Big Tech companies and emerging startups are aiming to use generative AI to create software and hardware for kids. Much of this technology currently focuses on text or voice interactions, which may not engage children effectively. Three former Google employees are working to change that with their interactive app called Sparkli.
Founded last year by Lax Poojary, Lucie Marchand, and Myn Kang, Sparkli was born out of a need from Poojary and Kang as parents. They struggled to provide their kids with satisfying answers to their curious questions.
“Kids are naturally curious. My son would ask how cars work or why it rains. I tried using ChatGPT or Gemini to explain these ideas to him, but it often ended up being just a wall of text. What kids really want is an interactive experience. That’s what drove us to create Sparkli,” Poojary shared with TechCrunch over a call.
Before launching Sparkli, Poojary and Kang co-founded Touring Bird, a travel aggregator, and Shoploop, a video-focused social commerce app, as part of Google’s Area 120, its internal startup incubator. Poojary also worked on shopping features at Google and YouTube, while Marchand, the CTO of Sparkli, was a co-founder of Shoploop.
“When a kid asks what Mars looked like fifty years ago, we might have shown them a picture. Ten years ago, we could have shown them a video. With Sparkli, we aim to let kids interact and truly experience what Mars is like,” Poojary explained.
The founders believe that education systems often lag in teaching modern concepts. Sparkli intends to address this by introducing kids to topics such as design skills, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship through an AI-powered learning journey.
Users of the app can explore predefined subjects or ask their own questions to navigate their learning paths. Each day features a new topic to encourage ongoing learning. Kids can choose to listen to the generated voice or read the text, with topics presented through a mix of audio, video, images, quizzes, and games. The app also offers interactive adventures that relieve the pressure of answering questions correctly.
Sparkli utilizes generative AI to create all media content on demand. The team can design a learning experience in just two minutes after a user poses a question and is working to shorten that time even more.
While many AI assistants focus on certain topics, Sparkli is dedicated to effective education. To bolster its content quality, the startup’s initial hires included a PhD holder in educational science and AI, along with an experienced teacher.
Safety is a pressing concern when it comes to kids using AI. Companies like OpenAI and Character.ai have faced lawsuits from parents claiming their tools harmed their children. Sparkli addresses this by banning inappropriate topics and approaching sensitive subjects, such as self-harm, by promoting emotional intelligence and encouraging kids to confide in their parents.
Currently, Sparkli is piloting its app with an institution that has access to over 100,000 students across a network of schools. The app targets children aged 5-12 and has been tested in over 20 schools.
The startup has also developed a teacher module, allowing educators to track student progress and assign homework. The app is designed to engage kids much like Duolingo does, incorporating streaks and rewards for regular use. Kids receive quest cards based on their avatars, enriching their learning experience.
“We’ve received very positive feedback from our school pilots. Teachers are using Sparkli to create expeditions for kids at the start of class, leading into more discussion-based formats. Some are assigning it as homework to allow kids to explore topics further and assess their understanding,” Poojary mentioned.
While Sparkli aims to work closely with schools for the upcoming months, it plans to make the app available for parents to download by mid-2026.
The company secured $5 million in pre-seed funding, led by Swiss venture firm Founderful, marking its first investment in the edtech sector. Founderful’s partner, Lukas Weder, emphasized the strong technical skills of the team and the market opportunity as reasons for his investment.
“As a father of two school-aged kids, I see them learning interesting subjects, but they miss out on crucial topics like financial literacy and technology innovation. From a product perspective, Sparkli diverts them from video games and offers a more immersive learning experience,” Weder said.
