Midven backs Learning Labs

The investment came from Midven's Early Advantage Fund, which closed on £8m in December 2009 and is focused on investing in early-stage and small businesses in the West Midlands. Typical ticket sizes range from £125,000 to £275,000 in later rounds.

The investment will be used to aid Learning Labs in the manufacturing of its FlashSticks product range, bringing the product to market and expanding the existing team.

Midven notes that more than 1.2 billion people are currently learning a foreign language, and was attracted to Learning Labs because it can be used by consumers of all ages.

Company
Birmingham-based Learning Labs has developed FlashSticks, packs of 200 uniquely printed Post-it notes, each one detailing a commonly used foreign word, translation, icon and phonetic. Similar to flash cards, which are used to help very young children with words and spelling, by sticking the FlashSticks in visible places the learner can increase their foreign vocabulary as they go about their daily activities.

FlashSticks also provides a free app using the Aurasma augmented reality platform. The app allows users to hover their device over a FlashStick note to view an instant pronunciation video of the word.

The company has established a relationship with WHSmith for the roll out of the French, Spanish, Italian and German FlashSticks. The product will also be available on Amazon and through Learning Labs' own website.

People
Veejay Lingiah is the director of Learning Labs. Duncan Kerr, investment director, led the transaction for Midven.

• Tweet  
• Facebook  
• LinkedIn  
• Google plus  
• Send to  

• Topics
• Early-stage
• UK / Ireland
• Consumer
• Midven
• United Kingdom