Funding story
The learning of a child typically begins at home, but over-burdened working parents, and inadequate and outdated school curricula present significant obstacles in a child’s learning and personality development these days. Startup Smartivity, which considers itself to be an “activity based learning” platform, seeks to involve children and their parents in innovative learning processes, enabling them to inculcate knowledge and skills at an early age, through fun-laden activities. The startup recently raised $200,000 in a seed round of funding from educational textbook publisher S Chand &Co. Pvt. Ltd. The Delhi-based startup was launched by 3 IIT Delhi alumni, Ashwini Kumar, Rajat Jain and Apoorv Gupta, along with Tushar A Amin, in January 2015.
About Smartivity
Smartivity’s activities are highly scientifically designed, and are based on the “Theory of Successful Intelligence” propounded by renowned psychologist Robert Sternberg. The startup’s activities are aimed at the holistic development of skills of children, including analytical, practical and creative intelligence.
Smartivity produces a whole host of products, all of which adhere to international safety norms, and consist of excellent quality material. Among its most popular products are the Clickety Flix Retroscope, the Roller Coaster Marble Slide, the Sea Surfer Wooden Raft and the Dancing Colours Kaleidoscope, among others. There a total of 13 such activity boxes, which primarily aim at enabling 3-12 year old children to inculcate STEM knowledge. The activity kits are of a “Do-it-Yourself” nature, and books and activity sheets explain the scientific concepts learned, besides suggesting further activities which would deepen a child’s understanding of various scientific topics. All these products can be easily purchased on the website itself.
Smartivity has also tied up with several retail chains, such as Hamley’s and Landmarks, ensuring their sale in over 450 outlets. The website also contains a number of articles on the various aspects of parenting and child education.
Looking ahead
Smartivity seeks to greatly enhance its profile in the coming months. Plans are afoot to release an internet-connected learning programme next year, besides enhancing the number and quality of the activities currently available. Given the scope of this project, Smartivity’s products are sure to revolutionise scientific learning among young kids.
For more info about Smartivity’s products, visit their website here.
