Zurich-based learning technology startup Sparkli has raised $5M in a pre-seed funding round to expand its AI-driven learning platform for children and support rollout to families and schools globally.
The company is building a multimodal learning engine designed to help children explore complex ideas in engaging, age-appropriate ways, addressing limitations of traditional digital learning tools that often rely on static content and linear curricula.
Turning curiosity into interactive learning journeys
Sparkli uses real-time multimodal AI to allow children to turn questions into interactive, cross-disciplinary learning experiences. The platform supports learning across areas such as technology, design thinking, sustainability, financial literacy, and global awareness.
Rather than focusing on memorisation, Sparkli emphasises exploration, creativity, and problem-solving, aiming to adapt to how children naturally learn and think as they grow.
Advertisement
Personalised learning built around the developing brain
The platform creates evolving interest and knowledge profiles for each child, enabling adaptive learning paths that change over time. By shifting from fixed lesson plans to real-time exploration, Sparkli aims to foster independent thinking and sustained curiosity.
The company positions screen time as an opportunity for active learning rather than passive consumption.
Team background and product foundations
The company was founded by a team with experience across Google Area 120, Search, and YouTube, alongside engineers and designers with backgrounds in education and research, including contributors from ETH. The platform combines generative AI, pedagogy-driven design, motion, and game mechanics, with built-in safety features and age-appropriate interfaces for children.
Funding use and early validation
The new funding will be used to scale Sparkli’s generative learning engine and support a private beta launch. The platform is currently being validated through a pilot programme with an international private school group, reaching more than 100 schools and approximately 100,000 students.
Sparkli aims to position itself as a next-generation learning platform that helps children develop curiosity, agency, and real-world skills from an early age.
