Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam is using his PS43 Foundation to carry forward the educational values instilled by his late father, Tchamo, who died in a 2014 car accident. "He always said basketball can be taken away from you, but if you have an education, you're pretty much set and you're able to achieve way more than sport can ever do," Siakam said. "When I had an opportunity and I had a platform getting to the NBA, I just always knew that that's something that I wanted to focus on."
Within the foundation sits the Siakam Ed Tech Engine, an accelerator programme run in partnership with DMZ, a Toronto-based tech incubator. Each year the foundation selects around six to seven North American start-ups working to improve K-12 education for a 12-week programme, with selected companies sharing $50,000 in grant money.
The first recipient of the $30,000 grant in 2025 was Cyber Legends, a developer of an app that teaches digital safety through interactive missions for K-12 students. The app is now used in nearly 80 schools across North America. This year's winner, Classwise AI, builds tools for teachers to assist with grading, reviewing and feedback. "It allows teachers to reduce burnout," PS43 Foundation executive director Dakota Whyte said.
Siakam also wants to make the apps available in schools in his native Cameroon. "It's a dream not only of mine, but my dad's," he said. "I want this to be far greater than who I am or the basketball player that I was. That's the legacy I want to build." Siakam is meanwhile preparing for the new NBA season with the Pacers, who were one win away from the championship in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals.
