learners across North America.
how we show up
Diversity and inclusion are important to us. In our words, action, values and beliefs. It’s about who we are… and how we do what we do.
