RedShelf's director of engineering, Brent Jenkins, believes that tech companies are uniquely positioned to make a social impact, as they're the driving force behind modern innovation.

As for RedShelf, he added, the company stands out because education is still the best way to get ahead in life — and the company can get its edtech innovations to a large base of customers quickly.

"Literally in a matter of months — even weeks — I see my products become a reality. That means a lot," said product manager Nicole Sapinski.