News & Insights

As part of our ‘Meet Our Founders’ series today, we introduce Tita Simmons, CEO of Team Genius Squad based in Durham, NC. Team Genius Squad is a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (S.T.E.M.) educational toy brand that promotes S.T.E.M. inclusivity for all learning styles and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Q: What problem are you trying to solve and what influenced you to start your company?

A: Some of the most successful Science Technology, Engineering, and Math (S.T.E.M.) entrepreneurs and documented Geniuses in the world are neurodivergent or in underserved areas. However, S.T.E.M. is not readily accessible to neurodivergent children or children in underserved areas. Having a child who is neurodivergent who used STEM to help her overcome her learning challenges influenced us to start this company and share the fun in STEM and its positive impact on all learning styles.

Q: What are you most excited about right now? What keeps you up at night?

A: We are most excited about the possibilities and opportunities that await within the neurodivergent children population and learning how to adequately target our customers. What keeps me up at night is ensuring that we are adequately targeting and accessing our audience, the high costs of marketing, and the inability to identify a reasonably priced manufacturer to make our toys in the US.

Q: What does the road ahead look like for your company?

A: The road ahead looks like more partnerships with schools, non-profits, and school product distribution companies (e.g. scholastic, nasco).

Q: How will your NC IDEA grant funds advance your company?

A: The grant funds will assist us with learning more information about how to adequately identify our customers, how to scale our business, and support our marketing budget.

Q: When did you know you wanted to take an entrepreneurial path?

A: When we realized the impact our products have on families when in the community.

Q: What have you enjoyed most about starting your own company?

A: I’ve enjoyed the benefit and positive impact that it has had on my family and my daughter’s learning journey.

Q: What is one thing you wish you understood about entrepreneurship before you ever got started?

A: I wish I better understood how to target the right audience and the most effective marketing strategies.

Q: Who do you look to for advice and mentorship?

A: I look to other entrepreneurs and consultants.

Q: What other passions do you have besides your business?

A: I enjoy non-profit work with youth.

While visiting Durham, Tita recommends:

• I would suggest they visit the Art and Science Museums in Durham and Raleigh and eat Thai Cafe in Durham or Wake Forest or Mellow Mushroom.

Support Team Genius Squad and Tita by:

• Follow Team Genius Squad on social media, share with others to follow us on social media, recommend any marketing resources that may be helpful, and recommend any strategic partnerships or resources that may help our products be purchased by Title I or underserved school systems across the country; specifically, elementary schools and after schools programs.