Lirvana Labs, the creator of the Yeti Confetti Kids app, an AI-powered personalized learning companion for preschool to elementary-grade children, recently announced it had raised $5.3M in early-stage financing led by Kapor Capital III, Transcend Capital Partners II, and Chingona Ventures.
The startup plans to use this funding to expand its flagship product, the Yeti Confetti Kids app, focusing on how large language models (LLMs) and generative AI capabilities can be harnessed to deliver personalized learning opportunities for globally diverse environments. It also aims to pursue efficacy studies with leading research institutions plus further its partnerships with pilot schools and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Founded in 2022, Lirvana Labs’ Yeti Confetti Kids harnesses AI and cognitive research as a versatile educational companion while empowering parents and teachers with actionable insights into each child’s mental, social and emotional development. The platform creates engaging, healthy, and multi-modal learning experiences spanning over 200 English Literacy, Mathematical Reasoning, and Social-Emotional Skills aligned with Common Core, UN CASEL, and Bloom’s Taxonomy frameworks.
Speaking about the platform, Christie Pang, Co-founder and co-CEO of Lirvana Labs, said:
As a mother of three, I’m driven by the promise and challenge of applying generative AI purposefully. We aim to democratize education worldwide, ensuring every child, from makeshift classrooms to elite schools, benefits from innovative technology built by the best engineering minds. We’re proud that our mission is supported by parents, global investors, and school operators.
The company works with experts including Dr. Alexandra Chen, a United Nations Advisor and renowned Harvard researcher in children’s cognitive functioning; Dr Alice Siu, senior research fellow from Stanford University specializing in critical thinking; literacy specialist and previous school leader Claire Galdun of Reading Reimagined; and is proud to have advisors such as Amy Chang, board member at Disney and P&G and social-emotional learning curriculum expert Christine Ma-Lau, among others, to ensure a holistic approach to equity, deep tech development and learning.
Brian Dixon, Managing Partner of Kapor Capital, added:
Our partnership with Lirvana Labs is an investment and a step towards building a more equitable and impactful future for all students. I’m confident that Christie and Clement’s lived experience will improve student literacy, math, and especially social-emotional learning outcomes. As a parent, I know the importance of navigating screen time and can wholeheartedly suggest Yeti Confetti.
Lirvana Labs is poised for further global expansion, targeting five continents in 2024 and a growing list of native languages, including English, Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic, and more, to suit its worldwide pilot needs. Concurrently, the team is developing a university-based research study to evaluate the efficacy of its proprietary AI-enabled instruction model with schools and NGOs worldwide with diverse curricula and needs.
