#Kidtech podcast
#Kidtech is a series of interviews and discussions with the people shaping the kids digital media sector.
SEASON 5
Latest Episode:
Episode 2: John Baulch, Managing Director of Toy World, on how the toy industry has changed from the launch of Toy World to today.
Hear John Baulch discuss why he set up Toy World, how toy professionals have changed over the time, how he thinks the retail toy industry will evolve in the future and can you build a new, successful toy company in 2023?
Listen here: Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music and Soundcloud
Episode 1: Emily Horgan, Kids Media Consultant on lessons for brands looking to build new IP, what’s the best way to release a family movie today and her view on everything gaming.
Hear Emily Horgan, Independent Kids Media Consultant, discuss what she is seeing work for brands looking to build new IP, her view on gaming and how streaming platforms are approaching it and if family movies do better when released on streaming platforms, theatres or both
Listen here: Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music and Soundcloud
SEASON 4
Episode 6: Katie Bailey, Content Director & Editor of Kidscreen on what’s changing in the kids’ space, is the industry keeping up with kids changing behaviours & giving a behind the scenes look at her day-to-day
Hear Katie Bailey, Content Director & Editor of Kidscreen, talk about her journey getting to where she is today, what’s changed in the kids industry recently, highlights from the last year and looking at what her day-to-day looks like.
Listen here: Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music and Soundcloud
Episode 5: Chris Priebe, Founder of Two Hat, on online moderation, the story behind Two Hat and the unsolved areas of community toxicity and safety
Hear Chris Priebe, the Founder of content moderation platform Two Hat, talk about his journey of starting the company and now getting acquired by Microsoft, the challenges still facing moderation online communities, what part AI can play and what he thinks the future of online community looks like.
Listen here: Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music and Soundcloud
Episode 4: Zak Ringelstein, Founder & CEO of Zigazoo, on how Gen Alpha is a generation of creators, & how Zigazoo gets feedback on their UX and app design from young audiences
Hear Zak Ringelstein discuss how they approach NFTs for kids, how important community is to Zigazoo, when and how does a fandom develop and how they go about getting UX and app design feedback
Listen here: Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music and Soundcloud
Episode 3: Julia Goldin, Chief Product & Marketing Officer at the LEGO Group, on how they are approaching creating a metaverse which is safe for kids
Hear Julia Goldin discuss the possibilities within the metaverse that come with the recent Epic Games and LEGO partnership as well as what LEGO thinks will be the main challenges and opportunities for digital engagement with this new generation of kids.
Listen here: Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music and Soundcloud.
Episode 2: Lane Merrifield, Founder of Club Penguin on how their success was a precursor to the metaverse today
Join Dylan Collins in conversation with Lane Merrifield, Founder of Club Penguin, on why your brand needs to put community first, the challenges they faced when they were launching their subscription model and how the enormous success of Club Penguin was in many ways a precursor to what we understand as the metaverse today.
Listen here: Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music and Soundcloud.
Episode 1: Chris Williams, Founder & CEO of pocket.watch on the future of kids’ entertainment
Pocket.watch is a leading creator media company that specializes in entertaining and inspiring kids and families through digital-first content. Chris Williams, Founder & CEO, joins Dylan Collins to talk about the history of pocket.watch, the challenges they faced along the way, the future of the kids’ entertainment space and what platforms creators should put their focus on.
Listen here: Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music and Soundcloud.
SEASON 3
#Kidtech Season 3, Episode 13: David Kleeman, Dubit SVP, Global Trends, on the role of kids in the metaverse
Dubit is a kids research and development agency. SVP, Global Trends, David Kleeman joins SuperAwesome CEO, Dylan Collins, to discuss the changing nature of children’s relationship with technology, the emerging metaverse, and the role brands play in kids digital media.
#Kidtech Season Three, Episode Twelve: Victor Saeijs, The LEGO Group Regional President of Western Europe, on how The LEGO Group built and sustained an iconic toy brand
The LEGO Group has been in business for almost 90 years, and making toys looks much different today than when it originated. SuperAwesome CEO, Dylan Collins, sits down with Victor Saeijs, The LEGO Group Regional President of Western Europe, to discuss how the brand keeps today’s young audiences excited about LEGO products in an increasingly digital world.
Listen here: Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music and Soundcloud.
