Note: This website was automatically translated, so some terms or nuances may not be completely accurate.
Dentsu Inc. Ventures, a venture fund managed by Dentsu Inc., has invested in Neuronfuel, Inc., a U.S. company developing Tinker, a programming learning platform for children.
The text of the Dentsu Inc. news release distributed on August 2 is as follows.
August 2, 2016
Dentsu Inc. Ventures, a venture fund managed by Dentsu Inc., invests in Neuron Fuel, Inc., a U.S. company developing the children's programming learning platform "Tinker"
Dentsu Ventures 1 Global Fund (hereinafter "Dentsu Ventures"), a corporate venture capital fund managed by Dentsu Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Nao Ishii), has invested in Neuron Fuel, Inc. (Headquarters: San Francisco; CEO: Krishna Vedati, hereinafter "Neuron Fuel")
Tynker's key feature is its ability to teach the fundamentals of programming, including JavaScript, in a game-like, enjoyable manner, primarily targeting children aged 8 to 14. Users can not only create games and apps within a browser but also learn programming to control real-world devices like drones and robots. Additionally, it offers robust features for instructors, enabling teachers or parents with no prior programming experience to easily track children's progress at a glance.
Dentsu Inc. Ventures anticipates that as IT utilization expands across society, demand for programming talent will increase further, heightening the importance of programming learning services like Tinker. Furthermore, Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has announced plans to make programming education compulsory in elementary schools, with discussions underway to incorporate it into the new curriculum guidelines starting in the 2020 academic year. Our group will use this investment as an opportunity to support the global expansion of the innovative platform developed by Neuron Fuel and the development of new business by the company.
Dentsu Inc. Ventures is a fund established in April last year to realize our group's open innovation through investments in ambitious startups creating unseen futures and through collaboration with portfolio companies. We support businesses and entrepreneurs not only by providing funding but also by offering solutions and resources unique to our group to address challenges.
Service images for NeuronFuel's "Tinker" platform and overviews of NeuronFuel and Dentsu Ventures are as follows.
<Tinker Service Image>
＜Neuron Fuel, Inc. Overview＞
Company Name: Neuron Fuel, Inc.
Headquarters: San Francisco, California, USA
Representative: Krishna Vedati (CEO)
Business Description: Development and provision of the programming learning platform "Tinker"
URL:https://www.tynker.com/
<OVERVIEW of Dentsu Ventures>
Name: Dentsu Inc. Ventures Global Fund I
Total Fund Size: ¥5 billion
Fund Formation Date: April 2015
Operation Period: Planned for 7 years until March 2022
Investment Regions: Primarily overseas, including Europe, the US, and Asia, with a global investment focus
Investment Stage: Primarily seed/early stage, while also including mid/late stage for a broad, balanced investment approach
Investment Sectors:
(1) Sectors capable of transforming the broader marketing/communications business
(2) Innovative, high-potential new domains, even if not fitting the above
URL:http://dentsu-v.com/
Was this article helpful?
Share this article
