Former Google Employees Launch Sparkli, an AI Learning App for Kids

When kids ask big questions — How does rain work? What’s inside a car engine? What would Mars look like? — most AI tools still respond the same way: with a wall of text that’s technically correct, but totally unexciting for a six-year-old.

That’s the gap three former Google employees are trying to fix with a new AI learning app called Sparkli, built specifically for kids ages 5 to 12. The founders — Lax Poojary, Lucie Marchand, and Myn Kang — say they started working on it after running into the same problem as a lot of parents: their kids were curious, but the tools available didn’t match how kids actually learn. Sparkli’s whole pitch is simple: instead of making children read explanations, it turns their questions into interactive “expeditions” they can explore like an adventure.

Inside the app, kids can follow guided topics or ask their own questions, and Sparkli generates a full learning path — usually in under two minutes. Each topic breaks into chapters that mix audio, video, images, quizzes, and games, plus choose-your-own-path activities that don’t feel like a stressful test. The goal is to keep kids engaged and curious, not worried about getting every answer “right.”

What makes Sparkli stand out isn’t just the AI generation — it’s the fact that the team is trying to build it around real education principles from the start. The company says its first hires included a PhD in educational science and AI and an experienced teacher, specifically to make sure the product stays grounded in pedagogy, not just flashy tech. It’s also borrowing some of the same engagement mechanics that make apps like Duolingo so sticky, with streaks, rewards, and “quest cards” that match a kid’s avatar and progress.

Safety is another big focus — and not just as a marketing bullet point. With lawsuits and growing concerns around kids using general-purpose AI tools, Sparkli says it outright blocks things like sexual content and has guardrails for sensitive topics. If a child brings up something like self-harm, the app is designed to pivot toward emotional intelligence and encourage the child to talk to a parent.

So far, Sparkli has tested the product in more than 20 schools, and it’s currently piloting through a school network that reaches over 100,000 students. Teachers can also use a built-in module to track progress and assign homework, and early feedback suggests it’s useful both for introducing topics in class and helping students explore further on their own.

The startup recently raised $5 million in pre-seed funding, led by Swiss venture firm Founderful, and it plans to focus on school partnerships first before launching to parents as a consumer app by mid-2026.

If Sparkli works the way its founders hope, it could be a glimpse of what “AI for kids” looks like when it’s designed to be interactive, engaging, and age-appropriate — not just a chatbot repackaged for younger users.

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This analysis is based on reporting from BitcoinWorld.

Image courtesy of Sparkli.

This article was generated with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy and quality.