What disruptED does

disruptED is an Austin, Texas-based private education technology company founded in 2016 by Kate Peiler that develops an AR/VR mobile learning platform for Pre-K to 3rd grade learners. The core product is the disruptED app (available on iOS and Android), which uses the device camera and computer vision to detect and overlay animated 3D content onto physical children's books, while also delivering 360-degree Virtual Reality experiences via low-cost cardboard headsets. The proprietary content library consists of books illustrated by artist Ed Heck (ABCD EAT!, SHAPE UP PUP!, MONSTER OPPOSITES, and the COVID-19-themed BEE Safe), with Ed Heck serving as Creative Director.

The company sells one-time physical kits (not subscriptions), ranging from a $34.95 Starter Kit to a $374.95 School Pack, with classroom bundle pricing tiers and customizable District packages that include standards-aligned Teacher Guides and professional development. Go-to-market is hybrid: direct-to-consumer e-commerce through disruptedx.com and mobile app stores, complemented by direct sales to K-12 schools and districts, and donation/cause-marketing partnerships (Starlight Children's Foundation reaching 800+ U.S. hospitals; Artworks Foundation; Long Lat, Inc. for mask manufacturing). Marketing relies on education technology conferences (SXSWedu, TCEA, NYVR), organic social, and earned media.

disruptED is privately held, founder-led, and appears undercapitalized relative to comparable EdTech scale-ups: the only disclosed capital infusion is a $25,000 Upwork Work Together Talent Grant in July 2020, with no equity rounds reported. Headcount is reported in the 11-50 band. The company ships only within the United States. Named customers are limited to pilot partnerships (Thinkery Children's Museum, Ithaca College, Eanes ISD) rather than contracted enterprise accounts. Award recognition includes SXSWedu 2018 Launch Pitch finalist and EdTech Digest Cool Tool Awards 2021 VR/AR finalist.

Name

disruptED

Legal name

disruptED

Website

https://disruptedx.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

disruptED is a privately held Austin-based EdTech company that sells physical AR/VR book kits (Starter, Teacher, Class, School, District packs) for Pre-K to 3rd grade learners, pairing a mobile app with Ed Heck-illustrated content and affordable cardboard VR headsets for schools, consumers, and pediatric hospital programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Technology / Immersive Children's Learning Products

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (459120), Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (339930)

SIC

Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944), Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)

akta.pro primary industry

Virtual Field Trips & Experiential Learning Environments (Museums, Geography, History) (EDAFAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

DIY Kits, STEM Electronics & Maker Bundles Retail (CRACAKAN), Kids Crafts & Educational Craft Kits Retail (CRALACAG)

Keywords

• Augmented reality education
• Virtual reality learning
• Immersive learning kits
• Educational technology products
• Children's AR/VR books

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Physical Product Sales: One-time sales of AR/VR starter kits, teacher packs, class packs, and school packs containing books, activity books, VR headsets, and app downloads.
2. Supplementary Materials: Additional sales of VR headsets, AR-only kits, book bundles, and teacher guide PDFs as add-on purchases.
3. BEE Safe Products: Sales of face masks featuring Ed Heck artwork, including the BEE Safe kit with AR book, activity book, sticker sheet, and child's mask.
4. Donations: Partnership with Starlight Children's Foundation where a portion of Starlight product sales are donated to the foundation for pediatric programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

disruptED develops and sells immersive learning kits that combine a proprietary AR/VR mobile application with physical children's books and educational materials. The company produces physical product kits (Starter Kit, Teacher Packs, Class Packs, School Packs, District packages) containing illustrated books by artist Ed Heck, activity books, sticker sheets, and cardboard VR headsets, paired with a mobile app that overlays 3D animations on book pages via computer vision and delivers 360-degree VR experiences.

