With gaming platforms like Roblox and Minecraft captivating children’s attention, edtech companies face the challenge of making learning as engaging as digital entertainment. Polymath, an educational startup, seeks to bridge this gap by gamifying math lessons in a virtual sandbox world. Inspired by the mechanics of popular games, Polymath offers an immersive learning experience where kids explore an island, customize avatars, and build structures while solving math-related challenges to progress.
Polymath recently secured $1 million in pre-seed funding, co-led by Blackbird Ventures and GD1, with ClassDojo’s CTO, Liam Don, participating as an angel investor. Co-founder and CEO Sophie Silver, who studied human learning and psychology at University College London, was inspired by her experience as a nanny, where she noticed children’s struggles with math. She began inventing card and dice games to make learning fun, eventually realizing that traditional teaching methods were not aligned with how young brains absorb information.
The game personalizes learning using an adaptive algorithm that assesses a child’s answers, adjusts difficulty levels, and introduces new concepts at optimal moments to prevent frustration. Beyond direct math lessons, real-world applications are embedded into the gameplay. For example, if a player wants to build a house, they must measure dimensions and calculate the number of materials needed. A virtual shopkeeper may also give incorrect prices, prompting players to use critical thinking to catch errors.
Polymath offers two versions: an at-home model for parents to track their child’s progress via reports and a companion app, and a classroom version that allows teachers to monitor students in real time. The multiplayer experience enables students to collaborate, but to ensure safety, no chat function is available—children can only connect via unique friend codes.
Launched in January 2023 through the Startmate accelerator in New Zealand, Polymath has expanded to thousands of users in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and New Zealand. Future plans include broadening the curriculum, introducing collaborative problem-solving, and monetizing the platform through purchasable avatar assets. By blending education with the excitement of gaming, Polymath aims to make math learning as engaging as the virtual worlds kids love.