Storypod builds a wifi-connected IoT audio player that, when activated by magnetic “Craftie” yarn toys, read-along books, or interactive flash cards, plays original and licensed songs, stories, podcasts, learning topics and games for kids up to age 10. Founded by Daniel Buelhoff in 2019 and based in Miami, the company launched via a successful Kickstarter and began delivering pre-orders in March 2021. Despite Covid-related supply chain issues, Storypod achieved double-digit month-over-month growth and reached seven-figure revenue in seven months. The product line includes licensed content such as Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood through a deal with Fred Rogers Productions. Storypod is currently a seven-person team planning to expand to about 30 employees in the coming months due to brisk sales and multiple new licenses. The company plans to use new funding to build out its team, expand product lines, and grow its content library to support its stage-based, screen-free edutainment vision. Storypod makes a screen-free interactive audio player for children that is activated when a child magnetically attaches a lovable "Craftie" yarn toy to unlock cloud-downloaded content for offline playback. Content includes classics, original stories, lullabies, nursery rhymes, counting and STEM games, and interactive Q&A features; the product launches with 20 Crafties and plans to add dozens more. The MyCraftie feature lets family members record their own audio through the Storypod app, and the company plans to offer read-along physical books for a tactile, screen-free experience. The device is aimed at kids aged 3 and up and is available in English and Spanish. Storypod’s core team of ten is distributed globally; production is in China, software work is being done in Argentina, and the company has secured its first licensing deal in the education space. Storypod is currently running a Kickstarter campaign to bring the product to market.

Total raised

$4M

Funding rounds

2

Latest round

Seed

Latest activity

Jan 2022