From High School Thesis at CECyT 9 to Successful AI EdTech Startup

By Adda Avendaño | Photography: Javier González — September 23, 2026

Emmanuel Frausto credits his rigorous training at CECyT 9 with laying the foundation for the educational AI platform he leads today.

What began as a high school thesis project at the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN) has evolved into a thriving technology startup that is fostering a love for reading and transforming early childhood literacy.

Emmanuel Kaled Frausto Isunza is the founder and CEO of KidTales, an educational ecosystem designed to personalize children's reading experiences through self-generated stories. Behind this project—now on the verge of becoming an established company—lies a journey that originated at the Center for Scientific and Technological Studies (CECyT) 9 "Juan de Dios Bátiz," widely known in Mexico as "La Bátiz."

The idea emerged when Emmanuel and his team had to select a high school capstone project that was both technically demanding and capable of solving a real-world problem. The training he received at CECyT 9 proved decisive in taking on that challenge, as students there are constantly driven to devise practical solutions and turn them into viable business models.

The team, originally comprised of five students from the Computer Programming technical track, began developing an in-house artificial intelligence model—back when generative AI was just beginning to emerge. However, technical constraints soon forced them to pivot and adopt new software tools.

Far from being discouraged by these hurdles, the team adapted quickly. The following semester, they integrated emerging technologies that were not yet part of the standard curriculum. Supported by their teachers, they successfully developed a cross-platform mobile application capable of generating custom AI-driven stories on both iOS and Android devices.

The prototype won first place in both the Expo Bátiz competition and the Best High School Prototypes Award in the Educational Products category.

Later, the project gained national recognition at the ILAN 2024 University Innovation Awards in Mexico. During its subsequent development phase at Tecnológico de Monterrey, KidTales claimed second place in the Tec Xignux Challenge under the Launch category and was selected for the prestigious Google Cloud for Startups program.

A Demanding Path to Innovation

Emmanuel acknowledges that his years at CECyT 9 were intense. The grueling academic workload, multidisciplinary team projects, monthly assignments of 200 calculus problems, rigorous physics coursework from the classic Resnick textbook, and intense peer competition presented constant challenges for Frausto, who is currently pursuing a degree in Mathematical Engineering and Data Science at Tecnológico de Monterrey, Campus Estado de México.

"That level of academic demand taught me resilience, the ability to handle frustration, and the capacity to learn and adapt quickly," Frausto stated. "It drove my desire to excel—skills that later proved essential for startup entrepreneurship."

For Frausto, the value of his education at CECyT 9 extends far beyond technical proficiency; he credits that formative period with giving him the personal leadership tools he uses today as the head of a technology company.

"I learned that whenever a challenge arises, I must take full ownership of finding a solution," he emphasized.

After graduating from the IPN and enrolling at Tecnológico de Monterrey, Emmanuel encountered new hurdles. While La Bátiz gave him a strong engineering foundation, he needed to master business strategy, leadership, and corporate management.

"Today, KidTales is a personalized educational ecosystem powered by Artificial Intelligence, structured around three main pillars," Frausto highlighted. "First, a B2B platform sold directly to private schools; second, a B2C mobile application currently undergoing renewal for parents and children; and third, our non-profit NGO, kidtales.org, which aims to democratize education by providing subsidized licenses to public schools."

His journey exemplifies a graduate who carried far more than technical expertise into higher education: discipline, adaptability, self-directed learning, and the confidence to tackle complex challenges became core assets that he carried into the business world.

Reflecting on his roots, Frausto emphasizes that being part of the Bátiz alumni network isn't just about graduating from a prestigious technical institute—it's acknowledging where his entrepreneurial mindset was born: "Without La Bátiz, there would be no KidTales."