Finnish EdTech Company SkillPixels Secures $2.1M USD Funding
Award-winning company focuses on developing a game-based virtual school for kids
Leading Finnish edtech company SkillPixels has successfully completed its funding round, raising $2.1M USD (1.65M €) in financing from private investors and the Finnish government’s ‘Young Innovative Companies’ acceleration program.
“Finland’s top strengths – education, games and learning analytics – are combined for the first time. These are the areas in which Finland is recognized globally, and by combining them we address the most meaningful opportunity today: enhancing the way children learn,” Kristoffer Rosberg, SkillPixels CEO explains. “The funding will enable us to develop a complete educational channel – a digital school for children. It will consist of key subjects in a highly motivating and child-friendly, game-based learning format.”
The company’s first title, SmartKid™, targeted at children aged between 4-8 years, is an award-winning math learning adventure with complete preschool, 1st and 2nd grade maths, three years’ worth of curriculum-based math exercises in a single app. The 10-person strong team behind SkillPixels consists of a combination of developers, educators, psychologists and experts in artificial intelligence. The first title has won multiple prizes, such as Finland’s Best Educational Solution prize and the Best Mobile Service in Finland in 2013. SmartKid™ has been featured in the Best New Apps & Games for Kids category in the iTunes App Store in 79 countries.
“Our games are based on more than 10 years of educational research. For instance, we apply the ‘Learn by Teaching’ method: instead of the child being taught by a computer, he or she teaches a virtual game character. This motivates the child to invest time and effort to overcome challenges as opposed to being discouraged and de-motivated by more traditional methods,” explains Dr. Harri Ketamo, SkillPixels Chief Scientist and co-founder.
SkillPixels is currently working on its next titles: SmartParent and SmartKid™ Nature, which will be launched later in 2014 and Q1 2015.
About SkillPixels
SkillPixels, founded in 2011, is a leading Finnish edtech company that develops games to enhance the way children learn. SkillPixels launched their first title, SmartKid™, in 2013. The SkillPixels team consists of educators, psychologists, game developers and experts in artificial intelligence. With their game-based virtual school service application, SkillPixels aims to become the world’s leading educational solution provider.
About SmartKid™
SmartKid™ is a scientifically developed math learning game aimed at children aged 4-8 years that is both smart and fun. SmartKid™ increases the child’s learning motivation and makes learning more effective. Upcoming versions of the game will also provide unique learning analytics information for parents and teachers to monitor progress, and will allow the game to adaptively adjust to the learner’s strengths and weaknesses. SmartKid™ has received numerous awards such as the Best Mobile Educational Solution and the Best Mobile Service in Finland in 2013. SmartKid™ is available in 15 languages on iOS, Chrome Web Store and Windows Phone, with an Android version coming this fall.
