AI learning start-up founded by Google and YouTube veterans raises $5m in pre-seed funding
Sparkli, a Switzerland based start-up aiming to support children’s learning with AI, has raised $5 million in pre-seed funding, led by Founderful.
With participation from Arc Investors and a grant from Innosuisse, Sparkli uses generative AI to replace children’s passive screentime with interactive learning experiences that they build themselves.
Sparkli says it replaces the “dry AI chatbot wall of text” with a “playground of visuals, voice, and playable simulations” that provide active, gamified learning.
“Our goal is to build agency in the next generation,” says Lax Poojary, CEO and Founder at Sparkli. “Children learn by exploring, making choices, asking questions, and discovering what inspires them. Sparkli turns screen time into a place where curiosity grows rather than fades.”
The company’s founders include veterans of Google Area 120, Search, and YouTube as well as experts from the education sector.
Sparkli says the funding will allow it to scale its generative learning engine and prepare for a beta launch in January 2026. It is currently working with a group of private schools on a strategic pilot.
“Sparkli represents a step change in how children can interact with knowledge,” adds Lukas Weder, Partner at Founderful. “The team is applying high caliber engineering and thoughtful pedagogy to a space that desperately needs innovation. Their traction with schools shows a real appetite for tools that foster curiosity and agency rather than passive consumption.”