#Kidtech Season Three Episode Eleven: Eric Berger, Common Sense Networks CEO, on the kids streaming landscape
Sensical, from Common Sense Networks, is a newly launched, free video streaming platform for children. Common Sense Networks CEO, Eric Berger, joins SuperAwesome CEO, Dylan Collins, to discuss Sensical’s journey, the challenges that come with monetization in the under-13 space, and the evolution of kids digital content.
Listen here: Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music and Soundcloud.
#Kidtech Season Three Episode Ten: Laura Zebersky, Jazwares President, on the future of the toy industry
Jazwares is one of the fastest-growing toy companies in the US. President Laura Zebersky joins SuperAwesome CEO, Dylan Collins, to discuss the evolving toy industry — including the latest toy marketing trends, the changing retail landscape, and the intersection between physical toys and digital experiences.
Listen here: Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music and Soundcloud.
#Kidtech Season Three Episode Nine: Izzy Neis, ModSquad Head of Digital, on building healthy digital communities for younger audiences
Izzy Neis is Head of Digital at ModSquad, a global provider of on-demand digital engagement services. She sits down with SuperAwesome CEO, Dylan Collins, to discuss the current trends and challenges in building safe online communities for young people, how the digital landscape has evolved over time, and what the future of community management might look like.
Listen here: Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music, and Soundcloud
#Kidtech Season Three Episode Eight: Nick Walters, Managing Director of SA Gaming, on how young audiences are driving the metaverse
SuperAwesome Gaming helps brands build insights-driven gaming strategies to engage younger audiences. Managing Director Nick Walters sits down with SuperAwesome CEO Dylan Collins to discuss the evolution of youth digital experiences, the future of gaming, and how brands should be thinking about reaching kids (under 13) and Young Teens (under 16) in today’s digital landscape.
Listen here: Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music, and Soundcloud
#Kidtech Season Three Episode Seven: Dean Weller, CEO of Generation Media, on the ever-changing kids’ digital media sector
Generation Media is a global agency specializing in digital communication with children, families, and young people. CEO Dean Weller joins SuperAwesome CEO Dylan Collins to discuss how the kids’ media sector has evolved, global distinctions between children’s relationships with media, the impact of Covid-19 on the toy industry, and the growing responsibility for brands to protect young audiences in digital environments.
Listen here: Spotify, iTunes Amazon Music, and Soundcloud
#Kidtech Season Three Episode Six: Nancy MacIntyre, CEO of Sandbox Kids, on building a kids digital media empire
Sandbox Kids is one of the leading providers of digital content services for kids and families worldwide. CEO Nancy MacIntyre joins Dylan Collins, CEO of SuperAwesome, to share her thoughts on the current state of the kids content ecosystem, strategies for building a business in the kids space today, and predictions for the future of children’s media.
Listen here: Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music, and Soundcloud
#Kidtech Season Three Episode Five: Alex Zivoder, gohenry CEO, on the kids digital payments landscape
Alex Zivoder is the CEO of gohenry, the kids’ debit card that teaches children safe financial habits. He sits down with Dylan Collins, CEO of SuperAwesome, to discuss the white-hot kids fintech sector, kids digital purchasing and saving behavior, and why online payments need a kids-first approach.
Listen here: Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music and Soundcloud
#Kidtech Season Three Episode Four: Cyma Zarghami on Nickelodeon, MiMO Studios, and the current state of kids content
Cyma Zarghami is the former president of the top kids’ media company, Nickelodeon. In this episode, she sits down with Dylan Collins, CEO of SuperAwesome, to discuss the kids’ content landscape, predictions for the future of children’s media, and her latest venture in kids’ content, MiMO Studios.
Listen here: Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music and Soundcloud
#Kidtech Season Three Episode Three: Michael Rinzler, Jazwares EVP/Partner, on building great toy companies
Toy company leader, Michael Rinzler, joins SuperAwesome’s CEO, Dylan Collins, to discuss the evolution of the toy industry — including kids’ migration from linear TV to digital platforms, changing definitions of play, and the impact of Covid-19 on toy retail.
