Tappity Raises $1.3M for Interactive Kids Video Library

Many children now frequently use YouTube as a resource when they become curious about a new subject. However, the educational value of videos on the platform varies considerably. Tappity, a developing digital education company that has recently secured $1.3 million in seed funding, presents a different approach. It provides a video collection featuring engaging, interactive, live-action content designed for children, while also guaranteeing alignment with established educational guidelines.

The startup, established two years ago, has three co-founders: CEO Chad Swenson, CTO Tanner Swenson (his brother), and CPO Lawrence Tran.

Chad explains that the concept for Tappity originated from his passion for designing interactive learning experiences. This interest led to a senior project completed eight years prior, where he developed an interactive tool to assist students in understanding evolution. In subsequent years, he explored various related ideas, but initially did not envision a venture of this scale.

Chad later identified a potential opportunity to create content centered around the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) – a collection of K-12 science standards developed by a collaboration of U.S. states – which are seeing increasing adoption nationwide.

“Many parents are seeking more beneficial alternatives to YouTube for their children,” Chad states. “I began to strongly believe this could evolve into something substantial.”

He also observed that the scientific topics that typically capture children’s attention often correspond with the areas covered by the NGSS, such as space exploration, dinosaurs, and geology.

“A significant source of inspiration was simply observing the most popular children’s books on Amazon,” Chad adds, pointing out that a substantial number of these books focus on subjects related to STEM.

Chad connected with his co-founder, Lawrence Tran, while working as a consultant for the fintech company Bill.com, and subsequently persuaded him and his brother, Tanner, to join the startup.

Over a period of two years, Tappity has created tools that streamline the production of interactive, educational video content. Currently, the library contains more than 200 science lessons for children between the ages of 4 and 10, encompassing thousands of videos.

Although the video segments are pre-recorded, they are designed to give children the impression of a direct, one-on-one interaction with the on-screen instructor. For instance, if the teacher requires a screwdriver while building something, children can provide it through the app when requested. However, they also have alternative, playful options, such as offering tape or even playfully throwing pizza, with the teacher responding accordingly. The teacher may also interact with children in other ways, such as reacting to their drawings created within the app.

Currently, Haley McHugh, known as Haley the Science Gal, a childhood entertainment specialist with over a decade of experience, leads the lessons, which cover subjects like space, life science, earth science, and physical science.

In addition to the video lessons, children earn points within the app for completing activities. The app also sends follow-up emails to parents, allowing them to monitor their children’s progress and encourage further learning.

Responding to the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting screen fatigue from remote learning, Tappity adapted some lessons to incorporate offline activities, such as drawing with traditional materials. Furthermore, on Sundays, Tappity offers more comprehensive activities for parents and children to enjoy together, like baking cookies to represent Pangea or constructing a volcano.

Chad anticipates that Tappity will have over 1,000 hours of video content available by the end of the following year, and exceed 4,000 hours by the year after that.

When the three-person team applied to the Y Combinator startup accelerator, Tappity was already profitable, due to its in-app subscription options which average approximately $9 per month. The company now has more than 5,000 paying subscribers and over 20,000 weekly active users, who have collectively finished 30 million lessons.

The company has secured a seed funding round of $1.3 million from investors including Y Combinator, Keith Schacht (founder of Mystery Science), Björn Jeffery (founder of Toca Boca), Yun-Fang Juan of Brighter Capital, Andreas Ehn (former Spotify CTO), Fairchild Fund, 18 Ventures and AltaIR.

In the immediate future, Tappity is focused on expanding its team and making its lessons – currently available only on iOS – accessible via the web. Ultimately, the company aims to build a comprehensive library of interactive educational content.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted increased venture capital investment in edtech companies, the long-term viability of some of these businesses in a post-pandemic environment remains uncertain. Tappity distinguishes itself from many remote learning startups or those designed for classroom use by concentrating on the needs of parents and children, rather than attempting to sell directly to the school system.

“Educators have adopted it independently – we currently offer it to schools without charge,” Chad explains. “However, we are not allocating resources to this area, as our primary focus is on meeting the distinct requirements of parents and children.”

The Tappity app is available for iOS and includes some free content in addition to the subscription options.