Company
We're building reading's missing layer.
Cascade Reading is a B2B software company. We don’t publish content or run classrooms. We build the technology that other products embed to help their readers understand more, with less effort.
Why we exist
Meaning emerges from relationships.
Music, math, code, and maps each use notation to show how their parts relate to each other. Written language has never had an equivalent, even though written language is among humanity’s greatest achievements. It lets us send a thought, intact, into another mind. We think it deserves the same clarity.
Why we do it
We believe that human beings flourish as they come to understand more.
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How we do it
By helping readers see the structure in text, and thus the relationships, we help meaning emerge. Understanding follows.
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What we do
We build reading technologies that reveal the underlying linguistic structure of texts wherever people read.
That’s Cascade: a framework for supporting understanding, wherever reading already happens. We’re not a curriculum, and we’re not an app.
We’re the layer of meaning other products run on.
Team
The people building Cascade
A small team of founders, scientists, engineers, and product builders turning the science of reading comprehension into technology other companies can embed.
Michael Gorman
Co-founder
Over 25 years investing in pioneering software and internet-services companies, including as co-founder of Split Rock Partners, managing more than $1 billion in venture capital. JD/MBA from Harvard, parent of four, and a longtime believer in the power of reading to change lives.
Mark Lacek
Co-founder
Founder or co-founder of eight companies at the intersection of technology, marketing, and accessibility. Recipient of the E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year award. MBA, University of St. Thomas. Determined to change the world before he leaves it.
Jon Moog
Chief Technology Officer
Serial technology leader who has grown large ideas into valuable businesses, including as CTO of eBureau (acquired by TransUnion) and CTO of RiskWise (acquired by LexisNexis). Committed to building reading technology reliable enough to run inside anyone’s product.
Julie Van Dyke, Ph.D.
Chief Scientist
Senior Scientist at Haskins Laboratories for 22 years, where she led multiple NIH-funded studies of syntactic processing during reading. Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology, University of Pittsburgh; M.Sc. in Computational Linguistics, Carnegie Mellon. Mom to 4 girls, one with dyslexia, DLD, ADHD, and Autism. Dedicated to securing the right to read for every child.
Jack Dempsey, Ph.D.
VP of Research
Data scientist and reading psychologist with deep experience in Bayesian inference and machine learning methods. Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Educational Psychology, B.A. in Linguistics, University of Illinois, where he remains an affiliated lecturer. Researches comprehension failure and the role of working memory during reading.
Advisors
Leaders who've shaped their fields — now shaping ours
Our advisors represent decades of leadership in publishing, education, technology, and accessibility, bringing perspectives that help shape Cascade’s vision and impact.
Richard Sarnoff
Advisor
Richard Sarnoff is Chairman of Simon & Schuster and Chairman of Media at KKR. A longtime publishing and education leader, he brings decades of experience at the intersection of books, digital media, technology, and learning, helping organizations navigate industry transformation.
Matt Glotzbach
Advisor
Matt Glotzbach is former CEO of Quizlet and previously led product organizations at Google and YouTube. He brings deep expertise in educational technology, product strategy, and scaling digital platforms that help millions of people learn more effectively.
Heather Dowdy
Advisor
Heather Dowdy is a technology strategist, speaker, and accessibility advocate who advises organizations on inclusive product design and emerging technologies. She helps companies build digital experiences that are more accessible, human-centered, and impactful for diverse communities.
People read more when meaning is clearer.
Good to know
Common questions
Does Cascade collect or store my data?
Cascade is privacy-first by design. It processes text structure only and does not store the underlying text. On the personal-data side, it collects only what’s needed to operate, like basic usage behavior, plus an email address only if you contact the team or sign up for updates, and it does not read form or password input or sell user data.
Is there research behind Cascade Format?
Cascade is backed by multiple studies across age groups and reading profiles, published in peer-reviewed journals. See the Research Portfolio.
What does the extension see, and what data do you collect?
Cascade works only with the text already visible on the page you’re viewing. It doesn’t read what you type into forms or password fields. We collect only what’s needed to run the extension: your account email and basic usage data. We don’t sell your data. Full detail is in our Privacy Policy.
Is my child's data safe using this?
Cascade collects only what’s needed to operate like basic usage behavior, plus an email address only if you contact the company or sign up for updates. It doesn’t read form or password input, and Cascade does not sell user data.
Does Cascade store or retain our content?
No. Cascade processes structure only and doesn’t store the underlying text. You retain control over your content.
What does it cost to build Cascade into our product?
Shipping Cascade as part of your own product’s default experience requires a license agreement. Our goal is to create the easiest path for your users to benefit and for your team to implement. The cost and model depends upon the nature of the application and implementation, ranging from license fees to royalties.
How do we get started or ask technical questions?
Request API access directly from the Integration page, or reach the team through the Contact page. It routes you to the right conversation, whether you’re evaluating Cascade for a team or a platform integration.
Does Cascade hold any patents?
Yes. 13 patents issued, with more pending, covering Cascade’s reading technology in the US and internationally.