A few years ago, 3rd grade teacher Matt Hardy became interested in using blogs to help students express themselves. But there was one problem: he couldn't find a software solution or website that met his needs.
Because his students were so young, the blogs had to be simple to use, as well as secure so that he could moderate comments and block potential creeps. When he couldn't find what he needed, he developed a version himself, and his efforts had an immediate impact on students, who loved their new blogging abilities.
After sharing the application with other teachers, he decided to join forces with entrepreneur Dan Flies and start
Kidblog, which now boasts over 1.6 million users, in 80 countries.
"This technology is at the intersection of programming and pedagogy," says Flies. "Matt understood how tools could be effective for students because he'd been a teacher, but he also has an intuitive understanding of web development and business startups."
Although the company is still just the two business leaders, Flies anticipates growth in the near future, as more and more schools adopt the technology. After only a few years, there's been significant expansion, without any marketing.
"Right now, we're the largest educational blogging service in the world," he says, adding that technology access is exploding in the United States and other parts of the world.
"The opportunity to grow this will only get bigger," says Flies. "It's really fun to see how much this is catching on."
Source: Dan Flies, Kidblog
Writer: Elizabeth Millard