Early Learning Company Tiggly Secures Series A Funding From Habermaass GmbH® To Expand Its Next-Generation EdTech Platform

NEW YORK, Sept. 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- New York-based edtech start up Tiggly, a learning company pioneering an innovative way to educate children in the digital age, announced today that it had closed its Series A funding round led by Habermaass GmbH, a Germany-based early play and learning company that owns global brands such as HABA^®. The watershed investment marks the world-renowned toy manufacturer's U.S. debut into the children's edtech space and signifies the importance of Tiggly's next-generation, tablet-compatible toys and learning apps.

The investment by Habermaass GmbH is a clear indicator of the growth opportunity traditional toy companies see in the area of connected play that blends hands-on experience with digital playtime. Tiggly creates learning manipulatives for tablets like the iPad, allowing children to incorporate physical toys from the early-education classroom into their digital game play like never before, providing a new generation of connected kids with a rich and interactive learning experience.

"The physical and digital worlds are merging at a rapid pace in all areas of life, making people of all ages active members in the movement towards the Internet of Things. What does this mean for the future of early education and a new generation of young learners?" said Phyl Georgiou, Tiggly Founder and CEO. "Educators agree today's children require the same tactile, hands-on learning experiences of previous generations. With this guiding principle in mind, Tiggly is pioneering a new system for early learning that optimizes digital playtime while ensuring that advances in technology do not impact the very nature of learning itself. Our disruptive 'new manipulatives' will revolutionize learning in the digital age for tech-savvy children today, tomorrow and beyond."

Designed to combine the proven, developmental benefits of classic, physical play with the learning potential of digital tools, Tiggly's hand-held manipulatives interact with the company's learning apps to promote fundamental motor, math and language skills in children age eighteen months to six years. Powered by breakthrough capacitive-touch technology, the lightweight, colorful and easy-to-grasp toys are expertly designed in various shapes and sizes exclusively for kids' small hands.  Made of tablet-safe plastic and conductive silicone, each Tiggly manipulative is uniquely coded for seamless touch-screen interaction on all generations of the iPad and iPad mini, and will launch on Android devices this fall.

"Digital devices like the iPad are changing every aspect of life, including early childhood," said Harald Grosch, Managing Director of Habermaass GmbH. "The Habermaass group has always been focused on innovation, and we are committed to bringing high quality educational products to today's cutting edge technology. We are thrilled to partner with Tiggly's extremely innovative team to provide children with a state-of-the art experience that uniquely promotes high quality learning through play."

Tiggly launched its first product, Tiggly Shapes, in 2013. The first iPad learning toy for toddlers, Tiggly Shapes features four brightly colored geometric shapes that interact with the education-based Tiggly Stamp, Tiggly Safari and Tiggly Draw learning apps. Today, Tiggly Shapes is available in more than 20 countries and is sold in more than 300 Apple Store locations across four continents. Tiggly will leverage the funding support from Habermaass GmbH to launch new products and apps for early learners later this year and deepen its distribution globally.

Headquartered in the foothills of idyllic Bad Rodach, Germany, Habermaass GmbH focuses on early childhood play and learning. The company's brands include HABA, Wehfritz and Jako-O, and are sold worldwide. The international brand strives to create children's toys and games with an emphasis on educational value, high quality design and product innovation. 

"We are living in a new era, where toddlers know how to manipulate tablets and mobile devices before they know how to count to ten or tie their shoes. Research shows that 75% of children today have access to some type of smart phone or tablet and that 38% of children under age two have used mobile devices," said Georgiou. "The Tiggly edtech platform creates a uniquely modern experience for a new generation of children that bridges real-world, hands on learning with virtual play like never before.  We look forward to working with the Habermaass group as we continue to bring our new learning manipulatives to children around the world."

About Tiggly

Tiggly is a learning company pioneering a new way to educate children in the digital age. Launched in 2013, the NYC-based edtech startup was co-founded by Phyl Georgiou (Founder & CEO), Bart Clareman (Co-Founder & COO), and Dr. Azadeh (Azi) Jamalian (Co-Founder & Chief Learning Officer). Phyl and Bart are graduates of Harvard Business School, and Azi has a Ph.D. in cognitive studies in education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She is also currently adjunct assistant professor at Teachers College, teaching "Development of mathematical thinking" course. Tiggly is available in more than 20 countries and in more than 300 Apple Store locations across four continents, in addition to specialty retailers worldwide.

About Habermaass GmbH

The Habermaass GmbH is part of the "Haba-Firmenfamilie" (Group of Companies) which is a family-owned business with more than 75 years of experience in the toy industry, with roughly 2,000 employees and a turnover of €365m. The group´s activities are focused on children and their parents and everything that is needed for educational facilities. Within this Family there are three main brands: HABA, JAKO-O and Wehrfritz, each focusing on a special target group. HABA offers toys and games for the age 0 – 6 targeting the specialized trade channels and independent toy shops. JAKO-O is a direct to consumer business targeting children 0 – 10 with fabrics, fashion, crafting and practical helpers for everyday life.

WEHRFRITZ is focused on equipment for kindergartens, infant nursery schools, daycare centers, etc., including furniture and learning materials.

SOURCE Tiggly