Tech Will Save Us: Dough Universe

As an EVA, yes, I would invest in this product. The presenters, Daniel and Bethany, describe their product and explain the benefits that it provides to the educational world. There are other products that are popular, but this product is unique because of the combination of electrodough, an app and a controller. Playdough is fun and offers a high level of engagement for students. These elements provide engagement, the opportunity to have fun and a platform to teach how to use technology as a learning tool and not just a consumable. It teaches young students about subjects that are often difficult and where there is little interest. It has the potential to peak a curiosity that could turn into a career in a STEAM field. This product is an excellent option because of the opportunities that it provides for young students. I would invest in this product because of the marketability of it. It could easily be used within the classroom. But a concern would be about the sustainability of the product. Playdough dries out if not properly stored. If this could be overcome for a lesser cost this would be excellent. The potential to build on these topics also presents a reason to invest. Subjects such as coding, robotics, 3D printing, CNC machines, etc., all begin with a desire to create and this product provides that opportunity. I would be willing to invest in this product because of the curriculum links that it provides, because of the age range of the target market, the popularity of both playdough and apps (on various tablets) and because the companies objective is to make educational toys that help kids learn about the world through technology and play. They have created many solid products in the past and have received awards for their products.

As an EVA, I would not invest in this product as there is a very similar product on the market called Makey Makey (https://makeymakey.com/) which is already widely implemented in schools, including my own. As I mentioned in a separate review, the STEAM/STEM market is highly competitive and becoming saturated with creative and innovative products. I do not see anything that differentiates this product enough to disrupt other competing companies who already offer such products. While this venture certainly may have some innovative ideas that set them apart from other established products, they did not communicate what differentiates them clearly and powerfully. The kickstarter site mentions that they will develop a new controller that seemingly integrates blocks such as legos into the process. As an EVA, I would prefer that their pitch demonstrates how this controller would work by showcasing a prototype and a couple of applications for using it. Until their pitch more directly addresses issues of competition and differentiation, I would not invest in this venture.

As a principal looking for ways to promote Stem and Steam initiatives in the primary levels at my district, I would certainly be interested in this product. There are products like https://littlebits.com/ that are similar but are not targeted to that young of an age group. Another consumer based product https://www.elenco.com/brand/snap-circuits/ is marketed in toy stores for a comparable price, and I think this product wouldn't have trouble competing against it and arguably creative potential. A concern I have is with the dough specifically, having worked in a primary environment I have witnessed a lot of playdough dry out and we are continually buying more to keep our stock up. I like the idea of having dough that promotes stem learning, but it would not be a viable venture if the school had to continuously have to replace the dough because it dried out especially if the replacement dough was costly. I do think that this product is innovative and would support steam curriculum in the classroom and would be a great scaffolding for a more robust program that included little bits at the junior level and possibly robotics at the older grades. On the other hand, the consumer "maker" market has seen a lot of new products spring up like the mentioned snap-circuts, and now you can even subscribe to a https://www.kiwico.com/ kit at a reasonable cost and get a new exciting project every month. The competition for this market is becoming saturated and I wonder if this product would have legs. The CEOs look to be competent and passionate, and after doing some research, it seems like they are continuing to produce other innovative toys that promote the same steam values. I think as a venture investor, I would look to invest in the company for this reason as well.

As a venture capitalist considering investing, I’m in. Daniel and Bethany present their venture with confidence and the video is a good balance of the concept and the ‘feeling’ that should go with a successful venture aimed at kids and education. The pitch highlights the balance between the need to provide an enjoyable learning format and the ‘deeper concepts’ – e.g. “kids create moving race cars like magic… but what they are really working out is how to add rotational and mechanical movement to their awesome creations”. Their vision clearly goes beyond this particular product as they highlight the focus on kids’ becoming creators and developing their digital skills (and, here, practical knowledge of physics). Admittedly, lot in the pitch is unsaid – they could identify the market gap better (as there was no such product available at the time of the pitch), no information about how they want to distribute the product is given etc. This is likely partly because they went with Kickstarter to raise funds and the money comes through the volume of backers here. The 'call for help' part of the pitch at the end also matches Kickstarter's general audience more, but I have no problem with that in principle. For myself, I would be willing to invest a larger sum, partly because I have contacts which could help with distribution of the product, as well as the marketing aspect and I believe the ROI potential is significant.

Yes, I would invest in this venture. The company’s hook that it “develops toys to help kids learn about the world through technology and play” makes it clear what the venture is about, its vision, and the potential for future products. The pitch focuses on the importance of skills development such as problem solving at an early age, while the product itself is a tool for developing those skills. This means several viable products can be developed with that overall goal in mind, as opposed to be limited by the success of a single product. The pitch also addresses a large potential market for the venture's products by mentioning that kids as creators of technology, and not just consumers, is “the new normal.” The ask in the pitch video is $110.00 or more to “help kids find their innate ability as digital creators,” which gives investors a Complete Dough Universe kit and their name in the app’s credits. Daniel and Bethany, the founders who are pitching in the video, are engaging and appear genuinely passionate about helping children develop their creative and scientific skills.

Yes, I would invest in this venture. It is so easy to become a passive consumer of technology and this can be harmful for children especially when technology is embedded in so many aspects of their current culture. The founders of Universe Dough address this problem by creating a toy that encourages children to play and be creative with technology. Play dough is a favorite among many children and has so many benefits in early childhood. It introduces kids to STEAM in a fun way and stretches their imagination and creativity. To pair these benefits with interactive technology triples the benefits of creative and scientific play for pre-K children. With electro dough, children can learn hands-on about circuits, conductivity, and sound science using a popular toy among children. Investing in a venture by the founders of Tech Will Save Us will almost certainly result in great returns by combining two popular toys, and perhaps an even greater reward will be the significant contribution to a very important mission: using technology to make the world a better place by helping children develop to be the makers and innovators of tomorrow.