ZillyPlanet
EdTech, Gaming, App
Funding: Bootstrap
ZillyPlanet is an engaging educational gaming platform that teaches children aged 7-13 essential STEM skills through interactive, narrative-driven missions set in the Sokibelt galaxy.
HIGHLIGHTS
While the MVP was essential for launching quickly and gaining initial traction, long-term planning focused on scalability to ensure sustainable growth. This approach allowed the engineering team to design with future expansion in mind, reducing costs and complexity down the road.
Long-Term Planning
As a first-time founder in the tech space, the founder received comprehensive coaching on everything from finding co-founders to understanding the fundamentals of fundraising and creating necessary materials. She also gained support in developing initial marketing strategies, building traction, and exploring effective monetization approaches for the product.
Startup Coaching
The research phase involved exhaustive market competitive analysis and in-depth persona development, allowing us to identify key gaps and opportunities in the crowded educational gaming marketplace. This thorough approach enabled us to pinpoint a strong differentiator for ZillyPlanet, ensuring it stands out by offering a unique blend of engaging storytelling, gamification, and STEM learning.
Deep Research
0 to 1 Product Strategy & Vision
Market Insights
User Interviews & Validation
UI/UX Design
MVP Prioritization and Planning
Execution Focus
Long-Term Roadmap
Monetization and Business Plan
Go To Market Strategy
Team Development
Stakeholder Management
OVERVIEW
The Project
This project involves developing ZillyPlanet, a branded educational gaming app aimed at teaching kids STEM, coding, and AI skills through interactive and entertaining content. The process included research, product and marketing strategy planning, defining the MVP, and aligning long-term growth strategies with the goal of fostering a fun, safe, and educational environment.
Target Audience
The target audience for ZillyPlanet includes kids aged 7-13, who are curious about technology, coding, and STEM, as well as their parents who seek fun and safe educational tools to foster their children’s learning and creativity. Additionally, educators are a key demographic, looking for engaging, curriculum-aligned resources to enhance classroom learning with interactive content that promotes problem-solving and digital literacy.
Competitors
nitially, we analyzed the broader educational landscape to identify key competitors in the STEM space, focusing on their strengths and weaknesses in delivering interactive learning for kids. Once we honed in on the MVP launch app, we drilled down into more specific competitors, allowing us to clearly differentiate ZillyPlanet through its unique integration of entertainment, coding, and STEM education in a fun, gamified environment.
User Insights
User insights revealed that kids are eager for more gamification and diverse ways to progress, preferring multiple pathways rather than a single linear progression. Based on this feedback, we prioritized adding additional gamification elements to our roadmap, ensuring that users receive consistent gratification and engagement as they advance through the product.
The Problem
Kids often find educational gaming apps lacking in engagement and depth, with many offering limited progression options that fail to maintain long-term interest. These apps tend to focus heavily on learning without incorporating enough interactive, gamified elements, leaving kids wanting more dynamic and rewarding experiences.
The Solution
ZillyPlanet enhances the learning experience by maintaining a consistent, engaging storyline across its apps, featuring branded characters that guide kids through their educational journey. Alongside this narrative, the product incorporates enhanced gamification with multiple progression pathways and interactive challenges, ensuring that users stay engaged and rewarded while mastering STEM skills.
Game Mechanics
