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Lumi Interactive has introduced a $6.75M seed funding, led by a16z. 1Up Ventures, Galileo Ventures, and Heracles Capital additionally participated within the spherical. Double Loop Video games boss Emily Greer additionally participated as an angel investor.
The oversubscribed seed spherical is the biggest enterprise capital funding right into a female-founded sport studio in Australia. The studio is the developer behind Kinder World, a free cell sport which lets gamers handle digital houseplants by performing real-world mindfulness duties.
“Lumi is moving into a quick rising and far wanted class of their very own,” mentioned a16z’s James Gwertzman. “Right here, the aim is just not to obtain or compete, however somewhat to decelerate, step again, and take a a lot wanted psychological well being break.”
Lumi Interactive will use the funds to pursue its mission to make the world a kinder place. It plans to develop its growth workforce and scale Kinder World for a big international launch. The studio needs to bring the Kinder World expertise to extra platforms, each on-line and offline.
So what’s Kinder World, and what’s ‘crowdhealing’
Kinder World asks gamers to interact in evidence-based self-care actions. Lumi Interactive employs a full-time wellbeing researcher, a Dr. Hannah C. Gunderman, whose work is what informs the totally different actions inside the sport. The whole sport is predicated on her idea of ‘crowdhealing,’ and as soon as gamers handle their very own emotional wellbeing they’re gently pushed to attain out to different gamers.
The concept is that these acts of ‘kindfulness’ will enhance each particular person participant wellbeing and, on the similar time, the wellbeing of the complete group.
“These previous few years have been something however variety,” mentioned Lumi Interactive boss Lauren Clinnick, in a press release to GamesBeat. “However even within the depths of Melbourne’s lengthy lockdowns, my small workforce noticed how on a regular basis acts of compassion, to ourselves and others, may make the world appear to be a kinder place.”
Kinder World has form of blown up on TikTok, attracting an viewers of principally ladies and non-binary folks. Lumi Interactive is capitalizing on the increase in reputation to work with followers on growth of the sport. Thanks to their enter Lumi Interactive is in a position to be sure that the sport doesn’t simply really feel like pointless busywork.
Kinder World is accessible on iOS and Android, and is anticipating a full launch in late 2022.
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