BEGiN, the EdTech startup behind the early learning program HOMER, has recently announced that it has acquired codeSpark Academy, the leading learn-to-code app for children, to create the most comprehensive program in early learning.
The acquisition allows HOMER to expand its offerings from serving kids ages 0-6 to a comprehensive program for kids ages 0-10.
Co-founded by digital entrepreneur Grant Hosford and Disney veteran Joe Shochet, codeSpark Academy is designed to inspire the next generation of leaders and problem solvers using proprietary curriculum and creative tools. It teaches critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative learning through a STEM-based curriculum, allowing kids as young as four years old to design and code over 30,000 games and interactive stories every day. codeSpark is available for home use or via public schools, libraries, and nonprofits and has a presence in more than 1/3 of the school districts in the United States. The company claimed that its app has been downloaded over 20 million times and was used in more than 40% of all US elementary schools in the past year.
Commenting on the acquisition, Neal Shenoy, Co-founder & CEO of BEGiN, said,
“We’re excited to have the codeSpark team join HOMER on our mission to give every child the best start to their learning journey and prepare them with the skills they need for a 21st-century world. We do this by teaching the right skill, at the right time, in the right medium. We know coding is most effectively taught through a digital program, and in codeSpark we have a best in class, award-winning product which we’re thrilled to bring into the HOMER family.”
BEGiN is an award-winning educational technology company that brings high-quality education to kids globally. Its products include HOMER Learn & Grow app, HOMER Learn & Play app, HOMER Explore Kits, and now codeSpark Academy. HOMER is an essential early learning program for kids. It helps kids build academic skills such as literacy and math and personal skills like problem-solving and social-emotional awareness through a learning program personalized to their age, interests, and level.
The HOMER program is based on the company’s proprietary learning framework – the HOMER Method – a four-step, research-based approach that goes beyond rote memorization to teach essential skills and how to apply them in new contexts, promoting confidence, problem-solving, and a lifelong love of learning.
Grant Hosford, Co-founder & CEO of codeSpark, stated,
“We are thrilled to join the BEGiN family and become part of HOMER’s comprehensive learning program. Increasingly, our world is run by code, so it’s more important than ever that kids master 21st-century skills. The foundational milestones of the HOMER program are the perfect preparation for successfully mastering computational thinking skills with codeSpark Academy.”
BEGiN claimed users of its award-winning HOMER program witnessed early reading scores increased by 74%, and users spend 29.3 minutes on the app and open 12 lessons per day on average. The company said that since its inception in 2013 it has experienced 70% compounded annual growth and has developed programs alongside global partners such as Fisher-Price and Gymboree Play + Music including curriculum, content, and product development.
