Sandbox Acquires Brazil’s PlayKids

Sandbox & Co has acquired PlayKids, a digital education platform in Brazil.

PlayKids provides video content, books and eLearning experiences through two core brands: the PlayKids app, a VOD platform for children aged 2 to 6, and Leiturinha, a kids’ book-subscription service. Together, they reach more than 4 million monthly users.

PlayKids’ majority owner, Movile, will become a minority investor in Sandbox as a result of the acquisition.

“We have been big fans of PlayKids and Leiturinha and are delighted to welcome them to the Sandbox family as a perfect complement to our existing suite of products,” said Bhav Singh, founder and CEO of Sandbox. “I’m excited to have Guilherme Martins, CEO of PlayKids, on board to lead the rollout of our wider portfolio into LatAm and am equally thrilled that Movile is joining us as shareholders as we continue to build toward an industrial-scale enterprise focused on super-serving millennial and Gen Z families.”

“Last year, following the pandemic’s impact, there was a clear uptake in digital acceleration and a need to quickly reinvent how kids are educated and entertained during the lockdowns,” said Guilherme Martins, CEO of PlayKids and founder of Leiturinha. “I see that trend continuing and am excited to work with Bhav and the other Sandboxers to extend our digital offerings and introduce Sandbox’s online learning products to the Latin American market.”

“Movile’s goal is to build leading companies that can transform the world, help them solve challenges and accelerate their growth,” said Silvia Motta, strategy and M&A director at Movile. “We have built PlayKids from an app serving a few thousand learners to a globally recognized children’s education platform in the last few years. With the great talent, know-how and entrepreneurial grit that Sandbox offers, the combination of the two businesses will deliver engaging educational experiences and improve learning around the world. We look forward to continuing on this journey with Sandbox.”