Biba Awarded WINN Financing to Build Healthy Kids and Healthy Communities through Technology

Funding announcement recognizes Biba’s advanced technology innovation in an industry that hasn’t seen change in over 100 years

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 13, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Biba, the pioneer behind a movement aimed at getting kids healthy and active through the use of technology on the playground, announces it has been selected as one of the 17 innovative Canadian companies to share a pot of $20 million in funding from Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) through the Western Innovation (WINN) Initiative. The new funding signifies that Biba’s innovation is changing the ways kids and communities come together in traditional playgrounds, from Singapore to Saskatoon, Detroit to Dublin, and Santiago to St. John’s.

“By supporting innovative companies like Biba, our government is ensuring Canadian companies have the tools they need to scale up and remain competitive on the global stage,” said the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science, and Economic Development and Minister responsible for Western Economic Diversification Canada. “Incorporating technology into game play to get screen-savvy children back outdoors will ensure our future generation of leaders can continue to live a healthy, social, and active lifestyle.”

The announcement comes on the heels of a number of other accolades that recognize Biba for its role in innovation when it comes to fostering healthy kids and communities on a global scale; in addition to thousands of smart playgrounds popping up across North America, there are new sites going live in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Israel, Chile, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. Driving this growth, Biba has raised more than $1.5 million in seed capital as well as financing from the Canada Media Fund, Global Affairs Canada, and various provincial programs.

“The idea of a “smart city” is no longer a buzzword,” said Matt Toner, Biba CEO. “We have had conversations with municipal managers and parks and recreation departments from different cities, and the interest in data-driven solutions is abundant. They love our approach of using new technology to get kids back on traditional playgrounds for the healthy, outdoor fun they need. This new funding will allow us to move from the fun factor of Biba and dive deeper into the data science that will be used by city managers to make better decisions in partnership with their local communities. And we’ll be working with some world-class experts in the science of kids and play, wonderful people from the RAND Corporation, and academics from universities across Canada.”

Biba is on a mission to get kids active and foster healthy communities worldwide. At the core of this mission is a suite of family-oriented games that perfectly combines physical and digital play. With more than 1,000,000 minutes of healthy play, these games enable parents of screen-savvy kids to get back outside and active in their local communities.

Biba has close to 4,000 playgrounds worldwide, which are equipped with easy-to-install augmented reality markers. These playgrounds have made an impact in more than 1,000 communities of all shapes, sizes, and descriptions. Biba’s data-driven insights are kidSafe Certified, COPPA compliant, and in line with the new GDPR guidelines from the European Union.

ABOUT BIBA
Led by icons in the game industry, Biba is on a mission to get kids off the couch and back outside through smart playground experiences that combine both imaginative, inclusive, physical and digital play. Biba’s suite of augmented reality games and mobile apps use imaginative prompts, scenarios and iconic family entertainment brands to guide families through a series of active playground adventures, which leads them to play longer, harder, and more often.

Contact
Olivia Catuara
Uproar PR for Biba Ventures
ocatuara@uproarpr.com
312-878-4575 x246