With $2.3M, SecretBuilders Avoids Chocolate-Covered Broccoli
Virtual worlds, once a hot area for venture investors, is a tough space today. With competition from large competitors, a number of start-ups in this space have fallen by the wayside.
VentureWire, March 29, 2010
Secret Builders raises $2.3M to expand educational virtual world for kids
SecretBuilders is announcing today that it has raised $2.3 million in funding for its online virtual world with educational games for children. In doing so, it has shown that it’s one of the survivors of what was once a very hot sector now littered with dead companies.
Dean Takahashi, VentureBeat, March 26, 2010
SecretBuilders closes $2.3M round
Renaissance 2.0 Media, operator of the fast growing SecretBuilders.com virtual world for kids, has closed a $2.3 million round of funding. The latest infusion of venture capital brings the total raised by San Mateo-based Renaissance to a little over $4 million.
Patrick Hoge, San Francisco Business Times, March 26, 2010
There's at least half a dozen other features I could delve into to highlight the great things that SecretBuilders has built and the way the community interacts and evolves, from clubs and parties, to homes and quests. The short of it is, however, that SecretBuilders is not only fun for kids, it's mentally nutritional for them too, and it possesses and encourages social awareness. It's been used by teachers, schools, and parents; it supports education and charity.
You really can't find a bad point about SecretBuilders. If you're looking for an educational online game for your kids - or for your classroom - SecretBuilders can deliver on its promises.
Jamie Skelton, Examiner.com, January 20, 2010
The site also provides tiny clues and scaffolds for future learning, which suggests how sharp and clever the developers are! For example, our judge got a kick out of Yoricks End, a casual game of hangman that promotes spelling, but offers a simple reference to Hamlet that kids may recognize at some point in high school.
National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA), September, 2009
SecretBuilders is an enormous online world for kids to explore. Players customize their own avatars and navigate through virtual bazaars, haunted houses, magical forests, laboratories and many, many other locations, where they encounter other users, historical figures and plenty of entertaining activities. People can play games, go on quests and participate in other pursuits, usually earning "shills," the coin of the realm. Everyone gets their own home, and can spend their shills to purchase pets, furniture, and other decorations. People can also befriend other users, chat with each other, and post messages on public forums. The site says it is aimed at kids ages 5 to 14, and offers a huge variety of ways for children all across this very broad spectrum to have fun.
Will Wade, Common Sense Media, Inc., September 14, 2009
SecretBuilders is an excellent way to bring history to life for your students. They will understand historical and literary figures better as they interact with them in this virtual world. SecretBuilders is best in a lab setting where every student has access to a computer. Be sure to sign your class up under a teacher account where you can control and monitor what students are expected to do in SecretBuilders. Encourage students to interact and interview the historical figures that they encounter. They can then write an article about the historical figure for the SecretBuilders virtual newspaper. SecretBuilders is a great first stop for learning about important figures in history. It will leave them wanting more and excited to learn more about these interesting people in history.
Kelly Tenkely, iLearn Technology, K-5 Technology Teacher, August 12, 2009.
SecretBuilders.com is a safe, unique virtual world for children ages 5 to 14 years old that lets children learn through stories and themes, quests, games and activities, videos, writings, and art. All of this can be found on the various sections of the SecretBuilders.com website, which can be accessed through the home dashboard. After you have created your free account, you will be given the option to personalize your avatar and your room (home dashboard). You will then be ready to explore the SecretBuilders.com virtual world! Here are some highlights of the site and some of the features your will encounter on your journey.
Amber Coggin, Educational-freeware.com, June 2, 2009
In 2006, CEO Umair Khan hatched a concept for a virtual world that would expose kids to literature, music and fine art by encouraging them to explore their own creativity through drawing, writing, publishing and community participation. The result is SecretBuilders, a browser-based MMO where players have a direct impact on how the world evolves, looks and plays.
Erin Bell, Gamezebo, Jan 5, 2009
The site lives up to its claim as a "fun virtual world where kids live, learn and play" - there really is a lot for children to do here. Younger ones will enjoy creating their character, exploring the Enchanted Woods, Haunted Valley, Magic Bazaar or Treasure Island, and playing the great quality games. Older children can also read clues and attempt the Quests, interact with famous people from history, or get involved with the charity and fundraising element within the world, called One For All, by answering questions about math, geography or English, for example.
Little Kids Games Online, 2009
I don't even feel it does justice to just HOW MUCH is available here. There is a real sense of community as well helped out by the contests, Crooked Pencil and even people helping each other on quests. Can you tell I love Secret Builders? … This is the first time my husband has LAUGHED at how much time I spent on a game and said, What’s so great about the site anyway? I think my reply was something like: Um, everything. It is a joy to review kid’s games and sites when I am given one as high quality as www.secretbuilders.com. NOW you know something for FREE your kids (and you) can do over winter break and STILL learn while having fun.
Jenny Mannion, Kids Computer Games Recommendations, December 16, 2008
But the one feature that stands apart is that children publish their works, turning the site into a personalized store of creativity. Drawings, writings and videos can be readily posted and then commented upon by family members and acquaintances. Needless to say, such a system is a big motivational resource in itself, and it can make any child start realizing his potential. As you can see, I found this portal a very interesting resource and I am sure that parents and their children will find a visit to it worthwhile.
KillerStartups, December 9, 2008
Wow, it seems to me that SecretBuilders carries all the criteria for a fun AND educational Virtual World for children. If you would like to venture forth into a fantastic place, visit SecretBuilders…You can even do fun activities to help earn money for your school... how cool is that?
Teri, This Virtual World, December 7, 2008
SecretBuilders has an interesting twist. Fun AND education. … Likewise, players can create pictures via their mouse cursor, but what they may not realize is that they're painting over, or mimicking a painting done by a famous artist – learning tools included. The world also includes a plethora of writing and art contests to enter, a kids magazine and room customization/ personalization tools. So far we've got a new Virtual World with an innovative concept – but how about some support? Well getting a nod from Arianna Huffington at The Huffington Post isn't a bad way to start. On December 10th, SecretBuilders will launch a contest titled "Dear Mr. President" where users can submit a photo including a caption addressed to president-elect Barack Obama. The Huffington Post will publish the winning entry on President's Day.
Dan Taylor, Fatfoogoo, December 5, 2008
New Online World Takes Kids Adventuring With Shakespeare; SecretBuilders Launches a Web World Where Kids Dive Into Cultural History, Virtually
Yahoo News, December 4, 2008
The integration of the learning elements can be clever. Kids can paint black-and-white pictures by pointing a paint brush with the mouse cursor. They may not know it, but they will be painting over a famous piece by a well-known artist.
Dean Takahashi, VentureBeat, December 4, 2008
It's this subtle infusion of education, along with human moderators to make sure messages contain nothing inappropriate, that could make SecretBuilders.com one of the few games that wary parents would allow and even encourage their kids to play.
Michael Lee, Red Herring, December 4, 2008
Secret Builders is announcing today an online virtual world with educational games for children. In doing so, it joins a bunch of rivals going after the kids online game market, from Zookazoo to Club Penguin.
The Industry Standard, December 4th, 2008
Secret Builders features a lot of the staples of kids worlds, exploration, quests, games, virtual homes and pets to maintain, and social interaction. What it describes as its main differentiator is an emphasis on education.
Virtual Worlds News, December 4, 2008
SecretBuilders, a virtual world with an emphasis on creativity and historical adventure for children 6 to 14 years old.On SecretBuilders, children are exposed to stories and concepts from the arts and humanities as they interact and play among fictional and historical characters including Shakespeare, Sherlock Holmes, Galileo and Socrates.
eMediaWire, December 4, 2008
International Coverage
I don't even feel it does justice to just HOW MUCH is available here. There is a real sense of community as well helped out by the contests, Crooked Pencil and even people helping each other on quests. Can you tell I love Secret Builders? … This is the first time my husband has LAUGHED at how much time I spent on a game and said, What’s so great about the site anyway? I think my reply was something like: Um, everything. It is a joy to review kid’s games and sites when I am given one as high quality as www.secretbuilders.com. NOW you know something for FREE your kids (and you) can do over winter break and STILL learn while having fun.
