Gurugram-based WhizKidz Media, an edtech startup which operates kids-focused learning platform OckyPocky, has raised fresh capital in an extended seed funding round from new investor Lead Angels.
According to TechCircle, who first reported the funding, the funding round is pegged at around $400,000.
Founded in 2015 by Amit Agrawal, former head of YouTube content operations in South and Southeast Asia, OckyPocky is an interactive and personalized learning app that helps preschool kids learn English. It provides interactive games, fun reading activities, pictures, and audio-visual cues to help kids boost comprehension and visual powers, enhance reading skills, recognize sounds, and speak English confidently.
OckyPocky aims to change the way 160+ million Indian kids learn English. Powered by voice, video, and vernacular, its platform allows kids to play interactive games in their own language, identify words with pictures, understand how objects sound with audio-visual cues, and practice pronunciation of words with instant feedback. OckyPocky focuses primarily on non-English speaking families.
Speaking about the platform, Amit Agrawal told TechCircle,
“English is not the focus for most schools as long as a student scores well and passes in other subjects. I was lucky to have teachers who helped me go the extra mile. In India, 80% of the grade 2 kids cannot read a sentence in English.”
“With the lockdown, the servers crashed due to increased traffic and we had to downsize to increase the runway. With the funding, we are now monetizing the platform and doubling down on revenue every month,” the founder added.
The company plans to use the fresh funds to increase its team and hire across roles. OckyPocky has introduced creative classes for children aged between 2 and 8 during the lockdown and added live classes.
Commenting on the funding, Manish Johari, Senior Vice President at Lead Angels, said in a statement,
“We clearly saw the problem statement and a solution with a product-market-fit backed by a founder who had scaled businesses to more than $100 million. We also see increased adoption and crazy growth on the back of COVID.”
According to the company, returning investors, ah! Ventures and SucSEED Venture Partners, will join the seed funding round with follow-on investments. OckyPocky has last raised an undisclosed amount in August 2018 from ah! Ventures and others, as per Crunchbase.