Listen here: Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music and Soundcloud
#Kidtech Season Three Episode Two: Harold Chizick, CEO ChizComm, on the business of toy marketing
Harold Chizick’s ChizComm advises a huge number of US toy companies on marketing and communications. In this episode, he joins Dylan Collins, CEO of SuperAwesome, to share more about the journey behind his agency, in addition to how toy companies should be engaging with children — both now and in the future.
Listen here: Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music and Soundcloud
#Kidtech Season Three Episode One: Yonatan Raz-Fridman, Founder and CEO of Supersocial, on building games for the Roblox metaverse
The next era of games will be more than just games: we’re just scratching the surface of what next generation, interactive worlds will look like. SuperAwesome’s CEO, Dylan Collins, sits down with Yon Raz-Fridman to discuss the emerging Roblox ecosystem, the intersection of games and other interactive media, and more.
Listen here: Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music and Soundcloud
SEASON 2
#Kidtech Season Two Episode Thirteen: Isaac Larian, the CEO & Founder of MGA Entertainment
Isaac Larian, the CEO and Founder of MGA Entertainment, sits down with SuperAwesome CEO Dylan Collins for a lively discussion about MGA Entertainment and the wider toy business in 2020, the effects of a changing digital landscape on physical play, and how he has managed to stay on top of trends and build a multi-billion dollar business.
You can find the episode on Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music and Soundcloud.
#Kidtech Season Two Episode Twelve: Emma Worrollo, Founder of The Pineapple Lounge
Earlier in the year, we were joined by Emma Worrollo, Founder of The Pineapple Lounge, the research and insights company that helps brands connect meaningfully with kids and families.
You can find the episode on Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music and Soundcloud.
#Kidtech Season Two Episode Eleven: Elizabeth Denham, Information Commissioner
In Episode Eleven, we were joined by the UK’s Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Denham. She joined SuperAwesome CEO Dylan Collins to discuss the groundbreaking Age Appropriate Design Code which just came into effect in the UK, as well as the wider kids data privacy space. A must listen for anyone interested in data privacy or engaging with kids online.
You can find the episode on Spotify, iTunes and Soundcloud.
#Kidtech Season Two Episode Ten: Stephen Sharer, YouTuber
In Episode Ten of #Kidtech Season Two, we were joined by Stephen Sharer, the well known YouTuber whose channel now has almost 8 million subscribers and in excess of 3 billion views. Stephen sat with SuperAwesome CEO, Dylan Collins, to discuss how he came to be such a success, his experience with YouTube and Tik Tok and his expansion into the gaming industry with the release of his game Rocket Slide.
You can find the episode on Spotify, iTunes and Soundcloud.
#Kidtech Season Two Episode Nine: Nathan Phillips, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer at Technology, Humans And Taste
In Episode Nine of #Kidtech Season Two, we were joined by Nathan Phillips, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer at Technology, Humans And Taste (THAT), a creative agency which has worked on a range of high profile projects in the kids space combining technology, design and play.
#Kidtech Season Two Episode Eight: Helen Dixon, Data Protection Commissioner for Ireland.
In episode 8 of #Kidtech Helen spoke with SuperAwesome CEO, Dylan Collins, to discuss GDPR and GDPR-K, the age of digital consent, enforcement in the kids digital media ecosystem.
#Kidtech Season Two Episode Seven: Andy Robertson, family and technology journalist (author of Taming Gaming)
In the latest episode of #Kidtech SuperAwesome CEO Dylan Collins spoke with Andy Robertson, the well-known family and technology journalist and author of forthcoming book ‘Taming Gaming’. Andy recently launched the Family Video Games Database.
#Kidtech Season Two Episode Six: Steven Wolfe Pereira, CEO and Co-founder of Encantos
In Episode six of #Kidtech we were joined by Steven Wolfe Pereira, CEO and Co-founder of Encantos, speaking extensively about the history and mission behind Encantos, the future of DTC brands and how bilingual is the future for kids everywhere.
#Kidtech Season Two Episode Five: Tami Bhaumik, VP Marketing and Digital Civility at Roblox
In Episode five of #Kidtech, we were joined by Tami Bhaumik, VP Marketing and Digital Civility at Roblox, the rapidly growing games platform for kids and teens.
#Kidtech Season Two Episode Four: Emmet O’Neill, CEO of Touchpress
In Episode 4 of #Kidtech, Emmet O’Neill, CEO of Touchpress, a well-known app developer and publisher in the kids space (most recently with LEGO DUPLOw World), joined us via Zoom to talk about the state of the kids app ecosystem and how Covid-19 is driving some very compelling numbers and trends.
