Polymath, a kid-tech startup focused on making maths education more engaging through gamification, has secured $1 million in funding to support its expansion into the U.S. market. The funding round was co-led by venture firms Blackbird Ventures and Global From Day One (GD1), with additional backing from ClassDojo CTO and co-founder Liam Don.
A Bold Step in Edtech Investment
The investment marks a significant milestone for the Auckland-based company, which launched in January 2023 and has quickly gained traction among educators and parents. Polymath’s adaptive maths-learning game is now used in half of New Zealand’s primary schools and has been downloaded over 20,000 times.
Liam Don, whose company ClassDojo has over 50 million users worldwide, praised Polymath’s approach. “Most learning products only have notional educational value. This team has created a cutting-edge product that’s already making a real impact,” Don said.
The pre-seed funding will primarily support Polymath’s U.S. expansion, where the company sees an opportunity to reach more than 23 million children. The platform has already been adopted by teachers in states such as Arizona, Virginia, California, Florida, and Texas.
Gamifying Maths for a Generation Hooked on Screens
Polymath’s founders, husband-and-wife duo Sophie and Christian Silver, built the platform to address what they see as a growing crisis in math attainment. Research shows that children spend an average of four hours per day on screens but devote only six minutes to educational apps. Polymath aims to bridge this gap by offering an immersive, game-like learning experience.
The game transports children into a sandbox world where they can build structures, interact with virtual villagers, and complete challenges—all tied to solving math problems. For example, players must measure materials before constructing buildings or identify when an in-game shopkeeper is overcharging them, reinforcing critical thinking and arithmetic skills in real-time.
The approach appears to be working. While most educational apps struggle to keep children engaged, Polymath users spend an average of 30 minutes per session—five times longer than the industry norm. Data also suggests that students who regularly play Polymath learn up to twice as fast as non-users.
A Measured Approach to AI in Learning
Unlike many edtech startups racing to integrate generative AI into their platforms, Polymath has taken a more reserved approach. While the company was initially registered as “Celadon AI,” its current product relies on an in-house adaptive learning algorithm rather than AI-driven instruction.
“The current generation of AI – LLMs [large language models] and stuff is really powerful,” said Christian Silver. “But the way we see it is that it’s mostly solving the wrong problem. The thing that makes learning hard is motivation and keeping kids on-task, and AI doesn’t help with that.”
Instead, Polymath prioritises interactive, engagement-driven learning over automation, ensuring that children stay immersed in the educational process rather than passively absorbing content.
Growth and Future Plans
With tens of thousands of users already on board, Polymath is looking to expand its offerings. Future updates will introduce more multiplayer features, allowing children to collaborate on challenges and motivate each other. The company also plans to introduce a revenue model based on in-game purchases, similar to platforms like Roblox and Minecraft.
“Our goal is to be the household name for screen time that parents can feel good about,” said Sophie Silver, “giving any child in the world an educational app that they actually want to use.”
As the company scales, it joins a growing list of successful New Zealand edtech startups, following in the footsteps of Kami and Education Perfect—both of which achieved multimillion-dollar valuations. If Polymath’s rapid growth continues, it could become a major player in the global education technology space.