From Teacher to Tech Founder: How Ilnaz Mohammadi is Using Tech to Teach Emotional Intelligence

Ilnaz Mohammadi is a teacher, mother to triplets, and entrepreneur looking to solve the gap in how we teach children about emotional intelligence. With a background in classroom teaching and curriculum development, Ilnaz has worked closely with school-age children around the world. Through teaching and being a parent, she noticed the benefits that emotional education can have on children.   

“I have experienced a new kind of emotional challenge at home with my own children… I decided to focus on the emotional challenges with children because I experience it everywhere: at home, school, and kindergarten.” 

Since 2023, Ilnaz continues to develop and prioritize her proprietary technology platform: Emojector, a cloud-based educational platform for children that teaches emotional intelligence alongside EmoBands, a wearable emotional regulator.  

Ilnaz has also expanded her team to include two other parents who share her vision. Khatereh Vojoudi, a mother with a background in child development and psychology, brings valuable expertise in understanding children’s learning and emotional development. Alongside Pourya Zamhrir, a creative and analytical parent who offers a thoughtful and practical perspective to support the project’s growth and community outreach. 

All three founders are united in building Emojector. While they’ve encountered roadblocks bringing the project to life, they’re motivated to see this product in children’s hands. 

Innovation in Child Emotional Education

Anyone who has spent time with children knows how quickly their emotions can change from happiness to frustration in the blink of an eye. Teaching children about these mood shifts and navigating them can be tricky, which is why Ilnaz developed Emojector and EmoBand.  

With her background combining international teaching, curriculum design, and children’s book publishing, Ilnaz has a unique viewpoint and understanding of children and their learning. With this knowledge, she set out to revolutionize the emotional intelligence landscape with her new products.  

Emojector  

Emojector is an innovative fusion of education, technology, and mental health. It’s a cloud-based educational platform for children aged 3-12 that teaches emotional intelligence through stories, animations, activities, music, and art. Through these guided activities, children explore emotional themes, such as fear and empathy. It was developed for both neurotypical children and children with autism or developmental differences, helping them with emotional regulation, social skills, and problem-solving.  

As Ilnaz explains, “I decided to focus on the problem. How can I help them recognize their feelings? How can I help them control the side effects of these feelings? And how can I help them to know more about their feelings and not ignore them, then follow up with some steps to calm down or to find out how they can manage their emotions.” 

Using Emojector, children are given learning tools to explore emotional skills through games and learning.  While the product is still in its infancy, pilots have been completed with children, and the feedback has been positive. Emojector had children engaged and had measurable emotional skill improvement.  

EmoBand  

The EmoBand is a screen-free smart wristband that helps children understand and manage their emotions in real time. Through the use of colours, light feedback, and breath interaction, the wristband guides children through calming exercises and emotional regulation. Importantly, it’s a tool designed for both children and their parents. The wristband connects via Bluetooth and syncs with a mobile app so parents can follow and track emotional patterns throughout the day. The app also provides AI-based emotional reports to parents and educators. 

It’s a practical tool that children can use daily to help them work through complex emotions.  

Building a Life in Canada 

Ilnaz has been in Canada for almost three years and has established roots in the Toronto area with her family. She describes Canada as supportive and welcoming, and the services available to her children have been exceptional.  

She notes, “I really like it for a few reasons. First of all, for my children, the school board is very supportive of immigrant children. They really support them, and they can find themselves in the school among the children in the society.” 

Her family’s happiness has been the main reason she keeps pushing forward daily on the business side. Despite complications with the immigration process and other limitations and frustrations, Ilnaz is still set on launching her business and product in Canada.  

Looking Ahead 

To maintain momentum on this business, Ilnaz and her team are developing EmoBand and Emojector in parallel to build traction through the platform and the hardware. This dual-path strategy helps validate the idea, attract investor interest, and ensure the business continues to progress. She has also brought on two other families to the operation; both are passionate about emotional development in children, and bring experience in research strategy, marketing strategy, and psychology.  

Over the next five years, Ilnaz and her team’s vision is to have Emojector and EmoBand recognized across Canada and internationally as leading tools for children’s emotional growth and to have widespread adoption in homes, schools, and therapeutic programs. 

To stay updated on product launches, visit the Emojector website and follow Ilnaz on LinkedIn.