The Social Institute

The Social Institute is a technology company.

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Updated: Mar 22, 2026 ·

About

The Social Institute builds #WinAtSocial, a gamified online learning platform for student social-emotional skill development. This peer-to-peer system assists students, educators, and families navigating their social world, online and offline, fostering healthy, high-character decisions. Its approach integrates timely social media and technology topics, with lessons co-created alongside students for relevance.

Laura Tierney, a social media expert and former Duke All-American athlete, founded the company in 2016. Her insight stemmed from recognizing that empowering individuals to make high-character choices profoundly impacts their lives. Tierney’s background managing social media for major brands and K-12 students informs the platform’s student-centric philosophy.

The Social Institute serves K-12 schools:independent, public, and charter:alongside students and families. Offerings address modern digital and social challenges by understanding student perspectives. The overarching vision is to fuel student health, happiness, and future success through inspiring positive choices in an evolving social landscape.

Recent News & Mentions

Sep 1, 2020FundingThe Social Institute - Seed

Financial History

The Social Institute has raised $250K across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $250K Seed in September 2020.

Total Raised

$250K

Valuation

N/A

Funding Rounds Raised

Date	Round	Lead Investors	Other Investors
Sep 1, 2020	$250K Seed		Avalanche VC

Financial History

The Social Institute has raised $250K across 1 funding round.

Total Raised

$250K

Valuation

N/A

Deep Dive

The Social Institute is a mission-driven education technology company that builds a gamified, peer‑to‑peer learning platform (branded #WinAtSocial) to help K–12 students, educators, and families navigate social media, devices, and modern digital life in healthy, high‑character ways[3][2].

High‑Level Overview

Mission: Empower students, educators, and families with modern life skills that fuel health, happiness, and future success by teaching positive online and offline behavior[3][2].- What product it builds: A turnkey, gamified peer‑to‑peer learning platform called #WinAtSocial with lesson plans, teacher professional development, family resources, and real‑time student insights[3][2].- Who it serves: K–12 schools, teachers, students (3rd–12th grade) and families worldwide, with content co‑created with student voice[3][2].- Problem it solves: Reduces harms and confusion around social media, device use, and emerging tech by providing age‑appropriate, student‑respected lessons and data to inform teaching and school culture[3][2].- Growth momentum: Founded in 2016 and implemented in schools internationally, the program reports co‑creation with tens of thousands of students and positions itself as a widely adopted “gold standard” in modern skill‑building for schools[3][2].

Origin Story

Founding year and founder background: The Social Institute was founded in 2016 by Laura Tierney, a social‑media expert and former student‑athlete who previously managed social media for brands and organizations including espnW, Nike, Disney, P&G, and Duke Men’s Basketball[2].- How the idea emerged: Tierney leveraged her experience working with K–12 students through leadership programs and her professional social‑media background to create a positive, student‑centered approach to tech education that emphasizes empowerment rather than restriction[2].- Early traction/pivotal moments: The organization developed materials with student co‑creators (“snicker‑tested”) and scaled #WinAtSocial into a turnkey curriculum and platform used in thousands of classrooms since 2016, earning recognition for engaging student voice and providing real‑time insights for schools[2][3].

Core Differentiators

Student‑respected curriculum: Lessons are co‑created with students and tested for relevance and respect, increasing engagement and buy‑in among learners[2].- Gamified, peer‑to‑peer model: Uses gamification and peer learning to engage 3rd–12th graders and drive participation across whole schools[3].- Integrated educator & family support: Combines classroom lessons with teacher professional development and family resources to align school and home approaches to tech use[3].- Real‑time student insights: Captures student‑voice data to inform instruction and school culture decisions, positioning the product as both curriculum and analytics tool[3].- Positive, empowerment‑first philosophy: Focuses on equipping and empowering students rather than fear‑based restriction, distinguishing its tone and pedagogy[2].

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Trend alignment: Rides the ongoing trend of digital‑wellness and social‑emotional learning (SEL) intersecting with edtech as schools seek solutions for student mental health and safe technology use[3][2].- Timing importance: Rising concerns about social media impacts on youth, expanding device and AI use in schools, and mandates for digital citizenship make a turnkey, school‑friendly solution timely[3][2].- Market forces in their favor: K–12 districts increasingly invest in SEL, digital citizenship, and scalable edtech that includes teacher PD and family outreach—areas where TSI’s integrated product fits[3].- Ecosystem influence: By centering student voice and supplying real‑time insights, TSI influences curriculum design and school policy discussions around technology use, modeling a data‑informed, student‑centric approach for other edtech providers[2][3].

Quick Take & Future Outlook

What’s next: Continued expansion in K–12 markets, deeper integrations with district systems and educator PD, and iterative content addressing new trends (e.g., AI, new social platforms) are likely growth paths given their model and stated priorities[3][2].- Trends that will shape them: Increased regulatory and district focus on student online safety, rising demand for measurable SEL outcomes, and the rapid emergence of new apps/AI will drive demand for timely, student‑informed curricula[3][2].- How influence might evolve: If TSI sustains adoption across districts and proves impact with outcome data, it could become a standard vendor for digital citizenship and modern life skills in K–12, influencing policy and edtech best practices[3][2].

Quick take: The Social Institute occupies a growing niche at the intersection of edtech, SEL, and digital citizenship by offering a student‑centered, gamified curriculum with teacher and family supports; its continued influence will depend on measurable outcomes, scaling within districts, and agility in addressing evolving digital trends[3][2].

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

How much funding has The Social Institute raised?

The Social Institute has raised $250K in total across 1 funding round.

Who are The Social Institute's investors?

The Social Institute's investors include Avalanche VC.