Kidaptive is a Silicon Valley-based developer of educational technology. Kidaptive's core product is an adaptive-learning platform, which powers a variety of learning domains including two Kidaptive-created apps for early learning.[1][2][3][4] Kidaptive was founded by P.J. Gunsagar (co-founder of Prana Studios) and Dylan Arena (Stanford University Learning Scientist).[2][5][6][7][8] The creative director for Kidaptive's Leo's Pad series is Dan Danko, who has worked on numerous children's television shows such as Rugrats and Fresh Beat Band.[1][9]

Investors in the startup include Formation 8, Stanford University, Cambridge University, Menlo Investors, Prana Holdings, New Schools Venture Fund, Veddis Ventures, CrunchFund, and VKRM Ventures.[5][6][10]

Products

The company's technology is created with the guidance of professional educators, including two Stanford University Professors of Education, Dan Schwartz and Ed Haertel.[2][5][9][11][12]

Adaptive Learning Platform (ALP)

Kidaptive's ALP is a Big Data platform that combines information from multiple learning contexts (digital & physical) to create a psychometric profile of each learner.

Leo’s Pad

Kidaptive launched its first app, Leo's Pad, in December 2012.[2][5] The app is designed for preschool-aged children and is organized like a TV series, consisting of multiple chapters or “appisodes.”[1][2][6][11][13][14] The series stars Leonardo da Vinci as a child, as well as his young friends Galileo Galilei, Marie Curie, Confucius, Phillis Wheatley, and Teresa Carreño.[1][3][14]

The app combines education and entertainment as learners participate in a curriculum that integrates physics, math, logic, letters, and art.[15][16] The activities also help develop cognitive skills including executive function, working memory, and impulse control.[6][9][14][17]

Learner Mosaic

Leo's Pad pairs with a companion app called Learner Mosaic, which allows parents to monitor their child's progress, identify areas of cognitive and non-cognitive development that might need more attention, and read research-based tips and recommendations for how to support learning in the real world.[5][9][10][17][18]

Awards and recognition

Kidaptive founders Arena and Gunsagar have presented twice (Spring 2012 and Winter 2013) at Stanford's student startup accelerator StartX.[8][19]

Awards for the Leo's Pad series:

  • Winner LAUNCH Edu 2013[20]
  • Winner Startup World San Francisco 2013[4]
  • Winner Academics' Choice Awards for mind-building excellence 2014[21]

References

  1. ^ a b c d iPad app targets preschool learning market, San Francisco Chronicle, December 2012, retrieved June 14, 2013
  2. ^ a b c d e Kidaptive Raises Large Seed Round From Menlo, CrunchFund & Others To Bring Children's Educational Apps To iPad, TechCrunch, October 2012, retrieved June 14, 2013
  3. ^ a b [App Review] Leo's Pad: A Unique Learning Experience, Smatoos, March 2013, retrieved June 14, 2013
  4. ^ a b Announcing the Startup World : San Francisco Winner!, Startup World, 2013, archived from the original on May 30, 2013, retrieved June 14, 2013
  5. ^ a b c d e Kidaptive Aims to Disrupt Early Education, CNBC, April 2013, retrieved June 14, 2013
  6. ^ a b c d Helping Kids Learn Through 'Edu-Tainment', FOX Business, December 2012, retrieved June 14, 2013
  7. ^ Zynga.org and NewSchools Venture Fund Announce Learning Games Accelerator, The Wall Street Journal, May 2013, retrieved June 14, 2013
  8. ^ a b StartX Demo Day attracts Stanford-connected start-ups, Silicon Valley investors, The Stanford Daily, February 2013, retrieved June 14, 2013
  9. ^ a b c d App Maker Kidaptive Debuts "Parent's Pad," A New Way To Track A Child's Educational Development On iPad, TechCrunch, May 2013, retrieved June 14, 2013
  10. ^ a b The Real Top 15 Venture Capital Deals Of 2012, TechCrunch, February 2013, retrieved June 14, 2013
  11. ^ a b Heavily Educated Board of Kidaptive Releases New Preschool Education App, RightStartups, April 2013, archived from the original on April 17, 2013, retrieved June 14, 2013
  12. ^ Leo's Pad Appisode 1 is an Ideal Learning App for Preschoolers, AppCraver, December 2012, retrieved June 14, 2013
  13. ^ New 'Appisodes' make cartoons interactive, USA Today, 2013, archived from the original on June 16, 2013, retrieved June 14, 2013
  14. ^ a b c Leo's Pad: Preschool Kids Learning Series, Common Sense Media, 2013, retrieved June 14, 2013
  15. ^ App Pick of the Week: Leo's Pad Appisode 1, Parenting.com, January 2013, retrieved June 14, 2013
  16. ^ A few last cool stories to say goodbye, ZDNet, May 2013, retrieved June 14, 2013
  17. ^ a b Our Impatient Youth: iPad Game Measures Non-Academic Learning, Evernote, February 2013, archived from the original on July 27, 2013, retrieved June 14, 2013
  18. ^ Adaptive learning application lets parents track what kids have learned, Computerworld, May 2013, retrieved June 14, 2013
  19. ^ Here's The Coolest New Startup From The Kids At Stanford, Business Insider, February 2013, retrieved June 14, 2013
  20. ^ "Kidaptive Releases Free Educational Leo's Pad Appisode for iPad".
  21. ^ "Academics' Choice(TM) Reveals Top Educational Toys and Media for Spring 2014". Archived from the original on 2014-06-09. Retrieved 2014-06-09.

External links