Mel Science combines hands-on experiment kits with interactive VR simulations and live lessons to teach science to children. Its product line started with MEL Chemistry and has expanded to include a MEL Physics kit and MEL Kids STEM kits for children aged 5–10, while core offerings target ages 5–14. All micro-science kits include the tools to safely conduct experiments and can be supplemented with free science videos and DIY articles published by the company. Those videos and articles have been viewed over a billion times and helped grow an online community of more than 3 million followers. Since starting in 2015 under founder and CEO Vassili Philippov, Mel Science has expanded its range. The company secured $14M in Series B funding and intends to use the proceeds to develop its product offering and expand into new territories. MEL Science is an educational startup that provides virtual-reality chemistry experiments, striking visualizations, and a constructor-style interface for elements, as described in reader comments in the article. The vc.ru piece reports the company raised $6 million in a financing. Named investors include TMT Investments, Yandex, Sistema VC and other unspecified backers. Article comments describe the product as combining VR tests, visualizations and a constructor, while raising concerns about the depth of interactivity. Commenters note the platform appears to provide feedback and simulated reactions during experiments but question whether it can assess true learner understanding beyond tests. MEL Science has developed a platform for science lessons that combines VR/AR interactive visual lessons with hands-on experiments. Its first product, MEL Chemistry, is a B2C subscription service that pairs physical experiment kits with a VR-enabled iOS and Android app. The company also offers a B2B product for schools that delivers education programs using a simulation engine and molecular-level experiments to build fundamental understanding. MEL Chemistry is available in more than 30 countries and MEL Science provides its products to thousands of users in the USA and Europe across B2C and B2B sectors. Led by CEO Vassili Philippov, the company intends to expand into new science subjects and scale up sales in existing and new countries. MEL Science plans to use recent funding to support those expansion and scaling efforts. MEL Science operates an educational service that leverages virtual-reality technologies to deliver learning experiences. The vc.ru article reports an investment into the company by Sistema VC and unnamed partners. The investors put $2.2 million into MEL Science according to the report. The article does not disclose how the funds will be used or provide revenue, user, or other operating metrics. No information on the company’s founding year, past funding rounds, or headquarters is provided in the article. The article’s comment thread includes user remarks about VR safety but offers no additional company-specific operational details. MEL Science sells physical chemistry kits that pair with a mobile app and Google Cardboard VR headset to show 3D molecular models, macro photos and videos that explain experiments at the molecular level. Subscribers receive two new chemistry sets by mail each month at $49 per kit. The kits are sold direct to consumers in the U.K., U.S. and Russia, with typical buyers being parents, grandparents and homeschooling families. The app is available for iOS and Android and the company provides a Cardboard headset in its introductory kit. MEL Science was founded by CEO Vassili Philippov, who started the company after running home experiments for his children and previously co-founded SPB Software (acquired by Yandex in 2011). The startup has raised funding to expand its subscription commerce, VR content, kits and curriculum for use both at home and in schools.

Total raised

$27M

Funding rounds

5

Latest round

Series B

Latest activity

Dec 2020