McKinney Collide Center Tenant Nepris Connects STEM Professionals with Classrooms

MCKINNEY, Texas, April 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Nepris, an online platform that makes it possible for K12 teachers and students to connect with industry experts, brings real world relevance and improves student engagement in STEM subjects.

"A recent study by Microsoft found that 57 percent of boys and 68 percent of girls who chose a high tech career say they were inspired by one person, or one event, or one class during the middle or high school years," said Sabari Raja, Founder and CEO of Nepris. "A vast majority of our K12 students do not have an opportunity to meet these role models, they do not know what STEM professionals do. At Nepris, we want to bridge the gap between industry and education so students can make informed decisions when it comes to college and career."

Nepris makes it easy to engage students in math and science by connecting industry experts to the classroom for an interactive discussion.  Teachers create a request based on a STEM subject and a topic, Nepris finds and matches the right industry professionals and enables them to virtually connect with a classroom for an interactive discussion or to help evaluate projects. For local and global businesses, Nepris provides a platform that can help companies reach their education outreach goals without the time and costs typically involved.

"I decided to participate in Nepris because it's a great opportunity to connect with industry professionals," said Pam McBride, Engineering and Robotics Teacher at McKinney High School. "I was really pleased with the level of engagement my students showed. They asked really good questions and were more interactive than during a normal lesson. I will definitely be incorporating Nepris into the classroom more often."

"Nepris was one of the first tenants of The Collide Center," said John Valencia, McKinney Economic Development Corporation.  "It's exciting to be able to help start-up companies like Nepris get off the ground and succeed. Nepris is being used by more than 1,000 teachers in 107 schools across twenty-eight states! The Collide Center is proud to have played a role. We want business leaders and entrepreneurs to know that the city of McKinney supports the development, expansion and relocation of new and existing companies and start-ups."

Nepris has also received funding from NewSchools, a nonprofit venture philanthropy firm that raises capital for funds to support education entrepreneurs who are transforming public education. This is the first investment in the state of Texas for NewSchools. Nepris is also funded by investors from The Collide Center.

The Collide Center, created in a partnership with Curious Complex and the McKinney Economic Development Corporation, provides workspace, resources and training for tech start-ups in their initial stages so that they can grow and eventually move into their own office space, creating quality jobs in our community. The Collide Center is open to companies working on cool or innovative products and emerging technologies.

For more information about how to get started with Nepris or become an industry expert visit the company's website at http://www.nepris.com/.

About Nepris

Dallas-based, Nepris, brings STEM to life by connecting professionals with teachers and their students. With Nepris, teachers find professionals who -- through interactive, online sessions -- show students how the work they do is rooted in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics being taught in school. See Nepris in action at Nepris.com/webinar or sign-up as a teacher or STEM professional at Nepris.com.

About The Collide Center

The Collide Center aims to support emerging technologies and to develop innovative industries within the City of McKinney by providing a range of services to entrepreneurs and start-ups. Curious Complex with McKinney's Economic Development Corporation developed The Collide Center as a hub designed to provide workspace, education, support, events and workshops to businesses in McKinney. The Collide Center is a co-working space with Incubator and Accelerator programs geared toward fostering success for entities. Additionally, the center provides a "Collide Corridor" area for anyone to come to, meet up, work and otherwise collide with other innovators to spur new ideas and collaborate on possible ventures. Visit www.collidecenter.com for more information.

About McKinney Economic Development Corporation

McKinney, Texas, is unique by nature. As one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S., McKinney has a current population of nearly 141,000. Incorporated in 1848, the city is located 30 miles north of Dallas and is the county seat of Collin County. McKinney offers rolling hills, lush trees, a historic downtown square and unique neighborhoods and developments. Within a 30-minute drive to both DFW International Airport and Dallas Love Field, McKinney is also home to Collin County Regional Airport. Featuring multiple visionary developments and with lots of land to grow, the city is primed for economic development. McKinney ranks No. 2 on the Money Magazine Best Places to Live in America list and as a Top 100 Community in America for Young People by America's Promise Alliance. Visit the MEDC website at www.mckinneyedc.com.

SOURCE The Collide Center