Sesame Workshop

BEGiN is an education technology company dedicated to enhancing children's learning experiences through innovative products. The company develops engaging educational programs that focus on fostering essential skills necessary for future success. Its portfolio includes HOMER, KidPass, and codeSpark Academy, each designed to provide quality educational content that promotes creativity, problem-solving, and a love of learning. BEGiN's approach is informed by research and insights from experts in early childhood development, and it has garnered support from notable organizations such as LEGO Ventures and Sesame Workshop. Co-founded by Neal Shenoy, Noelle Millholt, and Stephanie Dua, BEGiN has also been recognized as one of Crain’s 100 Best Places to Work in New York City.

HOMER is a New York-based company that develops an educational application aimed at enhancing childhood literacy. Founded in 2013, the application offers a personalized learn-to-read program for children aged 2 to 8, designed to foster confidence, mastery, and a love of learning. Utilizing the HOMER Method, the platform tailors learning experiences to align with each child's interests and current reading level, creating individualized reading plans. The application features thousands of lessons and games covering essential skills such as the alphabet, phonics, and sight words. By incorporating active learning techniques, including read-along highlighting and interactive touch screen features, HOMER engages children in reading while improving their comprehension skills, providing parents with an effective tool for supporting their children's educational development.

Banjo Robinson is a subscription-based platform that engages children aged 4-9 by sending personalized, physical letters from a magical cat named Banjo Robinson. The service aims to enhance reading and writing skills through an interactive and enjoyable experience, with 90% of children encouraged to write back. By combining elements of imaginative play and social-emotional learning, Banjo Robinson offers a unique solution for reluctant writers, making the process of learning feel like a game. The platform includes not only letters but also stickers, stories, and reply stationery, fostering a sense of connection and creativity. Positioned as a cost-effective option in the children's subscription market, Banjo Robinson has sent over 120,000 letters to children in 41 countries and is represented in various media, including books and television. The company's vision includes expanding into foreign language editions and English Language Learning markets, further broadening its impact on children's literacy and engagement worldwide.

Brave Care, Inc. specializes in urgent pediatric health care services, providing treatment for a wide range of conditions such as allergies, asthma, cough, ear pain, eye problems, fever, minor fractures, and more. The company also offers pediatric-specific laboratory services and on-site x-ray facilities. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Portland, Oregon, Brave Care operates primary and urgent care clinics designed exclusively for children in Oregon and Texas. In addition to in-person care, Brave Care provides pediatric advice to parents through its website and mobile app, supporting families nationwide in promoting their children's well-being.

Step is a financial services company focused on providing mobile-based banking solutions for teenagers and young adults. The company aims to foster financial independence and knowledge among its users by offering a comprehensive banking platform that combines features of checking, savings, credit, and debit accounts into a single account. Step’s services enable users to send and receive money instantly, shop both online and in-store, and utilize digital wallet platforms, all while benefiting from a fee-free and interest-bearing deposit account. By equipping young users with essential financial tools and insights, Step seeks to empower them to make informed financial decisions and enhance their overall money management skills.

Kids on 45th, Inc. is a Seattle-based company that specializes in selling used clothing for children. Incorporated in 2018, the company operates as an e-commerce platform aimed at helping parents purchase affordable, high-quality, nearly-new clothing for their growing kids. Through a wardrobe subscription service, Kids on 45th provides customers with access to gently-used kids' clothes, which are conveniently delivered to their homes. This innovative approach not only offers cost-effective solutions for families but also promotes sustainability by giving new life to pre-owned garments.

Step is a financial services company focused on providing mobile-based banking solutions for teenagers and young adults. The company aims to foster financial independence and knowledge among its users by offering a comprehensive banking platform that combines features of checking, savings, credit, and debit accounts into a single account. Step’s services enable users to send and receive money instantly, shop both online and in-store, and utilize digital wallet platforms, all while benefiting from a fee-free and interest-bearing deposit account. By equipping young users with essential financial tools and insights, Step seeks to empower them to make informed financial decisions and enhance their overall money management skills.

