Hard to start
Knowing what to do doesn’t always make the first step easier.
From reminders that don’t helpto starting independently.
An AI desktop homework companion for children with ADHD and other neurodivergent learners, helping them start and finish tasks with less parental nagging and family conflict.
Evidence-informedSupport with a foundation
2 roundsOf family user testing
60%Of our team is neurodivergent
Understand first. Support next.
It’s not always unwillingness.Sometimes, a step feels too hard.
Starting tasks, staying focused and managing emotions can make everyday learning harder.
Easy to lose focus
Small distractions interrupt tasks. Getting back on track takes support.
Caught in a reminder loop
Repeated prompting can leave both children and parents exhausted.
We want to change how children are supported—not who they are.
HOW · Our approach
From a difficult start to a clear first step.
Support for starting, keeping going and finishing—one manageable step at a time.
Make the first step clear
Break down and sequence tasks around the child’s abilities and preferences, so they know what to do next.
Offer a cue when they get stuck
Adjust prompts and pacing to task progress and the child’s state, helping them return to the next step.
Respond to each step forward
Use playful, positive feedback to acknowledge specific progress and encourage another try.
WHY · The thinking behind it
Grounded in research.Designed for growing autonomy.
Research on ADHD behavioral support and organizational skills informs how we turn outside support into everyday practice.
Give tasks a clear structure
Research insight
Organizational skills training makes planning, time management and organization teachable. A randomized trial found improvements in organizational functioning and homework problems in children with ADHD.
Our design
Break tasks into clear, ordered steps that give children a practical cue for action.
Connect action with feedback
Research insight
Positive reinforcement links specific actions to positive feedback. A homework trial found that parent behavior training combined with daily report cards improved completion and accuracy.
Our design
Respond to starting and persisting with timely, specific feedback, helping children notice strategies that work for them.
Make family support consistent
Research insight
The CDC identifies structure, positive reinforcement and positive communication as elements of parent behavior training. Support should fit each child and family.
Our design
Help parents follow progress and adapt communication. Reduce prompts when a child can manage independently, and retain or restore support when needed.
These studies support related approaches, not proven outcomes for Sounteract. Evidence primarily concerns children with ADHD and cannot be generalized to all neurodivergent children. How to reduce prompts is a design question we are exploring in family testing.
- Completed
Seed funding secured
Backed by Professor Li Zexiang’s incubation ecosystem.
- Completed
Two rounds of family testing
Tested and refined with neurodivergent children and their families.
- In progress
Iterating toward our next round
Improving state recognition, task feedback and the parent experience.
Who we are
60%
of our team is neurodivergent
Lived understanding.The skills to make it happen.
Empathy
Ongoing conversations with children and families keep real needs at the heart of our design.
- early adopters
- 200+
Technology & design
Our team brings together graduates of leading universities in China and abroad, including an algorithms PhD from the University of Hong Kong and designers trained at world-leading design schools.
From concept to production
Supported by one of China’s leading hardware startup incubators, our team has end-to-end experience taking products from initial design to mass production.
Get in touch
Help children learn to workwith their own minds.
Join us in helping children with ADHD discover their strengths and find what works for them. Families and partners are welcome to co-create with us.
Email usEmailinfo@sounteract.com