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]

Kidaptive
FoundedCalifornia, 2011
FounderP.J. Gunsagar, Dylan Arena
Headquarters,
United States
Key people
Josine Verhagen (Senior Director of Psychometrics and Data Science), Ashraf Jahangeer (VP of engineering)
ProductsALP (Adaptive Learning Platform), Hodoo English, Learner Mosaic, Leo's Pad
ServicesInfrastructure platform for adaptive learning
Number of employees
<150
Websitewww.kidaptive.com

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]

KidAptive was bought out by McGraw Hill in March 2021, with all KidAptive employees brought into McGraw Hill.[11]

Products

edit

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][12][13]

Adaptive Learning Platform (ALP)

edit

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

edit

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][12][14][15] 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][15]

The app combines education and entertainment as learners participate in a curriculum that integrates physics, math, logic, letters, and art.[16][17] The activities also help develop cognitive skills including executive function, working memory, and impulse control.[6][9][15][18]

Learner Mosaic

edit

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][18][19]

Awards and recognition

edit

Kidaptive founders Arena and Gunsagar have presented twice (Spring 2012 and Winter 2013) at Stanford's student startup accelerator StartX.[8][20]

Awards for the Leo's Pad series:

  • Winner LAUNCH Edu 2013[21]
  • Winner Startup World San Francisco 2013[4]
  • Winner Academics' Choice Awards for mind-building excellence 2014[22]

References

edit
  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. ^ "McGraw Hill Acquires Kidaptive, an Adaptive and Personalized Learning Company" (Press release). McGraw Hill. 16 March 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  12. ^ 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
  13. ^ Leo's Pad Appisode 1 is an Ideal Learning App for Preschoolers, AppCraver, December 2012, retrieved June 14, 2013
  14. ^ New 'Appisodes' make cartoons interactive, USA Today, 2013, archived from the original on June 16, 2013, retrieved June 14, 2013
  15. ^ a b c Leo's Pad: Preschool Kids Learning Series, Common Sense Media, 2013, retrieved June 14, 2013
  16. ^ App Pick of the Week: Leo's Pad Appisode 1, Parenting.com, January 2013, retrieved June 14, 2013
  17. ^ A few last cool stories to say goodbye, ZDNet, May 2013, retrieved June 14, 2013
  18. ^ 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
  19. ^ Adaptive learning application lets parents track what kids have learned, Computerworld, May 2013, retrieved June 14, 2013
  20. ^ Here's The Coolest New Startup From The Kids At Stanford, Business Insider, February 2013, retrieved June 14, 2013
  21. ^ "Kidaptive Releases Free Educational Leo's Pad Appisode for iPad".
  22. ^ "Academics' Choice(TM) Reveals Top Educational Toys and Media for Spring 2014". Archived from the original on 2014-06-09. Retrieved 2014-06-09.
edit