Bamboo Learning, a Seattle startup led by Jeff Bezos’ former technology adviser, today launched its voice-based education app Bamboo Luminaries for Google Assistant-enabled devices including Google Nest, Google Home, and Android phones.
The expansion to Google is notable as Bamboo’s apps were previously only available on Amazon Alexa devices.
Ian Freed, a former Amazon exec who led Kindle and Alexa development teams, launched Bamboo in 2018 with co-founder Irina Fine, a 30-year veteran of elementary education curriculum development and teaching. Freed was a technology adviser to Bezos from 2004-2005.
Bamboo Luminaries is a social studies trivia-style game designed to teach students about history. Bamboo’s other apps include Bamboo Math, Bamboo Music, and others.
“Voice devices provide an alternative to ‘screen time,’ which kids (and parents) can get tired of,” Freed said. “This is particularly true during the current pandemic.”
Axios noted that “smart speakers offer opportunities for new categories of applications, but it remains difficult to make money in the market, which helps explain the relative dearth of startups focused on the space.”
Bamboo raised $1.4 million in December from Amazon’s Alexa Fund, Wavemaker Partners, Unlock Venture Partners, VoicePunch, and technology industry veterans from Amazon, Apple, Disney, and Microsoft. Amazon also invested in the company previously in September 2018.
