In today’s digital landscape, children spend an increasing amount of time in front of screens from a very young age. This has started causing concerns among parents about how it may impact the development of a child. To address this issue, Vobble, a Bengaluru start-up has an audio-based entertainment platform that is specifically designed for children aged 4–12. Instead of relying on screens, Vobble offers a wide range of engaging audio content, including stories, podcasts, news, and music.
In a step to continue development in the children’s media landscape, Vobble has secured $1 million in a seed funding round led by Lumikai Fund, with participation from the Blume Founders Fund and several tech founders and CEO angels.
With this funding, Vobble will be expanding its user base, fine-tuning its product-market fit, and enhancing its AI capabilities. Additionally, the funding will also support ongoing product development efforts aimed at improving the platform’s content offerings and user experience. Vobble also plans to use the funds for team development, increasing user retention, and improving its Net Promoter Score (NPS).
“We are excited to support Vobble’s innovative approach towards a multi-sensory interactive entertainment platform focused on audio-based learning and entertainment. Aware parents are increasingly valuing bespoke solutions for their children with emergent trends towards curated, premium, and specialized offerings. With key partnerships unlocked, a unique content aesthetic, multi-sensory experiences, distribution orientation, emerging brand equity and product first thinking, we are glad to support Neha and Sowmya in their vision to craft Vobble as a new-age media platform for children.” Vobble said in a press release.
Vobble: Transforming Children’s Entertainment Sector
Vobble is an innovative company focused on creating a multi-sensory audio-first interactive entertainment platform for children aged 4–12. Vobble offers original stories, podcasts, news, and music, along with partnerships with renowned publishers like Hasbro, HarperCollins, Scholastic, Rebel Girls, Tulika, and Amar Chitra Katha.
Found in 2023 by Neha Sharma and Sowmya Jagannath, Vobble aims to provide children aged 4–12 with a captivating and educational audio-first interactive entertainment platform. The company was founded by fellow mothers Neha Sharma and Sowmya Jagannath. Neha Sharma, has over two decades of global experience, having led brand categories at companies like EssilorLuxottica. Sowmya Jagannath holds a neuroscience background and brings extensive experience in product development and startups.
Vobble’s mission is to create a multi-sensory audio experience that helps learning, building imagination, and curiosity in children. Through original stories, podcasts, news, and music, Vobble aims to have engaging and age-appropriate content delivered on a safe and child-centric platform. By providing immersive audio experiences, Vobble plans to provide an alternative to screen-based entertainment while promoting cognitive development and reducing screen time among young listeners.
“We believe that every kid has a voice and that voice needs to be heard. As a platform such as Vobble, we need to enable that and we would love more children to be part of it,” Jagannath said.
The Idea Behind Vobble
The impetus behind Vobble is to offer children a healthy and engaging alternative to screen-based entertainment. Co-founders Neha Sharma and Sowmya Jagannath recognized the growing concern over children’s excessive screen time and wanted to create a solution that would provide enriching experiences without the negative effects of prolonged screen exposure.
Their solution was to develop an audio-first interactive platform that offers a wide range of content, including stories, podcasts, news, and music, specifically for children aged 4–12. By prioritizing immersive audio experiences, Vobble aims to stimulate children’s imagination, curiosity, and learning in a safe and child-friendly environment.
Talking about the idea behind the startup, Jagannath said, “Listening is extremely beneficial for children. As parents, we take time out to help inculcate reading habits in the kids. A similar effort is required when it comes to encouraging kids to develop a habit of listening. With Vobble, we aim to offer a platform, which can help parents do it effectively.”
Through partnerships with renowned publishers and a commitment to age-appropriate content, Vobble seeks to empower children to explore, discover, and grow while reducing their dependence on screens.
“Audio is a very new category, especially in India and especially for kids. So, it is a very uphill task to do. But we both believe in the benefits of audio for this generation of kids and we are very motivated to make this happen. We are very confident that within the next two years, we will be able to crack this category,” Sharma said.
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