# Maka Kids

> Maka Kids is a Detroit-based children's media company building an ad-free, algorithm-free streaming app for kids ages 0 to 6. Founded in 2023 by Isabel Sheinman and Tanyella Leta, the company designs screen time around child well-being rather than engagement. Every piece of content is scored against Maka Imprint, a patent-pending developmental framework built over two years of research with the Yale Child Study Center that maps seven domains of early childhood development across more than 650 indicators. Maka raised $3 million in seed funding led by Michigan Rise in May 2026.

- **Founded:** 2023
- **Headquarters:** Detroit, Michigan, United States
- **Founders:** Isabel Sheinman (Co-founder & CEO), Tanyella Leta (Co-founder)
- **Team size:** About 12 employees
- **Products:** Maka Kids app, Maka Imprint
- **Notable:** Raised $3M seed round led by Michigan Rise (May 2026), Built Maka Imprint, a patent-pending framework mapping 650+ developmental indicators across seven domains, Two years of R&D in collaboration with the Yale Child Study Center

## Products & services

- **Maka Kids app** — An ad-free, algorithm-free iOS streaming app for children ages 0-6 offering curated, expert-reviewed video. No recommendation engine, no autoplay, enforced time limits, parent-selected channels (kindness, STEM, emotional regulation, movement), gentle wind-down cues, multiple child profiles, and AirPlay support.
- **Maka Imprint** — A patent-pending developmental evaluation framework built over two years of R&D with researchers at the Yale Child Study Center. Maps seven core domains of early childhood development across 650+ indicators and analyzes pacing, stimulation, color contrast, and narrative structure to score content.

## Achievements

- Raised $3M seed round led by Michigan Rise (May 2026)
- Built Maka Imprint, a patent-pending framework mapping 650+ developmental indicators across seven domains
- Two years of R&D in collaboration with the Yale Child Study Center
- Selected as a Harvard Innovation Labs venture
- Amassed a waitlist of thousands of families before public launch
- Founding team previously distributed 15M+ children's books across 26 countries via the nonprofit Nabu

## Latest updates

- **2026-05** — Closed $3M seed round led by Michigan Rise with participation from Union Heritage, Flybridge, Detroit Venture Partners, Invest Detroit and others.
- **2026-05** — Featured in TechCrunch for redefining kids' screen time with a well-being-first streaming app.
- **2026** — Private iOS beta planned for summer 2026, with a public launch on iPhone and iPad targeted for fall 2026 at $11.99/month.

## Links

- Website: https://makakids.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/maka-media
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trymakakids
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trymakakids

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/maka-kids
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-04