Maka Kids, a startup building a streaming app for children ages zero to six, announced in 2026 that it has raised $3 million in seed funding to scale its platform. The app is currently accepting waitlist sign-ups, with a private beta on iOS planned for summer and a public launch on iPhone and iPad set for fall.
The platform is designed without recommendation algorithms, ads, or auto-play. Instead, parents create a profile for their child, select channels focused on topics such as kindness, STEM, emotional regulation, or movement, and set preferred session lengths. Content is curated and ends with wind-down cues from characters to help children transition away from screens without distress.
All content is evaluated using Maka Imprint, the startup’s patent-pending developmental framework developed over two years in collaboration with researchers at the Yale Child Study Center. The framework maps seven core domains of early childhood development across more than 650 developmental indicators, including language, creativity, emotional skills, and growth mindset. Every show is also assessed for pacing, stimulation levels, color contrast, and narrative structure.
Maka Kids was founded by Isabel Sheinman and Tanyella Leta, who previously co-founded Nabu, a non-profit that brought children’s books to more than 15 million children across 26 countries. The founders said the concept emerged from conversations with parents who felt anxious about the effects of screen time and from hundreds of user interviews conducted after those discussions.
“Most of the platforms children watch on today were designed for adult audiences, with a kids experience crudely bolted on as an afterthought,” Leta said. “The incentive for the majority of kids’ streaming platforms is watch time, not well-being.”
The app will operate on a subscription model priced at $11.99 per month, with a discounted annual option. The seed round was led by Michigan Rise, with participation from Flybridge, Detroit Venture Partners, Invest Detroit, and several other investors. Funds will be used to grow the platform’s catalog of vetted content.
Source: TechCrunch