Former Googlers Want to Win Kids Over With an AI-Powered Learning App

Big Tech companies and ambitious startups alike are racing to bring generative AI into products for children. But many of today’s AI experiences rely heavily on text or voice formats that don’t always hold kids’ attention. Three former Google employees believe they have a better approach.

Last year, Lax Poojary, Lucie Marchand, and Myn Kang founded Sparkli, an AI-powered learning app designed to turn kids’ curiosity into interactive experiences rather than walls of text.

For Poojary and Kang, the idea grew out of parenting frustration. Like many parents, they struggled to answer their children’s endless questions in ways that felt engaging and age-appropriate.

“Kids are naturally curious,” Poojary said. “My son would ask how cars work or why it rains. I tried using tools like ChatGPT or Gemini to explain these ideas, but it was still just text. What kids really want is interaction. That insight became the foundation for Sparkli.”

The founders bring deep product experience from Google’s Area 120 incubator, where Poojary and Kang previously co-founded the travel aggregator Touring Bird and the video-focused social commerce app Shoploop. Poojary later worked on shopping products across Google and YouTube. Marchand, Sparkli’s CTO, also co-founded Shoploop and went on to work at Google.

Sparkli aims to move beyond static images and videos. “If a kid asked what Mars looked like 50 years ago, we might have shown them a picture. Ten years ago, it would’ve been a video,” Poojary said. “With Sparkli, we want kids to actually experience what Mars is like.”

The startup is also tackling a broader gap in education. According to the team, traditional school systems often lag behind when it comes to teaching modern skills. Sparkli introduces topics like design thinking, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship through AI-powered “expeditions” that guide kids through interactive learning journeys.

Children can explore predefined topics or ask their own questions to generate a custom learning path. Each day, the app highlights a new topic to encourage discovery. Lessons are broken into chapters that combine audio, video, images, quizzes, games, and choose-your-own-adventure-style activities—without the pressure of right or wrong answers. Kids can listen to narrated content or read along.

All of Sparkli’s media is generated on the fly using AI. The company says it can create a full learning experience in under two minutes after a child asks a question, and it’s working to make that even faster.

While many AI assistants can answer kids’ questions, Sparkli’s founders say education not general assistance is their core focus. To ensure quality and age-appropriate content, the startup’s first two hires were a PhD in educational science and AI, and a former teacher.

Safety is another major concern in AI products for children. As companies like OpenAI and Character.ai face lawsuits from parents, Sparkli says it has taken a cautious approach. Certain topics, such as sexual content, are completely blocked. If a child asks about sensitive issues like self-harm, the app shifts toward teaching emotional awareness and encourages children to talk with a trusted adult or parent.

Sparkli is currently piloting the app with an educational institute that works with more than 100,000 students. The target audience is children aged 5 to 12, and the product was tested in over 20 schools last year.

The company has also built tools for teachers, allowing them to track student progress and assign homework. Inspired by Duolingo, Sparkli uses streaks, rewards, avatars, and quest cards to keep kids motivated and coming back.

“The feedback from schools has been very positive,” Poojary said. “Teachers use Sparkli to kick off lessons, spark discussions, or give kids a way to explore topics further at home.”

For now, Sparkli plans to focus on partnerships with schools worldwide. Consumer access for parents is expected to open by mid-2026.

The startup has raised $5 million in pre-seed funding, led by Swiss venture firm Founderful. It marks Founderful’s first pure-play edtech investment. Founding partner Lukas Weder said the team’s technical depth and the market opportunity stood out.

“As a parent, I see my kids learning many things but not enough about financial literacy or innovation,” Weder said. “Sparkli offers an immersive way to learn that pulls kids away from video games and into meaningful exploration.”