Editor note: In our 2022 Startups to Watch feature, the Silicon Valley Business Journal and San Francisco Business Times present startups and founders doing unique things in the San Francisco Bay Area. Learnfully is one of 20 that we have profiled — to read more about our mission and the other startups we're featuring, click here.
Learnfully Inc. started in the Covid-19 pandemic to address a growing need: helping neurodivergent children learn. These children include those who've been diagnosed with dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder and other conditions that lead them to struggle in traditional classrooms.
An estimated 1.2 billion people identify as neurodivergent across the world, and Learnfully wants to make it easier for them to get the educational resources they need. Founders Letha McLaren and Suchi Deshpande are parents of neurodivergent kids and are familiar with the frustrating process of getting their children necessary services.
The company is using a seed round raised in December to build out technology that can automatically gauge kids' behaviors during assessments and instruction, McLaren said.
"We're putting this technology into the hands of parents," she said. "We're not going through the traditional classroom setting."
Learnfully Inc.
- Founded: 2020
- Founders: Letha McLaren, Suchi Deshpande
- What it does: Provides service to help parents and caregivers of kids with neurodivergent conditions
- HQ: Redwood City
- Employees: 25
- Total funding: $1.25 million
- Investors: Figure Eight Investments, Goodwater Capital, Incite Ventures, Divergent Investments
What was the “aha” moment behind your startup? Classrooms today are inadequate in meeting the individual needs of the one in five learners who learn and think differently. When a parent becomes aware that their child is struggling inside the classroom, it is a frustrating and time-consuming journey with available services that are fragmented, expensive and often inaccessible. Putting effective technology and services in the hands of parents is long overdue.
What was the biggest challenge you faced in building Learnfully? We sometimes receive feedback that we're going after "a niche market," which in fact is not true. Today, it's well accepted that 1 in 5 individuals learn or think differently, and that doesn't include undiagnosed learning differences or things like developmental delays. Staying focused — and true to our mission — is sometimes challenging when others don't understand the real opportunity; however, when talking to other parents and educators, the opportunity is blatantly obvious.
Who was the first person or organization you asked for money? The first person that we approached to invest in Learnfully was a friend/angel investor, who was also a parent of two neurodivergent kids. We had already done quite a bit of research and put together a pitch deck that detailed our product roadmap and go-to-market strategy.
He was blown away at the level of detail, the clarity of vision, and the personal passion behind our founding story. He has since invested additional money and has been a fantastic adviser to us.
How are you going to scale the business? Our plans to scale our business in the next 12 months include expansion into additional target markets, enhanced school partnerships/programs, and product advancements to better serve our learners.
