SplashLearn

SplashLearn provides a game-based learning platform focused on making elementary school education engaging for children. Founded in 2010 by Arpit Jain, Mayank Jain, Joy Deep Nath, and Umang Jain, the company was originally known as Splash Math. The four founders met and became friends during their time at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. Their first venture into edtech was an attempt to put the entire IIT-Kharagpur course catalogue online in 2007, an experience that cemented their desire to work in education. This led them to focus on foundational learning for younger students, specifically in math and reading, using games to make the experience more enjoyable.

The company operates in the K-5 edtech market, serving students from pre-kindergarten to grade 5. Its primary clients are the families of these students, though the platform is also popular in schools, with at least one teacher in over 90% of U.S. schools reportedly using the service. The business model is freemium; the platform is entirely free for teachers and schools to use, a strategy designed to build awareness and drive adoption among parents. Revenue is generated through subscriptions that parents purchase for at-home use, giving them access to progress tracking and personalized learning paths for their children. This subscription model was adopted around 2015, shifting from a one-time app purchase to a monthly fee. In early 2020, SplashLearn expanded its offerings by launching live tutoring classes, which have become a significant revenue stream.

SplashLearn's core product is a curriculum-aligned educational platform featuring over 8,000 interactive games, lessons, and printable worksheets for math and English. Initially focused on mathematics, the company expanded to include reading to meet growing demand. The platform uses an adaptive algorithm that personalizes the learning experience for each child, adjusting the difficulty based on their performance to ensure they remain challenged but not frustrated. This game-based approach aims to reduce the fear of failure and make learning rewarding, turning students into what the company calls "fearless learners." Key subjects covered include a full pre-K to grade 5 math curriculum and reading fundamentals for pre-K to grade 2. The platform is accessible via the web and mobile apps and includes a teacher dashboard for creating assignments and tracking student progress. After bootstrapping for its first several years, SplashLearn raised its first venture round of $7 million in 2018, followed by an $18 million Series C in 2021.

Keywords: edtech, game-based learning, K-5 education, math learning, reading program, elementary education, adaptive learning, personalized learning, homeschooling curriculum, educational games, e-learning platform, student engagement, teacher resources, parent subscription, Common Core aligned, digital worksheets, online tutoring, Arpit Jain, pre-kindergarten education, educational technology