While video games are often blamed for shortening attention spans and hindering childhood development, one Paris-based startup is proving that play can be powerful medicine.
Poppins, a neurotech company founded by two engineers-turned-entrepreneurs from École Polytechnique, is rewriting the rules of dyslexia therapy — with rhythm, science, and a touch of fun.
Blending clinical rigor with gamified design, Poppins has developed the first CE-marked digital medical device that helps children with dyslexia improve their reading skills through structured, music-based exercises. At the heart of Poppins lies a bold idea: by training the brain’s auditory and rhythmic pathways, children with dyslexia can build the foundational skills they need to read with confidence. And unlike traditional therapy, Poppins makes the process accessible, engaging, and scalable.
The Paris-based startup has just secured €5 million in funding to expand its innovative digital therapy platform designed to help children with dyslexia. This latest round brings Poppins’ total funding to €20 million. The app, which looks like a game but functions as a scientifically validated therapy tool, is already used daily by thousands of families across France — and now, it’s setting its sights on the U.S.
“Poppins is not designed to replace speech therapy, it is a complementary medical device to support children who are either awaiting diagnosis or already in therapy,” said Co-Founder François Vonthron. “It’s about reinforcing their learning in a fun and interactive way.”
Science and Play
Founded in 2018 by engineers Vonthron and Antoine Yuen, Poppins emerged from the prestigious École Polytechnique with a mission to transform the treatment of learning disorders. The duo, both with backgrounds in music and data science, were inspired by the potential of rhythm and auditory training to enhance cognitive functions.
“We were fascinated by how musical practice could influence the brain’s language processing abilities,” says Vonthron. “This led us to explore how structured, rhythm-based exercises could support children with dyslexia.”
The result is a mobile application that turns therapy into an engaging video game. Children aged 7 to 11 engage in daily 20-minute sessions, combining reading exercises with rhythmic activities. The interactive app leverages the brain’s natural affinity for music to improve reading speed, accuracy, and phonological awareness.
Clinical Validation and Real-World Impact
According to Vonthron, Poppins isn’t just another educational app; it’s the only CE-marked digital medical device of its kind.
The platform’s efficacy has been demonstrated through rigorous clinical studies, including a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving over 6,000 children in France. The findings revealed significant improvements in reading abilities among users, validating the app’s therapeutic potential.
“Our clinical trials have shown that integrating rhythm and language exercises can lead to measurable gains in reading skills,” notes Vonthron. “It’s about making therapy accessible, engaging, and effective.”
The app’s design and development – which took 7 years to complete – are the result of a collaborative effort, involving leading neurologists Professor Michel Habib and Professor David Cohen, as well as partnerships with national dyslexia advocacy organizations across France, Canada and the USA. A multidisciplinary approach ensures that the platform is grounded in scientific research and tailored to the needs of its users.
Addressing a Critical Need
Dyslexia affects approximately 5% of school-aged children in France, yet access to specialized care remains limited. With only around 25,000 speech therapists available, families often face wait times of 12 to 24 months for intervention.
Poppins aims to bridge this gap by providing an at-home solution that complements traditional therapy.
The app’s affordability and accessibility have been key to its adoption. “The beta version of our App went live just a year ago. As we had developed the app with the help of several dyslexia associations, we had 2000 people signing up in the first week as parents knew that we were going to launch. In just one year we’ve gone from 0 to 4000 kids using it daily” he said.
Priced at €30 per month, Poppins is reimbursable through partnerships with several mutual insurance companies, including Allianz. This model has enabled thousands of families across France to integrate the app into their children’s daily routines.
The startup hopes that their app will be eligible for reimbursement by France’s public health system by year-end. “It's quite a long and arduous process because of the scientific complexity of what we do” he said.
Scaling Up and Looking Ahead
The recent €5 million funding round was led by Racine², the impact investment fund of MGEN, operated by Serena and Makesense. Existing investors such as Bpifrance, Eurazeo, Kurma Partners, BNP Paribas Développement, and Verve Ventures also participated.
With the new capital, Poppins plans to expand its reach, particularly in the United States where it is thought that as many as 15% of school-aged children suffer from dyslexia, although Vonthron claims that finding exact dyslexia statistics on numbers is difficult as the care pathways are very different.
Co-founder Antoine Yuen relocated to New York a few months ago to spearhead the company’s U.S. operations, including collaborations with institutions like The Ecole - a leading international school - in New York.
The move stateside will give Poppins access to new and enlarged data sets with which to fuel their research: “Our goal is to adapt and scale our solution to meet the needs of children globally,” Vonthron said. “We’re also exploring applications for other neurodevelopmental disorders, such as ADHD where rhythm-based interventions could be beneficial.”
While scaling into the U.S. and potentially broadening its therapeutic scope, the startup is staying lean. The team of 25 — made up largely of PhDs, clinicians, engineers and data scientists — remains focused. “We’re not planning to expand our team straight away. We can do more with the same number of people,” Vonthron said.
The big ambition
The recent funding should enable Poppins to reach breakeven by the end of next year. “We’re experiencing about 10% growth per month,” Vonthron said. “There’s obviously some churn too - children typically use the app for around nine months. It’s not meant to be a permanent tool.”
When asked what success looks like, five years from now, he said: “It’s simple. If parents tell us that Poppins truly helped their child — that’s the impact we care about. Dyslexia touches 8 to 15% of kids. If we’ve made even a small dent in that number, if a few thousand families feel like we have helped them, that’s already huge.”