Product overview

disruptED offers an AR/VR immersive learning platform for Pre-K to 3rd graders. The core offering consists of the disruptED mobile app (iOS/Android) combined with physical book kits featuring AR-enabled children's books by artist Ed Heck. The product portfolio includes three core books (ABCD EAT!, SHAPE UP PUP!, MONSTER OPPOSITES) and the BEE Safe COVID-19 themed book. Physical products are sold in various bundles: Starter Kit (core offering at $34.95), Teacher Packs ($29.95 each), Class Pack ($124.95), School Pack ($374.95), and District packages. Individual AR-only and AR/VR kits are available from $14.95-$19.95. Supporting materials include VR headsets ($10), Teacher Guide PDFs ($5.95 each), face masks ($7.50), and the donatED Kit ($69.95). A Starlight partnership line supports pediatric hospital programs. The company also offers site licenses with professional development for schools and districts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Starlight: A product line in partnership with Starlight Children's Foundation that delivers AR learning kits to seriously ill children in hospitals, with proceeds supporting the foundation.

Products and services

• disruptED Mobile App Mobile AR/VR learning application available on iOS and Android that brings educational books to life through augmented and virtual reality technology, featuring gamified activities and interactive learning experiences for Pre-K to 3rd graders.
• disruptED Starter Kit The flagship consumer bundle containing 3 AR/VR Books, 3 Activity Books, 3 Sticker Sheets, 1 VR Headset, and app download, designed for parents and home learners of Pre-K to 3rd grade children.
• Teacher Packs (Shapes, ABC, Opposites) Educator-focused single-book bundle with a VR Headset and Teacher Guide (hard copy and PDF) including lesson plans, activity sheets, and assessments, available in Shapes, ABC, and Opposites variants for $29.95 each.
• Class Pack Classroom bundle containing 12 AR/VR Books (4 sets of 3 titles), 3 VR Headsets, and 3 Teacher Guides (Hard Copy and PDF) for a full blended learning experience, priced at $124.95.
• School Pack Whole-school bundle containing 48 AR/VR Books, 10 VR Headsets, and 12 Teacher Guides (Hard Copy and PDF) priced at $374.95.
• disruptED District Package District-wide implementation package including AR/VR materials for schools plus full implementation support and guidance for district-level rollouts, available via contact-based pricing.
• Single AR/VR Kit Individual consumer kit available in Shapes, ABC, and Opposites variants containing 1 AR/VR Book, 1 Activity Book, 1 Sticker Sheet, and 1 VR Headset, priced at $19.95 each.
• Single AR-Only Kit Individual consumer kit available in Shapes, ABC, and Opposites variants containing 1 AR Activated Book, 1 Activity Book, and 1 Sticker Sheet, priced at $14.95 each.
• AR Only Book Bundle Bundle of 3 AR Activated Books, 3 Activity Books, and 3 Sticker Sheets priced at $30.00.
• VR Headset (Cardboard) Standalone cardboard VR headset with adjustable lenses compatible with larger phones, sold as an accessory for $10.00.
• Teacher Guide PDFs (Shapes, ABC, Opposites, Bee Safe) Digital downloadable Teacher Guides for Shapes (45+ pages), ABC (50+ pages), Opposites (40+ pages), and Bee Safe (70+ pages), each containing standards-aligned lesson plans, activities, and assessments, priced at $5.95 each.
• BEE Safe Kit COVID-19 themed kit containing the BEE Safe AR/VR book, Activity Book, Sticker Sheet, and child's face mask, priced at $14.95 and designed to help children learn about staying safe during the pandemic.
• BEE Safe Mask Reusable and washable face masks featuring Ed Heck's whimsical designs with adjustable elastic loops in adult and children's sizes, antibacterial coating, and slot for filter insertion, priced at $7.50.
• BEE Safe Teacher Guide Teacher guide with lesson plans and activities focused on being healthy, safe, and aware of emotions, including a roadmap for integrating AR/VR learning tools into the classroom.
• ABCD EAT! AR/VR Book AR/VR-enabled alphabet book by Ed Heck featuring a hungry goat that eats items starting with every letter of the alphabet, where letters become interactive AR experiences with 3D characters.
• SHAPE UP PUP! AR/VR Book AR/VR-enabled shapes learning book by Ed Heck that helps children understand the world is made of shapes and how shapes combine to create everyday items.
• MONSTER OPPOSITES AR/VR Book AR/VR-enabled book teaching opposites concepts (Big/Small, Above/Below, Hairy/Smooth) with both traditional and silly monster-themed opposites.
• donatED Kit Donation-focused kit priced at $69.95, designed to support bringing disruptED learning tools to children in need.
• Starlight Partnership Product Line Special product line in partnership with Starlight Children's Foundation offering Single AR Kits and AR Bundles, with proceeds going to pediatric programs at over 800 U.S. hospitals serving seriously ill children.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% of people are visual learners
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Starlight Children's FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Strategic partnership to bring immersive learning to seriously ill children. Starlight delivers happiness through pediatric programs at over 800 U.S. hospitals. Proceeds from Starlight product sales support the foundation's work.
• Long Lat, Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2020Manufacturing partnership for BEE Safe face masks featuring Ed Heck's whimsical artwork. Long Lat handles production and distribution while disruptED provides design and brand.
• Artworks FoundationGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership for mask donation program to children's hospitals. Artworks Foundation coordinates donations of masks featuring Ed Heck's imaginative artwork to frontline heroes.
• LEAP (Longhorn Entrepreneurship Accelerator Program)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Selected as one of first companies to partner with LEAP at McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin. MBA student teams spend 10 weeks working on business challenges including research and actionable solutions.
• DivInccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2017Selected as one of nine startups to participate in the 10-week DivInc accelerator program (April-June 2017) which champions diversity in the tech startup ecosystem. The program helped shape disruptED's product and business model through intensive mentorship and guidance.
• Capital Factory VR LabcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2017Partnership with the Virtual Reality Lab at Capital Factory in Austin for user testing, product refinement, and community support. The lab opened to the public for experiencing VR applications and featured disruptED products.
• Thinkery Children's MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Pilot program host for first round of product testing with children and parents in Austin, TX. Museum focused on connecting children to ideas of the future.
• Ithaca CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partnership began for product testing including unique use cases for learners with special needs, expanding testing beyond typical classroom settings.
• PrimePRminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2017PR and communication strategy partnership to help build brand awareness and media relations.
• General AssemblyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partnership with General Assembly graduates for product user interface improvements and customer acquisition strategy development.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Magic Leap: Magic Leap develops spatial computing hardware and developer tools used in enterprise and education contexts. It overlaps thematically with disruptED's immersive learning thesis but operates at an enterprise scale with a hardware-led model.
• LEGO Education: LEGO Education sells structured, classroom-ready kits combining physical building sets with digital learning experiences, similar to disruptED's blended physical + digital model. It is a broad incumbent with institutional distribution and curriculum alignment at global scale.
• Nearpod: Nearpod is an established K-12 platform offering interactive lessons including VR field trips and 3D experiences. It overlaps with disruptED in immersive learning content but operates at much larger scale with a broader lesson library.
• ClassDojo: ClassDojo is a widely adopted K-12 classroom engagement and content platform. While not AR/VR-native, it competes for the same teacher and district adoption wallet and increasingly bundles immersive content experiences.
• zSpace: zSpace provides AR/VR-enabled laptops and STEM learning applications for K-12 and career tech education. It targets the same district procurement budgets as disruptED's District packs but with higher-end hardware and a broader STEM catalog.

