So, Big Tech and startups alike are all jazzed about using generative AI to cook up new software and gadgets for kids. I get it – the potential is huge! But let's be real, a lot of these AI experiences for kids are, well, kinda boring. Walls of text and robotic voices? Not exactly captivating for a generation raised on interactive screens and instant gratification.

That's where Sparkli comes in, trying to shake things up. Founded by some ex-Google brainiacs – Lax Poojary, Lucie Marchand, and Myn Kang – Sparkli is an AI-powered app that's aiming to make learning feel less like a chore and more like an adventure. As parents themselves, Poojary and Kang noticed a gap: kids are naturally curious, but getting them engaging answers to their endless questions can be tough.

Think about it. Your kid asks how cars work or why it rains. You could try to explain it, or you could fire up ChatGPT, but that's just a mountain of text they probably won't read. Sparkli wants to be different, offering an interactive experience that keeps kids hooked.

Before Sparkli, Poojary and Kang already had some impressive projects under their belts, like a travel aggregator called Touring Bird and a video shopping app called Shoploop, both hatched at Google's Area 120 incubator. Marchand, the CTO of Sparkli, was also a Shoploop co-founder. These folks know their stuff!

Sparkli wants to go beyond just showing kids pictures or videos. They want kids to *experience* things. Like, if a kid asks what Mars was like 50 years ago, Sparkli wants them to interact with it, to explore and discover.

According to the founders, our education systems sometimes lag behind when it comes to teaching modern skills. Sparkli is trying to fix that gap, teaching kids about stuff like design thinking, financial literacy, and even entrepreneurship through these AI-powered "expeditions."

The app lets kids explore predefined topics or even ask their own questions to create a personalized learning path. Plus, it throws in a new topic every day to keep things fresh. And it's not just text – we're talking audio, videos, images, quizzes, and even games. It’s all about making learning fun, interactive, and stress-free.

The really cool part? Sparkli uses generative AI to create all its media assets on the fly. They claim they can whip up a whole learning experience in just two minutes after a kid asks a question. That's insane!

Of course, with kids and AI, safety is a huge concern. Sparkli says they're taking it seriously. While some topics are completely off-limits, when a child asks about sensitive subjects, the app tries to steer them toward emotional intelligence and encourages them to talk to their parents. It's a delicate balance, but it's good to see they're thinking about it.

They're currently testing the app with a network of schools with over 100,000 students, targeting kids aged 5-12. Sparkli has also built a teacher module, letting teachers track progress and assign homework. The goal is to make it addictive (in a good way), like Duolingo, so kids keep coming back to learn.

While the plan is to work with schools for a while, they eventually want to let parents download the app directly by mid-2026. They've already snagged $5 million in pre-seed funding to make it all happen.