What Playbrush does

Playbrush, founded in 2014, is a technology company that digitalizes oral care for children through a smart sonic toothbrush ecosystem paired with a gamified mobile application. The company's core product, now marketed as GUM Playbrush under parent company Sunstar Group's GUM brand, is a Bluetooth-connected sonic toothbrush for children ages 3 and up, capable of up to 17,000 movements per minute, with built-in motion sensors that track brushing position, duration, frequency, and pressure in real time. The companion app (iOS, Android, Amazon) translates this data into interactive coaching via a 3D mouth visualization, 13 brushing games (4 free, 9 premium), trophies, and detailed progress reports emailed to parents. The brush stores up to 6 months of brushing data offline for later synchronization. The company was originally an Austrian startup that raised approximately $3.8M in venture funding from Speedinvest, UNIQA Ventures, and Google for Startups between 2016 and 2021, before being integrated into Japan's Sunstar Group and rebranded under the GUM oral care brand in 2023.

The business model combines one-time hardware sales, a freemium app subscription (with 30-day free trial), recurring replacement brush head subscriptions (6 heads/year auto-delivered), and bundled care sets that include toothpaste. The product is developed in collaboration with dentists, manufactured in Europe, and distributed through Sunstar GUM's D2C webshop (18+ European and 6+ Americas country storefronts), major app stores, and physical retail across German-speaking and international markets. Target customers are parents and caregivers of children ages 3-12 seeking to establish consistent oral hygiene habits. The company's headquarters are in London, UK, with 11-50 employees, and the product is sold as a niche line within Sunstar's broader oral care portfolio rather than as a standalone high-growth venture-backed business.

Playbrush's GTM motion is product-led growth: the free basic app (4 games + coaching) drives initial adoption, with a premium app subscription as the upsell mechanism. The product was scientifically validated in 2017-2018 with studies involving over 100 families, and the 2023 rebrand under Sunstar's GUM brand aimed to leverage the parent's established oral care credibility and global distribution infrastructure. The company's value proposition centers on transforming tooth brushing from a daily struggle into an engaging, gamified routine that motivates children to brush longer, more thoroughly, and more consistently while giving parents visibility into their child's oral hygiene behavior.

Name

Playbrush

Legal name

Sunstar Suisse S.A.

Website

https://world.playbrush.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Playbrush (now GUM Playbrush) is a Sunstar Group subsidiary that sells a Bluetooth-connected smart sonic toothbrush for children ages 3-12, paired with a gamified mobile app featuring real-time brushing coaching, targeting parents seeking to establish consistent oral hygiene habits.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Smart Children's Oral Care

NAICS

Dental Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing (339114)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

Electric Toothbrushes & Power Brush Heads (CRABAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Baby Oral Care (Toothpaste, Brushes) (CRABAJAF), Oral Care Products (Toothpaste, Mouthwash, Dental Floss, Whitening) (CRADAMAA)

Keywords

• Children's oral care
• Smart sonic toothbrush
• Gamified brushing app
• Pediatric dental hygiene
• Bluetooth toothbrush

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Smart Toothbrush Hardware Sales: One-time purchase of the GUM Playbrush electric sonic toothbrush available in Blue and Pink, sold with basic brush head (KIDS 3+ or JUNIOR 6+) and free basic app access.
2. Premium App Subscription: Monthly or annual subscription upgrade offering 9 additional premium brushing games, detailed brushing statistics for parents, and the bonus world 'My Friend Dayo'. 30-day free trial available.
3. Replacement Brush Heads: Recurring sales of replacement brush heads (KIDS 3+ and JUNIOR 6+ sizes) available via webshop purchase or automatic annual delivery through subscription (6 brush heads per year).
4. Bundled Care Sets: Premium bundled packages including Allround-Sorglos-Set (toothbrush + premium app + 6 annual replacement heads) and All-Inklusive Set (adds 6 tubes of dental gel).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Playbrush (now branded GUM Playbrush under Sunstar) designs, manufactures, and sells a smart sonic electric toothbrush system for children aged 3+. The Bluetooth-enabled toothbrush pairs with a mobile app that uses motion-tracking sensors to deliver gamified brushing experiences and real-time coaching, with a free basic app tier and a paid premium subscription offering additional games and detailed parental statistics.

