Sebastian Belmar

Sebastian Belmar is Co-Founder and Head of Engineering at LitLab, where he leads the development of AI-powered tools reimagining how children learn to read. A Latino founder with a non-traditional path into tech, he spent a decade in San Francisco building startups from the ground up. A former dyslexic kid, Sebastian understands firsthand how early reading struggles shape confidence and opportunity. That lived experience fuels his belief that thoughtfully designed technology can expand access to literacy at scale. At LitLab, the product is shaped through direct design with children and teachers. Time spent in classrooms — observing where students hesitate, disengage, or light up — has directly influenced how the AI responds and how practice feels. He believes the future of edtech isn’t about replacing teachers, but about building adaptive systems that strengthen the human connection in learning. He is also a father of two and married to a former teacher, which keeps the mission personal and urgent.