4 min read
Reedah El-Saie captured the attention (and investment) of three high-profile dragons this week, securing £30,000 to scale her educational gaming startup, Brainspark Games.
Reedah, a London-based mother of three and solo female founder of diverse heritage, appeared on the show with a proven track record and a mission: to make learning fun, inclusive, and accessible. Brainspark Games, founded in 2021 after six months of market research, is an AI-powered, augmented reality mobile platform targeting primary and secondary learners aged 7-14, including neurodiverse and BAME students, through culturally inclusive, curriculum-aligned games.
Supported by seven Innovate UK grants and partnerships with universities, local authorities, and global corporates, the platform covers subjects like English, Mathematics, History, Art, Physics, Biology, and climate studies, condensing 12 weeks of term-time learning into a few hours of immersive gameplay. The company has achieved nearly 71,000 global downloads, partnered with 38 schools and six local authorities, and expanded into juvenile secure centers, but it remains pre-revenue, relying on grants and investments amid challenges in monetizing school sales.
The deal was announced after her appearance on a popular business pitch show, where Sara Davies, Deborah Meaden and Touker Suleyman each pledged £10,000 for a 1 % equity stake in the company.
Reedah appeared on the show with a proven track-record and a mission: make learning fun and inclusive. Brainspark Games is an AI-powered mobile platform that aims to engage primary and secondary learners, including neurodiverse students, through culturally inclusive, curriculum-aligned gaming experiences. Supported by Innovate UK, the platform offers games across English, Mathematics, History, Art, Physics, Biology and even climate studies.
Reedah explained how she prepared for the pitch:
Before I headed into the studio I watched every previous episode of the show and prepared responses for every possible question. I was surprised at how impressed the tycoons were, and I’m delighted to have been offered investment from not one, but three of them.
She added:
Deborah Meaden was extremely enthusiastic about my educational business, as was Sara Davies, who, as a fellow mother, connected with my vision of easing homework challenges for children and parents. Touker Suleyman’s expertise will be pivotal as we look towards launching a branded merchandise line. I couldn’t be happier with the result.
Women in [such fields] are a game changer. [This inclusion] will transform you and your business and enable you to create an outward looking, global ‘can do’ approach to growth and expansion.
The funding reflects the Dragons’ belief in Reedah’s clear value-proposition: around 35 % of children reportedly feel disengaged from learning; BAME and neurodiverse learners fall 18-40 months behind their peers; and a large share fail GCSEs on their first attempt. Brainspark’s market challenge is steep, but the upside is compelling, particularly when 91 % of UK children already play games.
By offering free, AI-enhanced educational mobile games, the company bridges the divide between screen time and curriculum outcomes. The platform condenses 12 weeks of term-time learning into a few focused gameplay hours and has already been tested with over 3,800 parents, homeschools, educators, schools and youth centres.
With the combined investment and investor expertise, Reedah plans to accelerate production of both primary and I/GCSE-level games, expand neurogames technology and scale internationally. The momentum aligns with the company’s goal to make difficult subjects accessible to students from all backgrounds and abilities.
Brainspark Games is already backed by eight Innovate UK grants and partnerships with universities and global corporates. By offering free, AI-enhanced games, Brainspark bridges screen time and curriculum outcomes, tested with over 3,800 parents, homeschoolers, educators, schools, and youth centers.
Holiday camps, free for children on school meals in deprived areas, extend virtual learning to real-world activities, like building bug hotels. However, as a non-technical founder, Reedah has faced obstacles in resourcing and fundraising, building resilience through programs like Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation, which she credits for boosting confidence and securing £555,000 in additional grants.
Reedah El-Saie’s story evidences how edtech innovation can attract mainstream investment and media attention. The real test lies in turning narrative into numbers, scaling effectively and fulfilling the promise of inclusive education through play.
You can check out Brainspark website from the comfort of your home. For the apps, here are the iOS and Android links.
