# Begin

> Begin (legally Conscious Content Media, dba BEGiN) is a New York-based early-learning company that builds research-backed, play-based products for kids ages 2-10. Its portfolio - HOMER, codeSpark, Little Passports, and the Sesame Workshop partnership app Learn with Sesame - blends digital, physical, and experiential learning around a '6Cs' skills framework, and has reached more than 10 million families. Backed by LEGO Ventures, Sesame Workshop, and Gymboree, the company raised a $94.5M Series D in late 2022 before entering a prenegotiated Chapter 11 restructuring in December 2025 to cut roughly $106.5M in debt and continue operating its brands.

- **Founded:** 2011
- **Headquarters:** New York, New York, United States
- **Founders:** Neal Shenoy (Co-Founder & CEO), Stephanie Powell Dua (Co-Founder & President), Noelle Millholt (Co-Founder & Chief Revenue Officer)
- **Team size:** Approximately 410 employees (per Apollo/LinkedIn data)
- **Products:** HOMER, codeSpark Academy, Little Passports, Learn with Sesame (Street), KidPass
- **Notable:** Reached 10M+ families and children with its early-learning products., Built a multi-brand portfolio - HOMER, codeSpark, Little Passports, KidPass - under one membership umbrella., Partnered with Sesame Workshop to launch Learn with Sesame.

## Products & services

- **HOMER** — Flagship personalized early-learning app teaching reading, math, and foundational skills for kids roughly 2-8, with a research-based, adaptive curriculum.
- **codeSpark Academy** — Award-winning app that teaches kids as young as four the basics of coding and computational thinking through wordless, game-based puzzles.
- **Little Passports** — Subscription kits that deliver hands-on geography, science, and discovery activities to kids' doorsteps; acquired by Begin in 2021.
- **Learn with Sesame (Street)** — Social-emotional and academic learning app for kids 2-5, built in partnership with Sesame Workshop and featuring Sesame Street characters.
- **KidPass** — Marketplace/membership for discovering kids' classes and activities, part of Begin's experiential learning offering.

## Achievements

- Reached 10M+ families and children with its early-learning products.
- Built a multi-brand portfolio - HOMER, codeSpark, Little Passports, KidPass - under one membership umbrella.
- Partnered with Sesame Workshop to launch Learn with Sesame.
- Raised over $180M in total funding from LEGO Ventures, Sesame Workshop, and Gymboree.
- Acquired Little Passports (2021) to expand into physical subscription kits.
- Completed a prenegotiated Chapter 11 restructuring eliminating roughly $106.5M in debt while keeping all brands operating.

## Latest updates

- **2025-12** — Parent company Conscious Content Media filed a prenegotiated Chapter 11 in Delaware to eliminate ~$106.5M in debt, secure ~$20M in new exit capital, and keep HOMER, codeSpark, KidPass, and Little Passports running. Confirmation hearing set for February 2026.
- **2022-12** — Closed a $94.5M Series D round.
- **2022-09** — Announced Learn with Sesame social-emotional learning app with Sesame Workshop.
- **2021-11** — Acquired Little Passports, a leading kids' subscription service.

## Links

- Website: https://www.beginlearning.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/begin-learning
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/Begin_Learning
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beginlearning
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Begin-Learning/100090481518717
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beginlearning

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/begin
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-06-07