01The Maker
Design and build products
The work of turning ideas into objects that exist in the material world. Students design products and learn what it takes to make something real.
Tallahassee Intelligence Co.
Where kids learn real skills for the future.
Tallahassee Intelligence Co. is bringing a serious, project-led education to the next generation who'll build what's next.
We'll send the occasional note as we get closer to opening. You'll be the first to know.
The fundamentals of intelligence
At Tallahassee Intelligence Co., we use the word in its older sense, the kind of intelligence that gets built and tested in the real world. Judgment, collaboration, communication, fluency with AI and other new technologies. None of them show up on a worksheet, so we've built a place where they do.
02The Founder
Create a small business
Building a business someone will actually pay for. The lessons that only show up when real money is exchanged.
03The Director
Master storytelling
Stories that hold a room. Students learn what attention is made of and how to earn it.
04The Engineer
Ship to real users
Software that ships and gets used. They learn how to use code and AI to build products real people use.
Made for parents who want more
Our project-based approach pairs real challenges with real tools. Kids develop the problem-solving skills and personal agency academic work alone can't teach.
01
Develop creative confidence
Because there are no single "correct" answers in design projects, children are free to use their imagination. This develops a bias toward action and a strong belief in their own ability to solve problems creatively.
02
Tackle complex problems
Rather than feeling overwhelmed by big problems, children learn how to break large issues down into smaller, manageable parts that can be analyzed and improved.
03
Fostering empathy
Every project has someone on the other end. Students develop social-emotional skills by stepping into someone else's shoes and designing with people, not just for them.
04
Growing big-picture awareness
When students cultivate the ability to zoom out and see how their ideas fit into the wider world, this macro perspective alters how they process information and make daily decisions.
Are you an educator, school, or district administrator?
We can bring this work into your school through in-school residencies, teacher workshops, and partnerships. Get in touch and we'll figure out a fit.
partnerships@tallahasseeintelligence.coMeet the founder
Kristy Tillman is the founder of Tallahassee Intelligence Co. She has spent her career designing at the frontier of consumer technology, working with design, product, and engineering teams at IDEO, the firm behind the design thinking method, as well as Slack, Meta, and Netflix. Education has threaded through that work from the beginning: from education projects at IDEO and workshops at design schools like MICA, to Made in the Future, the mentorship program she founded for the next generation of designers.
She now advises AI companies on how their products land in the real world, which keeps her close to what's coming next. Locally, she has partnered with Leon County Commissioner Rick Minor on SafeSense, an AI literacy program for older adults across the county. A Tallahassee native and FAMU graduate, Kristy is home to build the program she wishes had existed for kids growing up here.
Be the first to know
We're opening soon with a small founding cohort. Add your email to claim a spot and help shape the program from day one.