The Gradebird Story

Founder story

Built by Sam Gralla for the grading problem he was living every semester.

Sam Gralla has been building web applications since the 1990s, when he worked professionally as a developer before becoming a physicist. He never really stopped. Over the years, he kept making software for the everyday tools, workflows, and teaching problems that needed a better answer.

Gradebird began in 2024 as a student self-assessment tool. Students used it to practice, reflect, and get more value from handwritten STEM work. The early product was built close to the classroom, shaped by real courses and real student needs rather than an abstract software spec.

In early 2026, the AI models crossed an important threshold: they became good enough to assess handwritten work holistically. When Sam and early collaborators tested that capability inside Gradebird, the results were striking. Word spread around the University of Arizona, departments and deans began asking for access, and the project moved from campus-built teaching tool to commercial product.

Gradebird is now helping instructors give more proctored assessments, reducing the grading burden and increasing the quality of the feedback received by students. In Summer 2026, Gradebird opened to external users for the first time. A formal academic study is planned for Fall 2026 to measure the impact on instructor workload, feedback quality, and the student exam experience.