Kano Computing Limited specializes in developing educational kits and a coding platform aimed at children and young learners. Founded in 2013 and based in London, the company provides a range of do-it-yourself hardware kits that allow users to create games, synthesize music, and animate characters. Its offerings include the Motion Sensor Kit, which uses a USB sensor to translate physical movements into data, enhancing the learning experience. Kano's products are designed to teach users about computers and coding through engaging, hands-on projects, fostering creativity and essential coding skills. The company sells its kits online and also exports its products internationally, making its educational tools accessible to a global audience.

Precious is a technology company that specializes in a photo editing application aimed at helping parents document and celebrate their children's growth. The application employs artificial intelligence to analyze and organize thousands of photos and videos captured by parents, automatically identifying and curating meaningful moments. It creates personalized albums, monthly pictures, time-lapse videos, and calendar journals, allowing users to effortlessly track their child's development over time. With more than 55,000 paying subscribers and generating over $180,000 in monthly recurring revenue, Precious has established a profitable business model. The company's innovative approach simplifies the often overwhelming task of managing family photos, transforming them into cherished keepsakes that parents can enjoy daily.

Kano Computing Limited specializes in developing educational kits and a coding platform aimed at children and young learners. Founded in 2013 and based in London, the company provides a range of do-it-yourself hardware kits that allow users to create games, synthesize music, and animate characters. Its offerings include the Motion Sensor Kit, which uses a USB sensor to translate physical movements into data, enhancing the learning experience. Kano's products are designed to teach users about computers and coding through engaging, hands-on projects, fostering creativity and essential coding skills. The company sells its kits online and also exports its products internationally, making its educational tools accessible to a global audience.

Outschool, Inc. is an online platform that facilitates live, interactive learning experiences for children by connecting motivated learners, parents, and independent teachers. Founded in 2014 and based in San Francisco, California, Outschool offers a diverse array of unique online classes led by certified educators, artists, scientists, and other knowledgeable individuals. The platform allows parents to discover, book, and manage educational activities tailored to their children’s interests and needs. Additionally, it provides teachers with the tools to create class listings, manage enrollments and payments, and reach a broader audience. By enabling small group learning through live video chat, Outschool expands access to enrichment and tutoring at a more affordable cost compared to traditional private tutoring.

Luminopia is a company focused on developing innovative treatments for significant neuro-visual disorders, particularly amblyopia, commonly known as lazy eye, which is a leading cause of vision loss in children. By creating engaging digital therapeutics, Luminopia aims to provide effective solutions that are rigorously evaluated for FDA approval. Their flagship product, Luminopia One, leverages binocular vision techniques to address amblyopia, enabling healthcare professionals to offer new treatment options for affected patients. Partnering with Boston Children’s Hospital, Luminopia is at the forefront of pioneering advanced therapeutic approaches that enhance patient care in the field of pediatric vision health.

Started in 2013 by Pramod Sharma and Jerome Scholler, Osmo is a gaming company built around its proprietary Reflective Artificial Intelligence. It aims to create a new play movement to unleash the boundaries of the screen with the launch of its inaugural product, Osmo. Osmo expands the playing field and engages creative thinking and social interaction, allowing any object - pen and paper, you name it - to interact with the digital device. Osmo is headquartered in Palo Alto, CA.

Yup Technologies Inc. is an education technology company based in San Francisco that specializes in on-demand tutoring for math and science through a mobile application. Founded in 2014, the Yup app allows students to quickly access personalized tutoring by connecting them with vetted expert tutors based on their individual learning needs and math proficiency. The platform is designed to provide unlimited access to academic support, enabling students to receive guidance on homework and exam preparation via mobile chat. Yup's tutors are trained in a unique teaching methodology that incorporates practices developed at Stanford University and current educational research, ensuring effective and tailored learning experiences for each student.