Qualcomm Ventures, the corporate venturing unit of mobile and computing systems company Qualcomm, has invested an undisclosed amount of capital in a series C round of funding in China-based Saybot. The target company specialises in digital education products, namely its Alo7.com online English programme geared for Chinese children aged 5 to 7.
Other investors in the round included UMC Capital, Vickers and other international venture capital funds, it has been reported. The deal is reportedly worth tens of millions of US dollars.
Alo7 is a virtual environment designed specifically to teach Chinese children authentic English. Children learn English and many other skills while traveling around the Alo7 ‘world’, including having their own pets to take care of and take to new places.
While traveling around the world learning English, kids can also learn about the geography, history, and culture of many countries, complete various tasks and challenges and play educational games.
Qualcomm Ventures’ James Shen will be managing the Alo7 investment.
Other interactive education investee companies under the Qualcomm Ventures umbrella includes Cha Cha, a North America-based app company that can text anwers via mobile phone to any question in conversational English and receive an accurate answer.