Erase All Kittens Raises $1M Seed Round - Coding Game for Girls

Erase All Kittens Secures $1 Million Seed Funding to Inspire Girls in Coding

Erase All Kittens (EAK) is an educational technology startup that has developed a unique, web-based game for children aged 8-12. The game, designed in a “Mario-style” format, distinguishes itself by actively encouraging girls to pursue coding skills.

Reaching a Global Audience and Attracting Investment

Having already garnered 160,000 players across more than 100 countries, EAK has successfully closed a $1 million seed funding round. Twinkl Educational Publishing spearheaded the investment, with additional participation from Christian Reyntjens of A Black Square and several angel investors, including a founder of Shazam.

Transitioning to a Paid Model

While the initial EAK game was offered free of charge, a new iteration launched in July will operate on a paid subscription basis. This shift is intended to strengthen the company’s overall business strategy.

Demonstrating Impact and Growing Adoption

EAK’s internal research indicates that 55% of its player base identifies as female. Furthermore, an impressive 95% of players express a desire to learn more about coding after experiencing the game. Currently, over 3,000 schools, primarily located in the U.K. and U.S., utilize EAK’s platform, experiencing a 500% increase in engagement during pandemic-related lockdowns.

Addressing Gender Imbalance in Coding Education

EAK posits that traditional coding education tools are often designed by men, leading to a natural appeal towards boys. The company believes that the repetitive and rigidly structured nature of many coding tutorials can also disproportionately discourage girls.

A Female-Founded Approach to Gamified Learning

The team behind EAK, comprised entirely of women, aims to reshape perceptions surrounding coding, particularly among young girls. After two years of research and development, they created a game that teaches essential skills like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript through engaging, story-driven gameplay.

Players interact with imaginative characters throughout their journey, such as Tarquin Glitterquiff, a serial entrepreneur unicorn mermaid.

How the Game Works

“Players modify the code that controls the game environment, constructing and repairing levels to rescue kittens within a fantastical internet universe,” explains Dee Saigal, co-founder, CEO, and creative director. The EAK team also includes co-founder Leonie Van Der Linde, CTO Rex Van Der Spuy, Senior Games Developer Jeremy Keen, and 2D Games Artist Mikhail Malkin.

Expanding Skillsets with the New Game

The original game focuses on HTML skills and URL creation. The newly released game expands on this foundation, incorporating lessons in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. This aims to bridge the gap between conceptual understanding and practical web development capabilities.

Saigal states, “We are developing a coding game that girls will genuinely enjoy—one that prioritizes creativity. Girls can observe immediate results from their code, explore diverse paths to progress, and experience a seamless integration of learning and storytelling.”

Personal Motivation and Addressing Systemic Issues

Saigal shares her personal experience: “As a young person, I aspired to be a game designer. I enjoyed brainstorming game concepts, but coding always felt unattainable. Coding wasn’t taught in school, and I didn’t see anyone resembling me in the gaming industry, leading me to believe it wasn’t a viable path for me.”

Research conducted by EAK revealed that gender stereotypes present a significant obstacle for girls from a young age. These stereotypes can evolve into a lack of confidence in STEM fields and lower expectations from educators, ultimately contributing to a widening performance gap as girls mature.

Competitive Landscape

EAK’s competitors include platforms like Code Kingdoms, Swift Playgrounds, and CodeCombat. However, Saigal asserts that these alternatives tend to resonate more strongly with boys than with girls.

A Sustainable Business Model and Social Impact

The new game will be marketed to schools and individual parents worldwide. EAK will also implement a “one-for-one” program, donating a license to an underserved school for every school account purchased, in collaboration with technology companies, educational institutions, and NGOs.

Partnership with Twinkl Educational Publishing

Jonathan Seaton, co-founder and CEO of Twinkl and director of TwinklHive, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership: “We are thrilled to collaborate with Erase All Kittens. As a digital company, Twinkl recognizes the importance of preparing children for success in the digital age, and we believe this partnership will make a significant difference.”

He continued, “We are particularly excited to support EAK’s mission to empower girls and provide them with equal opportunities to learn coding and create their own digital content. Ensuring equitable access to learning opportunities is central to Twinkl’s vision and a key driver behind this partnership.”

Addressing the Global Skills Gap

EAK is actively working to address the global skills gap, particularly the growing gender disparity within the technology sector. According to PWC, women currently comprise only 24% of the tech workforce, representing just 12% of all engineers. In the U.K., only 3% of female students identify tech as their primary career aspiration.

The Urgency of Early Intervention

Research from Childwise indicates that 90% of girls abandon coding after their initial attempt. If girls lose interest in STEM subjects by age 11, their engagement rarely recovers. This presents a substantial and escalating challenge for both the technology industry and investors.