Our Story
Renaissance is a modern-day family business.
Hey!
We're Karel and Sam, husband and wife and the founders of Renaissance. Together, we're building tools that help people take ownership of their learning and thinking — at every stage of life.
There once was a time when institutions could chart a life for you. You got an education, earned a credential, and the path ahead was obvious. That world is long gone. The old sources of leverage no longer guarantee anything.
From Sam's Montessori beginnings into teaching and tech, and Karel's path as a computer science dropout turned founder, we've seen what it's like to be shaped by systems that weren't designed for how people actually grow. And how much changes when you start thinking for yourself and building a life on your own terms.
In the age of AI and autocomplete, critical thinking and discernment are becoming a luxury good. We don't accept that trajectory. Change starts by building a subculture that refuses to lose the very qualities that make us human — and creates new spaces where they can flourish again.
Renaissance is building products as cultural infrastructure for agency and autonomy.
Join us on our journey.
Sincerely,
