Maka Kids Redefines Kids' Screen Time

Maka Kids is building a streaming app for children ages zero to six featuring content designed for healthy development. The startup has now raised $3 million in seed funding to scale its platform, and is currently accepting waitlist sign-ups.

Unlike traditional streaming platforms, Maka Kids doesn't have recommendation algorithms, ads, or auto-play. Instead, it is designed to offer a predictable experience that supports learning, creativity, and emotional growth.

Founders' Vision

Maka Kids was founded by Isabel Sheinman and Tanyella Leta, who previously founded Nabu, a non-profit venture that brought children's books to more than 15 million children across 26 countries. They were introduced at a dinner back in 2013 through a mutual friend and immediately hit it off.

"We were seeing parents get completely overwhelmed trying to weigh decisions about what was unsafe, what was good, and understand why their kid was melting down every time screen time ended," Sheinman said. "At the same time, we watched the children's media ecosystem get louder, faster, more algorithmically driven. Looking at this problem, we felt uniquely positioned to deliver the relief that parents craved."

Maka Imprint: A Developmental Framework

All of the content on Maka Kids is evaluated using Maka Imprint, the startup's patent-pending developmental framework created through two years of R&D 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.

Content Creation and Licensing

Maka Kids licenses content directly from IP holders and individual creators. The startup is also partnering directly with studios and animators to produce original content.

Subscription Model and Business Plan

The app will operate on a subscription model, priced at $11.99 per month, with a discounted annual option. The startup plans to use the new funding to grow its catalog of vetted shows.

Future Plans

"We believe an important factor often missing from the screen time debate for kids is how much the right story, delivered at the right moment, can positively support a young child," Leta said. "Children's media at its best is one of the most powerful developmental tools families have, when it's designed with this intention."

Conclusion

Maka Kids is poised to revolutionize the kids' screen time industry with its well-being-focused streaming app. By prioritizing healthy development and emotional growth, the startup is setting a new standard for children's media.