The Jackson Laboratory wins highest prize in global ed tech competition

(Bar Harbor, Maine — June 25, 2026) –The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) received a prize today in the global Tools Competition as one of 21 winning teams building or expanding learning tools to address pressing issues in education. 

JAX will receive an award of $300,000 to support a two-year project—JAX Biomedical Pathways—which delivers equitable, scalable workforce readiness. Through online, career-connected learning and community college and workforce partnerships, Pathways lowers barriers for underserved learners while building stackable skills combining biology and AI.

Prize funds will enable significant advancement of our online education offerings, consisting of three new, integrated biomedical learning pathways designed specifically for community college classrooms and workforce preparation. Pathways will be organized around a unifying and learner-friendly framework—experimental models used in biomedical research—helping students understand how the biotech industry answers biological questions using complementary approaches: in vivo (living organisms), in vitro (cells and tissues), and in silico (computational and AI-based) models.

Together, these approaches reflect what JAX calls the “Power of Three” — the integration of animal, cellular, and computational systems to better understand disease and predict therapeutic outcomes. Students will learn not only how each model contributes unique insights, but also how combining them creates a more powerful and predictive framework for biomedical discovery.

“Expanding access to high-quality, career-connected education is critical to the future of biomedical research,” said Mary Dickinson, JAX chief scientific officer and executive vice president. “We are proud to lead this program because it will create new pathways for students to be successful in emerging biotechnology careers.”

JAX was selected from more than 1,400 submissions, with winners hailing from institutions and organizations across eight countries and five continents. 

Prizes were given in three tracks, each focused on a distinct opportunity area for education innovation and impact. JAX received the highest prize in the Building Pathways to Postsecondary Success track, which seeks to advance postsecondary learning and workforce development outcomes, expanding pathways to meaningful careers.

For more details on our winning proposal, please visit JAX Biomedical Pathways. A full list of winners and their projects can be found here.

Tools Competition Background

The Tools Competition is the largest ed tech competition in the world. It spurs innovation in digital technology, big data, and learning science to meet the urgent needs of learners worldwide.

The Tools Competition is a program of Renaissance Philanthropy, organized by The Learning Agency, and made possible through the generous support of the Walton Family Foundation, Griffin Catalyst, Axim Collaborative, Oak Foundation, Cinelli Family Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. The competition is run in partnership with the University of Minnesota and Digital Harbor Foundation.