#Kidtech Season 2 Episode 3: Kate Boyle, Founder and CEO, Banjo Robinson
We were joined by Banjo Robinson’s CEO and founder, Kate Boyle, we discussed business growth, raising investment for kidtech startups and the effect Covid-19 is having on the kids’ space.
#Kidtech Season 2 Episode 2: WPP CEO, Mark Read
In Episode Two of #Kidtech Season Two, we were joined by Mark Read, CEO of WPP, the world’s largest advertising and communications company.
#Kidtech Season 2 Episode 1: FTC Commissioner, Rebecca Slaughter
Federal Trade Commissioner, Rebecca Slaughter sits with SuperAwesome’s CEO Dylan Collins in Washington DC to discuss the kids digital privacy landscape.
SEASON 1
#Kidtech Episode 23: Nick Marsh, Chief Product Officer, Wonderbly
In the final episode of #Kidtech Season One, Nick Marsh, Chief Product Officer for Wonderbly, well known for their LostMyName franchise, chats with SuperAwesome CEO Dylan Collins about Wonderbly’s journey and the lessons learned along the way.
#Kidtech Episode 22: Patricia Scanlon, Founder/CEO of SoapBox Labs
Patricia Scanlon, Founder/CEO of SoapBox Labs sits with SuperAwesome CEO Dylan Collins to discuss the evolving voice recognition landscape for kids.
#Kidtech Episode 21: Meredith Halpern-Ranzer, CEO of Tinkercast
In Episode 21 of #Kidtech, Meredith Halpern-Ranzer, CEO of Tinkercast, the company behind the world’s #1 podcast for kids, sits with SuperAwesome CEO Dylan Collins to talk about kids and audio
#Kidtech Episode 20: Sven Gerjets, Chief Technology Officer, Mattel
In Episode 20 of #Kidtech, Sven Gerjets, Chief Technology Officer of toy giant Mattel, sits with SuperAwesome CEO Dylan Collins in LA to talk about the future of connected toys, the role of AI in play and how nostalgia drives innovation in toy development.
#Kidtech Episode 19: Craig Donaghy, Head of Community w/ Sam Clough
Sam and Craig trade opinions on how much kids understand about data privacy, their own concerns around online responsibility and thoughts on ‘sharenting’. From online bullying to hacking to social identity, this episode covers everything you need to know about the behaviours and opinions of kids online.
#Kidtech Episode 18: Darran Garnham, CEO of MTW Toys
Darran Garnham, CEO of MTW Toys, Europe’s main distributor of Thinkway toys, joins SuperAwesome CEO Dylan Collins in London to discuss entertainment licensing, digital and physical toys, his angel investment in Calm and some of the history behind Mind Candy.
#Kidtech Episode 17: Stuart Dredge, Freelance Journalist
Stuart Dredge, a freelance journalist with over 20 years’ experience writing about music, tech and children’s media joins SuperAwesome CEO Dylan Collins to discuss everything from the original children’s app landscape to TikTok; from kids gaming to kids news.
#Kidtech Episode 16: Will Spence, Global Managing Partner of Initiative
Will Spence from Initiative, LEGO’s global advertising agency, sits with SuperAwesome CEO, Dylan Collins to discuss the global kids media landscape from an agency perspective.
#Kidtech Episode 15: Sam Clough, Strategic Insights Consultant
Craig Donaghy, Head of Community and Insight at PopJam, SuperAwesome’s safe social platform for under 13s, talks to Sam Clough, a strategic insights consultant who works primarily in the kids and parents sector, about family democracy and pester power.
#Kidtech Episode 14: Bjorn Jeffery, former CEO of Toca Boca
In episode 14 of #Kidtech, Bjorn sat down with SuperAwesome CEO Dylan Collins to discuss Toca Boca’s beginnings, their successes and failures, and the many learnings he made along the way.
#Kidtech Episode 13: Kim Hart, Managing Editor and Sara Fischer, Media reporter at Axios
Axios’ Managing Editor, Kim Hart, and media reporter, Sara Fischer, join SuperAwesome CEO Dylan Collins to discuss the Kids Digital Advertising Report 2019.