Product overview

Playbrush (now branded as GUM Playbrush under Sunstar GUM) offers a smart sonic toothbrush ecosystem for children ages 3+. The core offering is the GUM Playbrush electric sonic toothbrush hardware, which pairs via Bluetooth with the GUM Playbrush mobile app. The app comes in free (Basis) and paid (Premium) versions, offering gamified brushing experiences with coaching features. The product is sold in various bundles: one-time purchase, Allround Carefree Set (with auto-delivered brush head subscriptions), and All-Inclusive Set (adding toothpaste). Age-specific brush heads (KIDS 3+ and JUNIOR 6+) and complementary GUM toothpastes complete the product line. Scientifically tested with over 100 families between 2017-2018, with a notable rebrand from 'Playbrush Smart Sonic' to 'GUM Playbrush' in 2023.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GUM Playbrush Electric Sonic Toothbrush Smart sonic electric toothbrush for children aged 3+ with up to 17,000 movements per minute, Power and Sensitive brushing modes, built-in pressure sensor, Bluetooth connectivity, and age-appropriate brush heads. Connects to the GUM Playbrush app for real-time coaching and gamification. Sold to parents/caregivers via D2C, app stores, and retail.
• GUM Playbrush Premium App Subscription Paid subscription version of the GUM Playbrush mobile app, unlocking 9 additional brushing games (13 total), multiplayer mode, detailed brushing statistics and email reports for parents, and the bonus world 'My Friend Dayo'. Available with a 30-day free trial and billed monthly or annually.
• GUM Playbrush Replacement Brush Heads (KIDS 3+ and JUNIOR 6+) Age-specific replacement brush heads for the GUM Playbrush sonic toothbrush: KIDS 3+ (extra-small head for ages 3–6 with raised front bristles and a toothpaste dosage indicator) and JUNIOR 6+ (slightly larger head for ages 6+ with extra-soft bristles). Available for one-time webshop purchase or via annual subscription (6 heads per year, free shipping).
• GUM Playbrush Allround Carefree Set (Rundum-Sorglos-Set) Premium bundle including the GUM Playbrush sonic toothbrush, one year of premium app access, and 6 replacement brush heads delivered automatically each year. Subscription cancellable anytime; brush heads shipped free of charge.
• GUM Playbrush All-Inclusive Set (All-Inklusive Set) Comprehensive oral-care bundle including the GUM Playbrush sonic toothbrush, one year of premium app access, 6 replacement brush heads, and 6 tubes of GUM dental gel delivered annually. Subscription cancellable anytime.
• GUM KIDS 3+ Toothpaste Toothpaste formulated for children aged 3+ with milk teeth; contains fluoride and isomalt to protect enamel and prevent cavities; 98% naturally derived ingredients; strawberry flavor with gel-like consistency.
• GUM JUNIOR 6+ Toothpaste Toothpaste formulated for children aged 6+ with developing permanent teeth; contains fluoride and isomalt for enamel protection and cavity prevention; 98% naturally derived ingredients.

Quantifiable outcome

• Children brush voluntarily and enjoyably
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• SUNSTAR Suisse S.A. (Parent Company)coreOthersSUNSTAR Suisse S.A. is the parent company and brand owner of GUM Playbrush. Originally developed by Playbrush (an Austrian startup), the technology was rebranded from 'Playbrush Smart Sonic' to 'GUM Playbrush' in 2023 under SUNSTAR's GUM brand. SUNSTAR is a global company focused on scientific innovations in health, beauty, mobility, and living spaces, with oral care being a key business area.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Firefly: Firefly makes flashing and battery-powered kids' toothbrushes sold primarily through mass retail and drugstores; it addresses the same parent-buyer pain point (engaging reluctant brushers) at a non-connected, lower price.
• Kolibree: Kolibree is a direct competitor that built one of the first connected kids' electric toothbrushes with a companion app; it was acquired by Colgate-Palmolive, making it the closest direct peer in the smart kids' brushing category.

Broad incumbents

• Colgate Magik: Colgate's Magik smart brush, built on the Kolibree platform and launched by Colgate-Palmolive, is a connected kids' toothbrush with a games-driven app — directly comparable in offering and target customer.
• Oral-B (Kids / Genius): The Oral-B Kids range (including Disney-licensed brushes and the Magic Timer app) competes in the same end-use case with far greater scale and shelf presence through P&G's global retail network.
• Philips Sonicare for Kids: Philips Sonicare for Kids targets the same parent/child segment with connected sonic brush hardware and a coaching app, backed by a global consumer-electronics incumbent.

Emerging players

• Foreo ISSA: Foreo's ISSA line includes sonic toothbrushes with subscription-style silicone-head replacements sold DTC; it competes for the same premium, design-conscious oral-care shopper, though without Playbrush's gamified children's app.
• Quip Kids: Quip's kids' brush extends Quip's subscription-based oral-care model (brush + plan-based refill heads) to children, mirroring the GUM Playbrush recurring-heads/consumables motion.
• BURST Oral Care: BURST is a DTC electric-toothbrush brand with sonic brush heads and subscription refills; its business model — premium device with recurring head deliveries — is closely analogous to GUM Playbrush's monetization, though focused on adults.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/teamplaybrush
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/GUMprofessionell
• Facebookfacebook.com/GUMSunstarDE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/playbrush
• Instagraminstagram.com/gumsunstarde/?hl=de
• TikToktiktok.com/@gum_deutschland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors4 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Playbrush