EDURINO, is an innovative start-up founded by Irene Klemm and Franziska Meyer. We are at the forefront of the digital transformation in education, specifically revolutionising early childhood education with a new type of educational gaming.
Our innovative hybrid learning system merges digital and physical elements, creating a holistic educational journey for children aged 4-8. This approach not only enhances traditional learning but also bridges the gap between physical and digital worlds, making EDURINO a standout product in early years education.
Who or what inspires you and your products?
We draw inspiration from families. We get inspired by how kids play and learn and what the needs of parents are. Rigorous customer obsession and weekly user testing makes our product better everyday.
How did you start your business?
Since its inception in 2021, EDURINO has been dedicated to reshaping the educational landscape by integrating cutting-edge technology with pedagogical expertise. Our founders worked in educational non-profits and have started EDURINO with the goal of contributing to the digitalisation of the education system. To achieve this goal, we cooperate with nurseries and libraries to train media competence in preschool children with EDURINO. Our partnerships allow us to address inequalities in digital media usage and provide all children, regardless of their social background, with access to digital media.
How did you choose the name of your business?
EDURINO => Education + mascot called ‘Rhino’ (which is also seen in our logo)
What do you enjoy most about the creative process?
Our target group. Seeing kids smile – getting their immediate feedback; on top: creating our own IP (Character worlds) and making them come to life.
What is the biggest challenge you've faced as a small business owner?
There’s two big challenges we’ve been faced with.
(i) Be able to set the highest standards in education. As it’s very cost heavy to bring education and gaming together.
(ii) Scepticism around digital education for young children. Many parents and educators are concerned about screen time and its implications. To address this, we’ve developed a hybrid learning model that includes physical components like the ergonomically designed stylus and tangible figurines that interact with our educational app. This approach ensures that children benefit from digital learning without the downsides of excessive screen exposure. Our learning modules are designed to be short, engaging, and highly interactive, prom
What is your hero product or one that means the most to you and why?
Mika – literacy and phonics. It was our first product so it comes with a lot of emotion and is oftentimes the entry point of our customers to the EDURINO world.
What tip (or tips) would you give anyone looking to start a small creative business?
Be user obsessed. Do rigorous (and continuous) testing of your product with your target group. Stay focused, it’s easy to get distracted when starting a business from scratch as there are always one and a million things to do! And last but not least, bring passionate people on board, who share the same vision.
Shop EDURINO at the Country Living Christmas Market this November.