Innovation

With a unique way of learning and experiencing emotions and feelings without judgment, Peppy Pals delivers apps that are designed for all children ages 2 to 8, regardless of special needs, nationality and beliefs, to learn and practice their emotional intelligence.

With the focus on positive reinforcement they encourage kids with humor and hugs instead of collecting stars and scores.

Peppy Pals is based on the knowledge of EQ and has carefully been developed with well-known EQ psychologists and researchers.

Inspiration

Rosie Linder, the founder and CEO, refers in our talk to The World Economic Forum’s research where it has concluded that emotional intelligence will be one of the top 10 decisive skill sets in 2020. This supports Peppy Pals’ ambition to bring EQ as both a mandatory subject in school and a training tool at home.

Overall impact

Peppy Pals is a startup and during the past two years has been on the top list in the child category in the App Store, and recommended worldwide by both the Google Play and Amazon App stores.

Peppy Pals builds bridges between children and parents, teachers and guardians.

Business benefit

The apps cost 29 Swedish Kronas and has been downloaded 240,000 times in 150 countries. The company has been awarded grants from the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority and Reach For Change. It has also attracted business angels to invest 650,000 Kronas.

Apart from the apps, Peppy Pals has expanded its range and also offers books and e-books in English and Swedish on the empathy theme together with the Peppy Pals characters.

Social and environmental benefit

Preschools use Peppy Pals daily with great benefit.

A global survey performed in 2015 showed that 80% of parents and teachers find Peppy Pals helpful in discussions about emotions and 90% noticed that children increased their empathy.

This year, it has partnered with 6Seconds and its Synapse School in Menlo Park, CA. Together they will perform a controlled research study this fall involving several different preschools and the effect both digital learning as well as EQ curriculum has on kids, teachers and parents. The Yale Center of Emotional Intelligence will also participate.

Interview

Rosie Linder, Founder and CEO