#Kidtech Episode 12: Ian Chambers, CEO of Mind Candy
In episode 12 of #KidTech, Mind Candy’s CEO Ian Chambers sat down with Dylan Collins in London to discuss Mind Candy’s journey after Moshi Monsters.
#Kidtech Episode 11: Demian Falestchi, CEO and Co-Founder of Kids Corp
Demian Falestchi, CEO and Co-Founder of Kids Corp sits with SuperAwesome’s CEO, Dylan Collins, to discuss the digital kids ecosystem in Latin America.
#Kidtech Episode 10: Dona Fraser, Director of Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU)
Hosted in the Radio Waves building in New York – the original home of Nikola Tesla – Dylan sits down with Dona Fraser, Director of CARU, the children’s arm of the advertising industry’s self-regulatory group.
#Kidtech Episode 9: Sam Clough, kids and parents expert
In Episode 9 of #Kidtech we change it up a little bit. Craig Donaghy, Head of Community and Insight at PopJam (SuperAwesome’s safe social platform), talks to Sam Clough, a strategic insights consultant who works primarily in the kids and parents sector, about what kids think about ecommerce, shopping and retail in general.
#Kidtech Episode 8: Bethany Koby, Co-Founder and CEO of Tech Will Save Us
In Episode 8 of #Kidtech, Bethany and Dylan discuss the origins of the company (a kitchen in East London, naturally), as well as the global growth in popularity of STEM toys with parents. Bethany offers up expert insight into their product development process and how their startup company interacts with the largest toy companies in the world. She also shares secrets from the STEM sector, as well as who is actually purchasing STEM toys for their kids.
#Kidtech Episode 7: Brenda Bisner, SVP of Content and Business Development at Kidoodle.TV
Brenda Bisner is the SVP of Content and Business Development at Kidoodle.TV, the ‘safe-streaming’ platform for children. She sat with Dylan in New York to discuss her 18 years in the kids space, the merits of AVOD versus SVOD, healthy screen-time habits and the advantages of human moderation over AI.
#Kidtech Episode 6: Emma Scott, CEO Beano Studios
In Episode 6 of #Kidtech, Emma Scott, CEO of Beano Studios, speaks to Dylan Collins about how a long career of disruption has culminated in building a digital platform around the UK’s best-loved and longest-running children’s comic. Beano Studios, a rebellious entertainment network powered by creativity, data and insight, has succeeded where others have failed, integrating their historic brand into the new digital ecosystem.
#Kidtech Episode 5: Rob Lowe, LEGO Senior Global Director – Digital Consumer Engagement
In Episode 5 of #KidTech LEGO’s Senior Global Director for Digital Consumer Engagement, Rob Lowe, discusses LEGO Life, their groundbreaking social network for kids with SuperAwesome’s Dylan Collins.
#Kidtech Episode 4: Yonatan Raz-Fridman, co-founder Kano, CEO Sosu
Raz-Fridman, now CEO of Sosu and Dylan discuss a range of topics including whether Silicon Valley really understands what’s going on with kidtech and smart toys, what a meaningful future with kids interacting with intelligent devices might look like, and, of course, whether he has had any issues with UK rapper Kano.
#Kidtech Episode 3 : Nick Walters, Founder and CEO of Hopster
In this episode of #Kidtech, Nick Walters, founder and CEO of Hopster, the global play and learning platform for preschoolers, talks to Dylan about creating the highest-grossing kids app in the UK.
#Kidtech Episode 2 : David Stevens, co-founder Knights Of
In this episode of #Kidtech David Stevens, co-founder of Knights Of talks all things kids’ book publishing and (the lack of) diversity. David, who has over 15 years of experience in children’s content with Penguin, Scholastic and Brown Bag Films, also discusses why Kindle doesn’t work for kids, and how he’s keeping kids reading in an era of disruptive technology.
#Kidtech Episode 1: Clark Stacey, CEO Wildworks
How do we focus screen time on quality over quantity? What’s the best measurement of engagement in children’s gaming? And whatever happened to Barbie Guitar Star?
Clark Stacey, CEO of WildWorks, the kids games developer best known for the Animal Jam series joins us on #Kidtech to tackle these questions.
