Colin Kaepernick Brings His AI Storytelling Platform To Nashville Public Schools
Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick is bringing his education technology startup, Lumi, into K–12 classrooms through a new partnership with Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS).
The collaboration launches a phased district pilot that introduces students to AI-powered storytelling tools designed to support literacy, creativity, and responsible technology use.
Kaepernick’s AI Storytelling Platform
Founded by Kaepernick in 2024, Lumi Story AI emerged from stealth with $4 million in seed funding led by Alexis Ohanian’s venture firm, Seven Seven Six. The platform is built to position AI as a creative assistant, helping students develop characters, narratives, and visual stories while retaining ownership of their ideas and work.
Lumi is designed specifically for literacy development, distinguishing it from many consumer-focused AI tools now making their way into education. The startup is advised by national leaders across literacy research, AI ethics, education policy, and K–12 leadership.
Students use the platform to create comics, graphic novels, manga, and hybrid written-illustrated projects that reinforce reading comprehension, writing skills, and critical thinking.
School District Pilot
To mark the pilot’s launch, Kaepernick visited several MNPS campuses on January 22, demonstrating the technology and speaking with students and educators about storytelling and creativity.
“Storytelling has always been one of the most powerful ways people understand themselves and the world around them,” said Kaepernick, according to a press statement. “Lumi is about giving students tools to tell their own stories, develop their creativity, and see technology as something that expands what’s possible rather than limiting it.”
The Nashville pilot is supported through private philanthropic funding coordinated by PENCIL, a nonprofit that connects the city’s business and civic community with public schools.
The MNPS pilot will roll out gradually, beginning with a small group of students and educators. Teachers will guide how and when the tool is used, and district leaders will evaluate the program’s impact on student engagement, literacy outcomes, and creative expression as they consider whether to expand the partnership.
Image credit: Lumi
