The “Ohrlaf” audio box is intended to promote the hearing and perceptual development of children and at the same time relieve the burden on parents. But managing director Kilian Wimmer’s plans have a catch – and an enormous market competitor…
Many parents face the same problem on extremely cold or rainy days: How do I entertain the children in their own four walls today? Conventional toys quickly become uninteresting, and sometimes the little ones lack motivation. Admittedly, streaming videos on your tablet or smartphone is sometimes okay, but not always or even a permanent solution.
Children can learn a lot. But you shouldn’t do this exclusively on the screen. That’s why the Obergünzburg start-up wants to change how children interact and learn. That is the belief of founder and managing director Kilian Wimmer. With a broad grin, the qualified physicist thinks of his two-year-old daughter and explains in an interview how he wants to establish himself in a flooded market.
B4BSCHWABEN.de: How did the Ohrlaf develop and what are your motivations?
Kilian: “In 2015 I had the idea for a sound memory, similar to the classic search game, only it should be about sounds. An electrical engineer friend motivated me to build a prototype. Then I gave my audio-based game first to friends, then to a few daycare centers in the Allgäu to try out. In addition, one of the first test runs was the Johan August Zeune School in Berlin for children with visual impairments. Here too, the feedback was positive. I quickly realized that Ohrlaf is much more than just a game. In 2022 I went all out, quit my job in software development and founded. Now we are pursuing the vision of delighting children with meticulously and lovingly designed educational toys.”
What is the product idea?
“A toy specifically without a screen to allow full focus on the audio functions. In this way, curiosity is aroused for the subject alone and the learning process is perceived as an adventure. Our basic game package consists of a colorful mix of sound experiences: three different sound memory packages, in audio versions. But we also offer a combination mode and two audio puzzles in the starter set. With our cylindrical expansion packages, which include arithmetic or animal sound games, Ohrlaf also grows in height exactly in time with the child’s development phases and interests.”
The way it works is literally “child’s play”…
“Correct! The different shapes and colors of the game pieces encourage the child to try things out. The functions are absolutely simple and quick to learn. By placing or flipping the playing cards on the action area of the device, songs, words or sounds are played. The child has the freedom to learn through play as each sound is designed as a lesson or task. There is direct feedback on the moves from the loudspeaker, i.e. assistance with sentences like ‘Unfortunately that didn’t fit’ or ‘Which animal makes meow?’ With each repetition, important neural connections are formed in children’s brains and, in contrast to apps on a tablet, for example, children can also experience and grasp the objects haptically.”
The Ohrlaf motivates children to play and communicate with each other. (Source: Ohrlaf GmbH)
Many parents choose similar products, such as the popular Toniebox. What makes Ohrlach more interesting?
“We are just different. If a child wants to listen to a story to fall asleep or music during the day, the Toniebox is great. Here, however, the interaction remains purely passive. Ohrlaf is interactive! It motivates children to play and communicate with each other. This works particularly well in daycare centers where there are many children with different native languages. We are convinced of our functional and emotional components.”
What are you planning for the 2024 financial year?
“In order to establish the fascinating sound world around Ohrlaf on the market, our start-up needs around 500 pre-orders. This is the only way we can collect the necessary financial support from investors and the security to bring the sound device into series production. We plan to ship Ohrlaf at the end of 2024. But financing plays an important role. The previous models were created in our 3D printer. Since we have to cover the development costs in advance, we are now dependent on external capital – and that is not easy to come by these days. As a young company, we have already experienced some ups and downs. But we are firmly convinced that Ohrlaf is not just a box with a loudspeaker, but a valuable character and companion.”