YBI Engine Tech Incubator Welcomes Heroes Made as Newest Portfolio Company

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio, March 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- YBI Engine Tech Incubator, a program of YBI, announced Heroes Made as its newest portfolio company. The platform provides educators with a classroom-ready solution to strengthen character education, communication skills, and student resilience, requiring zero preparation from teachers, and is now available to elementary schools nationwide.

Heroes Made originated in Cyprus and joins YBI's portfolio as part of the I-YBI international cohort program. The company's U.S. operational base will be located on YBI's campus in Youngstown, Ohio, with plans to bring the platform to Ohio schools as its next expansion market. The platform is currently available to elementary schools nationwide, including established programs in Texas, North Carolina, Montana, Utah, and Idaho.

"Heroes Made is doing something that sounds simple but is actually hard to execute: building character education into the school day in a way that teachers will actually use," said Chandler Fiffick, Senior Director of YBI Engine Tech Incubator. "The platform is practical, the engagement is genuine, and the student authoring component is the kind of feature that makes this more than just a curriculum tool. We are proud to support Heroes Made as they scale."

Designed specifically for elementary schools, Heroes Made addresses one of the most pressing challenges facing educators today: developing strong character and practical life skills in students while maintaining rigorous academic standards.

The platform integrates seamlessly into existing instructional time, including literacy blocks, morning meetings, advisory periods, and enrichment time. It does not require adding new subjects to the school schedule or demanding additional teacher preparation.

"Teachers are continually asked to support students academically while also helping them develop the foundational skills they need to succeed in life," said Maria Lavithi Howard, Founder and CEO of Heroes Made. "Schools come to us frustrated with character education programs that sit on the shelf-too much prep, too little engagement, and never quite the right fit for how real classrooms actually work. Heroes Made was created to help schools achieve both academic and life skill goals simultaneously, within the time teachers already have."

Heroes Made utilizes personalized, story-driven lessons that place students inside meaningful narratives where they become the protagonists. Through guided discussion, reflection, reading, and writing activities, students practice critical life skills such as communication, resilience, perspective-taking, and responsible decision-making.

Unlike traditional character education programs that rely on passive lectures or videos, Heroes Made engages students through active participation. Educators simply log in, select a lesson, and immediately guide students through structured learning pathways.

In addition to comprehensive classroom lessons, Heroes Made provides schools with real-time insights into student engagement through built-in check-ins. Students also have the opportunity to participate in a pioneering student-authoring experience in which they write and publish their own stories, strengthening both their writing skills and their confidence.

The platform is currently available for schools in Montana, Utah, and Idaho. To support early adoption in the region, schools that register for the upcoming academic year will receive complimentary access for the remainder of the current school year, allowing educators to explore the platform and begin integrating it into classroom routines before full implementation.

Schools interested in learning more about Heroes Made or scheduling a demonstration can visit www.heroesmade.com.

About Heroes Made

Heroes Made is a pioneering classroom platform that helps elementary schools strengthen character education, communication skills, and student engagement through classroom-ready lessons, discussions, reflection, and writing experiences. The platform helps students develop responsibility, resilience, and thoughtful decision-making, with zero preparation required from teachers.

Heroes Made integrates seamlessly into existing instructional time. Schools receive a complete turnkey system built around responsible technology use; devices are used purposefully for story reading and engagement, while the real learning happens in the classroom, led by the teacher through four structured pathways included with every lesson. The platform features hundreds of lessons, each with four teaching pathways, a one-click Student Check-In for real-time well-being insight, Student Insights observation reports, and a pioneering Student Authoring feature, where teachers submit student-written stories that Heroes Made professionally illustrates and publishes, with full credit to the student, teacher, and school.

Heroes Made is one of the most practical ways a school can strengthen reading, writing, and the values that shape who a child becomes.

About YBI Engine Tech Incubator

Engine Tech Incubator's mission is to support technology startups with exactly what they need right now: expert guidance, commercialization strategy, investor-readiness preparation, meaningful introductions, and flexible assistance that scales alongside their business. We accelerate startup growth without barriers or bureaucracy.

About YBI

YBI is a globally recognized economic development nonprofit, advancing innovation and growth across Ohio and beyond. Through a flexible suite of high-quality entrepreneurial services and resources, YBI supports startups, small businesses, and manufacturers at every stage of development. For more information, visit ybi.org.

Contact:

Maria Lavithi Howard
Heroes Made
[email protected]
Visit us on social media:
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Jessica Sprowl
YBI
[email protected]
LinkedIn

SOURCE YBI