Direct peers

• Osmo (Tangible Play): Osmo blends physical game pieces with a tablet-based app to create hands-on, gamified learning for early childhood. Like disruptED, it pairs a physical kit with a digital companion app and sells direct-to-consumer starter kits plus classroom packs to schools.
• QuiverVision: QuiverVision turns physical coloring pages into 3D AR experiences via a mobile app, mirroring disruptED's physical-book-triggers-digital-content model. It sells consumer apps and education licenses to schools worldwide.
• Merge EDU: Merge EDU delivers AR/VR learning experiences through the Merge Cube and Merge headset for K-12 classrooms, targeting the same immersive-learning-in-schools use case as disruptED, including hands-on science and STEM simulations.

Emerging players

• ABCMouse (Age of Learning): Age of Learning's ABCmouse delivers early-childhood digital curriculum, including interactive books and games for Pre-K to 2nd grade. It competes with disruptED for the same household and school early-literacy adoption funnel.
• Wonder Workshop: Wonder Workshop sells Dash and Dot educational robots plus a curriculum app for elementary classrooms. It targets a similar Pre-K to 3rd grade blended-learning buyer and competes for the same EdTech budgets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/disruptedED
• Xx.com/disrupted_x
• Instagraminstagram.com/disrupted_ed

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 disruptED