Raising Superstars Bags Funding To Enable Children’s Early Stage Brain Development

Mumbai-based early childhood education startup Raising Superstars has raised $2 Mn in a Pre-Series A round from BLinC Invest. The startup will use the funds to strengthen the management team, increase its global presence by localising content, and invest in tech innovation.

Founded in 2020 by Raghav Himatsingka and Shraddha Himatsingka, the startup offers activity-based educational videos to engage 0-6-years old children. The founders are of the view that the foundation of children’s emotional and physical health, social skills, and cognitive-linguistic capacities are formed through early exposure and experiences.

Commenting on the investment, Amit Ratanpal, founder & MD, BLinC Invest, said, “Our research shows that the activities created by Raising Superstars for early brain development are deeply engaging and will contribute to the student’s future success in school, the workplace, and beyond.”

Citing a UNICEF Report, the startup said that the development process of a child’s brain starts even before the birth and involves a complex interplay of neural connections shaped by experience and environment. It further added that these neural connections speed up at an early age which is not repeated at any age. Such connections help develop a foundation for a child’s brain to grow, learn and thrive.

It also quoted India’s National Education Policy 2020 which says that over 85% of a child’s cumulative brain development occurs by the age of six. This indicates the critical importance of appropriate care and stimulation of the brain during this period, to ensure healthy brain development and growth.

Digitisation of education calls for a rapid change in the preliminary education system of the children. Slowly but surely, online education for children in India seems to be witnessing growth. 

Recently, actor Suniel Shetty has invested an undisclosed amount in the Klassroom, which supports rural and urban students with affordable, accessible, accountable and flexible education.

Inc42 found that the Indian edtech market is estimated to reach $29 Bn with over 100 Mn paid users by 2030.

However, the sector is still suffering from the setbacks of the funding winter across the Indian startup ecosystem. The number of deals in the industry fell 41% YoY to 17 in the first quarter (Q1) of 2023.