Marbotic

Marbotic, founded in 2012 by engineer Marie Mérouze, operates in the educational technology market by blending physical toys with digital learning. The company's core business revolves around creating interactive learning experiences for preschoolers, inspired by the Montessori method. Mérouze, an engineer by training with a background at online tutoring startup Maxicours, was inspired by Montessori workshops to develop a more hands-on, alternative pedagogy for the digital age.

The company's business model is centered on the sale of its physical toy sets, which then unlock content within its free-to-download educational applications. Marbotic designs and manufactures tangible wooden letters and numbers that interact with tablet capacitive touch screens without the need for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or batteries. Children place these wooden blocks on the screen to engage with a variety of games focused on literacy and numeracy, such as learning the alphabet, phonics, and basic math. This approach transforms passive screen time into an active, kinesthetic learning session.

The primary clients are parents and educators of children aged three and up. The products, including kits like 'Smart Letters' and 'Smart Numbers', are sold globally and have been featured in Apple Stores. The company has demonstrated significant international reach, with distribution in over 50 countries and its apps translated into 10 languages. After raising approximately $2.97 million in funding from investors including AQUITI Gestion and Bpifrance, Marbotic was jointly acquired on January 26, 2023, by Lü Interactive Playground and its European partner Megaform, a move intended to expand the global reach of Marbotic's educational tools. Keywords: edtech, educational toys, Montessori method, phygital learning, early childhood education, literacy apps, numeracy apps, interactive learning, tablet toys, hands-on learning, kinesthetic learning, smart toys, wooden toys, preschool education, learning through play, Marie Mérouze, digital learning, educational games, screen time solutions, capacitive touch technology, Lü Interactive Playground acquisition, Megaform, child development, pre-K edtech, learning tools