Math is one of the subjects that require the most tutoring in school and with the switch to remote learning, educators, parents, and students are searching for effective ways to learn and teach math. TeachMe is the edtech startup that’s built Math Games to infuse math-centric problem solving into online gaming. Math Games currently offers various online games, digital worksheets, and Math Help on Demand to ensure that students are able to learn math in a fun, seamless, and interactive manner. Math Help on Demand, designed in partnership with teachers, is a tutorial-based video series ((1,200+ tutorials for skill levels ranging from Pre-K to 9th grade) to ensure kids have a successful transition into remote learning and access to a 24/7 resource for help. The platform is used by more than 31 million students across 52,000+ cities around the globe.
LATechWatch caught up with CEO and Cofounder Bill Kara to learn more about Math Games, how the shift to online learning has impacted demand, and the company’s future plans.
Tell us about the product or service TeachMe offers.
Math Games offers online games and digital worksheets to make learning math fun for kids, and recently we announced the launch of our new math tutorial video series, called Math Help on Demand. Designed to bridge the gap between teachers and students relegated to distance learning scenarios or those in need of help outside of standard school hours, Math Games’ video series is the largest online compilation of math skills tutorials, featuring more than 1,200 tutorials from over 20 different teachers providing detailed instructions on how to solve the entire math library of skills from Pre-K to 9th grade.
Tell us a little about your background and what inspired the business?
I have three school-aged children and watching them play and learn has been the inspiration behind Math Games. Teachers who build math and language games are our best experts in curriculum, but they don’t fully understand how children play. Developers who build games don’t understand how children learn. We wanted to combine these worlds of learning and play in a powerful new way that can transform the learning experience for kids around the world. We wanted to give teachers a powerful tool that complements their expertise and skills, while offering parents an educational and fun option for their children to not only play online but master skills that are integral to their daily lives.
How is TeachMe different?
Our Math Help on Demand video series can be considered the largest free online library of educational videos on the web. They were created as a teacher-led initiative – not only to help kids relegated to a remote learning environment — but to also act as a 24/7 resource for children that need extracurricular help and training in core math concepts. In general, however, we believe that Math Games’ approach to learning provides kids with an experience that’s both fun and educational. By infusing math-centric problem solving into online gaming, we can better ensure that the time they spend playing our games helps reinforce their traditional curriculum.
We’ve also taken an analytics-based approach to game development aimed at creating more substantive and engaging gaming experiences designed to keep kids coming back. If we can increase the amount of time kids spend playing our games, then we can increase their capacity to learn. The more they play, the more they practice; the more they practice, the more they absorb and retain. And if our content is on par with all of the other online games currently competing for kids’ attention, that’s an achievement, but if those same games enhance kids’ capabilities to learn then we consider that a success.
What market is TeachMe targeting and how big is it?
We are primarily targeting students in grades Pre-K to 9th. To date, Math Games is used by over 31 million students in more than 52,000 cities around the world. Our games are also used by teachers in more than 18,000 US schools to help educate students and supplement math curricula.
What is the business model?
While most games on Math Games are free to play, we monetize through a subscription-based model, which opens up more premium gaming experiences for kids, such as the Math Games arcade.
How has COVID-19 impacted the business?
The pandemic has resulted in such an enormous transition for kids. I think it makes engaging learning experiences even more paramount. As the country struggles with school reopenings and children are forced to adapt to a learning environment that involves less face-to-face access to teachers than they’re used to, resources like ours will ideally continue to be useful to teachers as a way to ease the stress of remote learning while also giving them a fun way to better understand the math lessons they encounter each day. In fact, since the pandemic began, we’ve seen immense jumps in traffic on our site (an over 200% increase) and thousands of students and teachers using our Math Help on Demand video tutorial resources post-launch as a way to bolster remote learning capabilities.
Tell us what building your company in LA has been like?
Building a company in LA has been a great experience. LA is a massive talent hub for technology but also is very connected to arts, education, marketing, etc… so you really have such an amazing pool of people to work with locally.
What are the milestones that you plan to achieve within six months?
We’ve already seen more than 31 million students – from Pre-K to 9th grade – across the country answer over 1.8 billion questions using our tutorials/worksheets this year alone. And while these are very important milestones, the objective is to see similar use figures for our Math Help on Demand video tutorial series alongside more growth and adoption in schools around the country as a means to help students struggling with remote learning environments.
What does being “Made in LA” mean to you and your company?
It means making something in the middle of the wonderful mess that is LA. This is one of the most amazing cities in the world and houses some of the most entrepreneurial minds and innovative companies on the tech scene today. I’m proud to consider our business “Made in LA” – there’s no other place we’d rather be!
What else can be done to promote early-stage entrepreneurship in Los Angeles?
The startup world can sometimes be a lonely place, especially in the formative stages of growth. I think having more events that center on bringing together business leaders, developers, and marketers to offer best practices and guidance can be a huge morale booster.
The startup world can sometimes be a lonely place, especially in the formative stages of growth. I think having more events that center on bringing together business leaders, developers, and marketers to offer best practices and guidance can be a huge morale booster.
More events also means more opportunities for entrepreneurs to learn, network, and promote themselves within the tech community, all of which can be incredibly helpful for early-stage startup founders.
What’s your favorite outdoor activity in LA?
Hiking in the various parks, Temescal Canyon is a nice hike. Otherwise biking at night is a nice way to end the day.
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