Dive Brief:

• Tiggly Counts, set for release in Apple Stores on Nov. 11 and already available via Amazon, uses colored rods and a tablet to help teach math to kids from ages 2 to 7.  
• CEO Phyl Georgiou explained to Xconomy that real-world connections are key to digital learning experiences, especially at these early ages when physical play matters most. Tiggly Counts and Georgiou's first app, Tiggly Shapes, manage to integrate the two domains.   
• Tiggly raised $4 million in September during a Series A round that was spearheaded by Habermaass GMBH, a toy and learning company based in Germany.  

Dive Insight:

Tiggly Counts integrates the real world with technology by asking children to use what's around them as they interact with their tablet. For example, children may be asked to place a certain number of colored rods on top of the tablet. They get the tactile experience along with the speed, support, and efficiency of a digitized product. Georgiou believes what sets his product apart is that it engages various senses. While other products may focus on a funny digital character or "right versus wrong" answers, his product is pushing children to actually interact with the world. "Tiggly wants to help preserve the idea that physical toys are an important part of the toy box; it’s not just about the app store,” Georgiou told Xconomy.