Building Belonging Through Games: Social Cipher’s Mission for Neurodivergent Youth with Lucy Stevens and Vanessa Castañeda Gill

Send us a text Vanessa Castañeda Gill, CEO and Co-Founder of Social Cipher and Lucy Stevens, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Social Cipher, lead a majority-neurodivergent team creating social-emotional learning video games that help neurodivergent youth build self-understanding and connections; inspired by Vanessa’s experiences as an autistic/ADHD Latina, their games and curriculum are now used in 200+ schools and therapy centers across 8 countries, earning recognition from Forbes 30 Under 30, MIT Solve, and the LEGO Foundation. 💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This EpisodeUsing games to build belonging and self-advocacy for neurodivergent studentsAuthentic representation and storytelling in SEL game designInsights teachers and therapists gain from playtestingThe impact of a majority-neurodivergent team on product and missionConnecting SEL games to IEP goals and today’s mental health needs ✨ Episode Highlights [00:03:08] Vanessa on founding Social Cipher from her autistic & ADHD experience [00:06:05] Lucy on designing nuanced neurodivergent characters [00:12:37] Feedback from students and educators that changed the game [00:18:21] Lessons from managing a majority-neurodivergent team [00:26:25] Pairing the game with SEL curriculum in schools [00:33:52] Why schools adopt games to solve urgent SEL challenges [00:41:55] Tackling youth anxiety through meaning and belonging [00:47:15] How Social Cipher views AI in education and gaming [00:48:50] Using SEL games to support IEP goals  😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders! Follow our Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicSign up for the Edtech Insiders newsletter.Follow Edtech Insiders on LinkedIn! 🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s: This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for EdTech companies. Run by serial entrepreneurs with over 30 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work as hard as you do. Innovation in preK to gray learning is powered by exceptional people. For over 15 years, EdTech companies of all sizes and stages have trusted HireEducation to find the talent that drives impact. When specific skills and experiences are mission-critical, HireEducation is a partner that delivers. Offering permanent, fractional, and executive recruitment, HireEducation knows the go-to-market talent you need. Learn more at HireEdu.com. Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead.