AT&T deal brings head-to-head ‘Pet Battles’ to Boddle in a first for the KC-made edtech app

May 20, 2022  |  Startland News Staff

A new collaboration between Boddle Learning and AT&T hopes to keep students plugged into learning long after they’ve unplugged from the classroom. 

“With summer break quickly approaching, it’s important to help kids maintain knowledge outside of the classroom,” AT&T said in a release announcing its teamed up with Tulsa-based, Kansas City-born Boddle to introduce new in-app features to its “Pet Battles” educational game that are expected to “supplement and enhance lessons through immersive, interactive experiences with the help of AT&T 5G.1” technology. 

Click here to learn more about Boddle Learning — a finalist for the just-announced Oklahoma Most Promising New Venture honors — or here to download the app.

The game introduced player versus player functionality into the Boddle app for the first time, creating opportunities for students to play against their peers at various grade levels, the companies explained, noting such capability is fueled by artificial intelligence which customizes math questions for each player based on their learning needs.

Click here to read about Boddle’s 2021 $1.35 million funding round, led by Atento Capital and included Kansas City’s own KCRise Fund. 

“We’ve supported kids, parents, and teachers with engaging math through at-home and in-school learning and seen firsthand how learning through gameplay helps kids unlock their confidence to learn,” said Clarence Tan, co-founder of Boddle. 

“Our team at Boddle is excited to continue expanding learning opportunities for kids of all demographics through this AT&T 5G collaboration that will open the possibilities of where and how kids learn and really bring math to life through AR.”

Boddle previously completed the AT&T Accelerator and was in 2019 awarded $25,000 through its “Pitches with Purpose” contest. The company’s continued collaboration with the educational technology (edtech) startup is its latest show of commitment to advance educational opportunities for students no matter where they learn, it said. 

“Gamified learning is ushering in the next generation of education, and keeping kids connected will be key,” said Glenn Couper, assistant vice president of 5G product and innovation. 

“Boddle’s customized learning platform brings an immediate benefit for students today, making learning more interactive, interesting, accessible, and fun. We’re proud to help them unlock the connected learning of tomorrow that will reshape education as we know it.”

As part of the collaboration, Boddle will also contribute video lessons and activities to AT&T and its free, digital learning platform “The Achievery” — an effort to make distance learning more entertaining, engaging, and inspiring for students and part of the company’s AT&T Connected Learning initiative which promotes digital inclusion, literacy, and learning solutions.

[divide]

This story is possible thanks to support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, a private, nonpartisan foundation that works together with communities in education and entrepreneurship to create uncommon solutions and empower people to shape their futures and be successful.

For more information, visit www.kauffman.org and connect at www.twitter.com/kauffmanfdn and www.facebook.com/kauffmanfdn

Tagged , , ,
Featured Business
    Featured Founder
      [adinserter block="4"]

      2022 Startups to Watch

        stats here

        Related Posts on Startland News

        LISTEN: How this startup helps brands ditch plastic without disrupting manufacturing

        By Tommy Felts | August 22, 2025

        On this episode of Startland News’ new Plug and Play Topeka founder podcast series, we sit down with Anthony Musumeci — CEO of Earthodic — to explore the future of sustainable packaging. Discover how Earthodic’s flagship product, Biobarc, delivers water-resistant, recyclable paper coatings made entirely from bio-based ingredients — closing the loop on waste without sacrificing…

        KCSourceLink expands bilingual entrepreneur-focused support, adding two more Community Navigators

        By Tommy Felts | August 22, 2025

        A network of “Community Navigators” is extending resources deeper into Kansas City’s entrepreneur community, KCSourceLink announced Friday, detailing the hiring of Citlali Valdez and Racquel Rodriguez to its months-old connectivity program. “We are thrilled to welcome these experienced team members,” said Becca Castro, senior director of regional ecosystem development at the UMKC Innovation Center, which…

        Meet the Lumi Award winners: Digital Health KC salutes pioneers leading innovation trends

        By Tommy Felts | August 21, 2025

        A lot of smart investors are betting on artificial intelligence, said Dick Flanigan, telling a crowd gathered Thursday at Digital Health Day that even if AI doesn’t turn every startup that uses it into a multi-million-dollar company, the technology still will fundamentally reshape health care. “It’s transformational,” said Flanigan, CEO of Digital Health KC and…

        Meta’s billion-dollar KC data center just came online; here’s what the region expects it to generate

        By Tommy Felts | August 21, 2025

        As Meta officially flipped the switch this week on its Kansas City Data Center — making the $1 billion project part of the company’s global infrastructure — the move positions the metro as a hub for cutting-edge tech, said Quinton Lucas. “Meta’s investment in Kansas City is a clear signal that our city is a…