Jenny Mannion, Kids Computer Games Recommendations, December 16, 2008
But the one feature that stands apart is that children publish their works, turning the site into a personalized store of creativity. Drawings, writings and videos can be readily posted and then commented upon by family members and acquaintances. Needless to say, such a system is a big motivational resource in itself, and it can make any child start realizing his potential. As you can see, I found this portal a very interesting resource and I am sure that parents and their children will find a visit to it worthwhile.
KillerStartups, December 9, 2008
Wow, it seems to me that SecretBuilders carries all the criteria for a fun AND educational Virtual World for children. If you would like to venture forth into a fantastic place, visit SecretBuilders…You can even do fun activities to help earn money for your school... how cool is that?
Teri, This Virtual World, December 7, 2008
SecretBuilders has an interesting twist. Fun AND education. … Likewise, players can create pictures via their mouse cursor, but what they may not realize is that they're painting over, or mimicking a painting done by a famous artist – learning tools included. The world also includes a plethora of writing and art contests to enter, a kids magazine and room customization/ personalization tools. So far we've got a new Virtual World with an innovative concept – but how about some support? Well getting a nod from Arianna Huffington at The Huffington Post isn't a bad way to start. On December 10th, SecretBuilders will launch a contest titled "Dear Mr. President" where users can submit a photo including a caption addressed to president-elect Barack Obama. The Huffington Post will publish the winning entry on President's Day.
Dan Taylor, Fatfoogoo, December 5, 2008
New Online World Takes Kids Adventuring With Shakespeare; SecretBuilders Launches a Web World Where Kids Dive Into Cultural History, Virtually
Yahoo News, December 4, 2008
The integration of the learning elements can be clever. Kids can paint black-and-white pictures by pointing a paint brush with the mouse cursor. They may not know it, but they will be painting over a famous piece by a well-known artist.
Dean Takahashi, VentureBeat, December 4, 2008
It's this subtle infusion of education, along with human moderators to make sure messages contain nothing inappropriate, that could make SecretBuilders.com one of the few games that wary parents would allow and even encourage their kids to play.
Michael Lee, Red Herring, December 4, 2008
Secret Builders is announcing today an online virtual world with educational games for children. In doing so, it joins a bunch of rivals going after the kids online game market, from Zookazoo to Club Penguin.
The Industry Standard, December 4th, 2008
Secret Builders features a lot of the staples of kids worlds, exploration, quests, games, virtual homes and pets to maintain, and social interaction. What it describes as its main differentiator is an emphasis on education.
Virtual Worlds News, December 4, 2008
SecretBuilders, a virtual world with an emphasis on creativity and historical adventure for children 6 to 14 years old.On SecretBuilders, children are exposed to stories and concepts from the arts and humanities as they interact and play among fictional and historical characters including Shakespeare, Sherlock Holmes, Galileo and Socrates.
eMediaWire, December 4, 2008
International Coverage
New Online World Takes Kids Adventuring With Shakespeare; SecretBuilders Launches a Web World Where Kids Dive Into Cultural History, Virtually
International Business Times, December 4, 2008
[SecretBuilders] also differs from other virtual kid sites because of the educational and cultural information it provides without taking away from the entertainment that the site is supposed to provide.
Jehan Ara, In the Line of the Wire, December 14, 2008
SecretBuilders.com has taken kids into a cultural and educational adventure and seems to have captured their imaginations - kids, parents and educators are all loving it.
Tea Break, December 14, 2008
Con juegos, misterios, mascotas, concursos y muchas actividades educativas, este portal ha sido pensado para que maestros y padres puedan también formar parte de la comunidad de forma active.
Juan Diego Polo, wwwhat’s new, December 9, 2008
