The Startup Club is thrilled to share the startup of the week CatnClever: Gamifying Learning for Preschoolers. In this interview with Olga Ruf-Fiedler, we delve into her journey as an entrepreneur, the challenges she faced while running Clever Forever Education(CFE), and her advice for future entrepreneurs who aspire to build their start-ups in the Edtech space.
In a world where technology is ever-evolving, education has become more accessible than ever. One of the innovative start-ups in the Edtech space is Clever Forever Education (CFE), founded by Olga Ruf-Fiedler. CFE is a gamified learning platform for preschoolers that offers a unique approach to learning, making it fun and engaging for kids aged 4 to 6. The platform, called CatnClever, covers multiple subjects, such as math, literacy, socio-cultural aspects, and physical exercises.
The app is fully interactive and gamified, with adaptive levels of difficulty enabled through machine learning techniques. It also comes with a unique parent dashboard that tracks the learning progress of a child. Each lesson is a fun story with Cat, Mouse, and Dog, written by authors and accompanied by music specially produced for the app. CatnClever is available in two main languages (German and English) and can be downloaded on all mobile devices (iOS and Android). In just one year after launch, the app has gained over 100k users, proving to be a hit with parents and children alike.
Olga Ruf-Fiedler: The Entrepreneur at Heart Olga Ruf-Fiedler has always been an entrepreneur at heart. With experience in building two companies from scratch as a CEO in the financial industry, she felt it was time to start her own business that would have a social impact. She wanted to build her own unicorn, and that’s how CFE was born.
Challenges in the Edtech Space: Running an Edtech start-up has its own set of challenges, and for CFE, the key challenge is to master the European pedagogics approach of agile and individualized level management and curriculum. This is important because children learn at different paces, and it’s crucial to provide a personalized learning experience for each child.
The Fundraising Challenge: Like any other start-up, CFE faced its share of challenges when looking for funding. According to Olga, the biggest challenge of fundraising is staying calm, confident, and patient. It’s hard to face setbacks when a potential investor steps out after a few months of discussions and hope. But it’s important not to take a “no” personally. Securing funds during a time of war is certainly a huge challenge, and Olga advises future entrepreneurs to be fearless.
Rewards of Entrepreneurship: The most rewarding aspects of entrepreneurship for Olga are the feeling of accomplishment and the ability to be her own boss. You are in control of your own destiny and can make a significant impact on your company and the community. This is a unique feeling that is hard to find in other jobs. And in addition to the personal rewards, entrepreneurship might also become a big financial success for founders and investors.
Advice for Future Entrepreneurs: Olga’s advice for future entrepreneurs who aspire to build their start-ups in the Edtech space is to be fearless. She believes that with the right motivation and passion, anything is possible. Start-ups have limited funding, and a challenge will always be to maintain a longer commitment among the supporters of the core team. Therefore, every contributor needs to be found, convinced, and motivated that the start-up is developing the best-in-class application for kids, so that they will come back each time when needed, despite the uncertainty in the future.
I would like to thank Olga Ruf-Fiedler for her time and consideration. Thank you once again for your contribution to our community. We believe this will be an inspiration to fellow entrepreneurs and founders who aspire to build their startups in Ed-Tech Space.
To learn more about CatnClever visit their Website.
Email contact@thestartupclub.net for CatnClever's Pitch Deck.