Next-Gen Play: BiMA's Projector Redefines Kids' Screen Time
October 13, 2025, 3:42 pm
Munich startup BiMA raised €500k pre-seed funding. It launched a screen-free projector for children. This innovative device transforms bedrooms into immersive, story-driven worlds. BiMA pioneers mindful entertainment, blending edutainment with digital well-being. Founders Larissa Ruf and Greta Garkisch created it to spark imagination and strengthen family bonds. The investment, led by Antler with key angel participation, fuels market entry, production, and content development. BiMA addresses a massive global market, championing screen-free play for young families, redefining bedtime and connection.
The digital age presents unique challenges for children and families. Screen time often dominates daily routines. BiMA offers a compelling alternative. This Munich-based startup introduces a screen-free projector designed for young children. It transforms ordinary bedrooms into vibrant, imaginative realms. Children experience immersive, story-driven worlds. This innovation reshapes how families engage with play. It fosters connection and creativity. It directly addresses growing parental concerns about excessive digital exposure.
BiMA secured €500,000 in a pivotal pre-seed funding round. This capital infusion accelerates its strategic market entry. Antler, a globally recognized early-stage investor, spearheaded the round. Their confidence underscores BiMA’s significant potential for disruption in children's entertainment. Key angel investors also provided crucial backing. The influential Oetinger Publishing Group, represented by its managing directors Julia Bielenberg, Thilo Schmid, and Christian Graef, participated. Their previous support for the highly successful children's audio platform, Tonies, signals strong industry endorsement and foresight.
Further notable investors bring diverse and invaluable expertise. Andreas Peters, formerly a managing director at Disney, contributed his vast entertainment industry experience. Felix van de Sande, founder of successful ventures Kickbase and design agency COBE, also invested, bringing design and tech innovation insights. Silvia Sommer, an e-commerce expert from Birkenstock and Roland Berger, provided strategic backing. This formidable investor group offers profound strategic guidance extending far beyond mere capital, covering critical areas like brand building, distribution, and consumer engagement.
BiMA’s first product is a meticulously designed, child-friendly projector. It employs advanced projection technology to cast vivid, engaging stories and visuals directly onto walls and ceilings. This creates a truly captivating, room-wide environment. The projector’s core design principle remains firmly rooted in sparking imagination. It actively avoids the passive consumption often associated with tablets or televisions. It encourages active participation and narrative exploration. Children become integral parts of the evolving story, fostering deeper cognitive and emotional engagement.
The company strategically positions itself at a critical intersection of modern industries. It merges cutting-edge edutainment principles with holistic well-being practices and advanced consumer technology. This comprehensive approach directly addresses the evolving needs of contemporary parenting. Today’s parents actively seek enriching, healthy, and innovative entertainment options for their children. BiMA directly delivers on this significant demand. It promotes essential cognitive development through highly engaging, interactive narratives. It robustly supports emotional well-being by effectively reducing screen dependency, a major public health concern.
Larissa Ruf and Greta Garkisch co-founded BiMA in 2024. Ruf adeptly serves as CEO, while Garkisch brilliantly leads as CTO. Their combined expertise forms the bedrock of the company's ambitious vision. Ruf brings incisive insights from education and consumer science domains. Garkisch provides unparalleled deep tech and industrial design acumen. Their impressive professional backgrounds include impactful roles at global giants such as Schleich, Siemens AI Lab, Microsoft, and Accenture. They initially connected through Academy Consult Munich, a prestigious student consultancy. This rich, diverse foundational experience profoundly strengthens BiMA’s innovative core and execution capabilities.
The market potential for BiMA’s mindful entertainment solution is truly immense. In Germany alone, an estimated 3.5 million households nurture children aged 0-5. This represents a substantial €730 million market opportunity for BiMA. Across the broader European landscape, these numbers swell dramatically. Seventeen million households translate to an impressive €3.7 billion addressable market. On a global scale, industry analysts estimate over 420 million households fall within this key demographic, forming a staggering potential market valued at more than €88 billion. These compelling figures unequivocally highlight the widespread and urgent need for BiMA's innovative offering.
The recently secured funding will support several crucial operational areas. It covers the meticulous initial production run of the advanced projectors. Robust marketing efforts will strategically expand BiMA's brand awareness and market reach. Content development remains paramount; a continuous stream of fresh, engaging stories and immersive experiences will ensure sustained child engagement. The core team itself will undergo strategic expansion, attracting top talent in engineering, design, and content creation. An initial batch of 1,500 projectors is meticulously planned for release later this year, marking a significant and anticipated milestone for the young company.
BiMA's profound mission extends far beyond simple entertainment. It aims to fundamentally strengthen family bonds. It seeks to transform the often-challenging bedtime routine into a magical, cherished ritual. Evenings become dedicated, sacred moments for genuine connection. Parents and children share enchanting stories. They collaboratively explore imaginary worlds projected onto their very own walls. This innovative approach fosters deeper emotional ties, creating invaluable, lasting family memories. It cultivates a shared experience that screens cannot replicate.
The steadfast emphasis on mindful entertainment is a critical differentiator. It actively promotes a calmer, more focused, and deeply engaging play experience. Unlike a multitude of passive toys, BiMA doesn't merely "keep kids busy." It proactively invites active imagination. It vigorously encourages shared, interactive experiences. This transformative shift directly aligns with growing global concerns over pervasive digital overload in children’s lives. It robustly supports healthier child development pathways, emphasizing creativity, narrative comprehension, and emotional connection.
BiMA represents a bold, refreshing new chapter in children's entertainment technology. It champions digital wellness as a core tenet. It offers a tangible, impactful solution to effectively reduce unproductive screen time. Its innovative screen-free projector provides a captivating gateway to wonder, curiosity, and learning. It empowers children to dream without boundaries. It connects families in profoundly meaningful, memorable ways. This forward-thinking Munich startup is poised to make a significant global impact, offering a refreshing and vital vision for the future of child-centric play and family engagement.
The digital age presents unique challenges for children and families. Screen time often dominates daily routines. BiMA offers a compelling alternative. This Munich-based startup introduces a screen-free projector designed for young children. It transforms ordinary bedrooms into vibrant, imaginative realms. Children experience immersive, story-driven worlds. This innovation reshapes how families engage with play. It fosters connection and creativity. It directly addresses growing parental concerns about excessive digital exposure.
BiMA secured €500,000 in a pivotal pre-seed funding round. This capital infusion accelerates its strategic market entry. Antler, a globally recognized early-stage investor, spearheaded the round. Their confidence underscores BiMA’s significant potential for disruption in children's entertainment. Key angel investors also provided crucial backing. The influential Oetinger Publishing Group, represented by its managing directors Julia Bielenberg, Thilo Schmid, and Christian Graef, participated. Their previous support for the highly successful children's audio platform, Tonies, signals strong industry endorsement and foresight.
Further notable investors bring diverse and invaluable expertise. Andreas Peters, formerly a managing director at Disney, contributed his vast entertainment industry experience. Felix van de Sande, founder of successful ventures Kickbase and design agency COBE, also invested, bringing design and tech innovation insights. Silvia Sommer, an e-commerce expert from Birkenstock and Roland Berger, provided strategic backing. This formidable investor group offers profound strategic guidance extending far beyond mere capital, covering critical areas like brand building, distribution, and consumer engagement.
BiMA’s first product is a meticulously designed, child-friendly projector. It employs advanced projection technology to cast vivid, engaging stories and visuals directly onto walls and ceilings. This creates a truly captivating, room-wide environment. The projector’s core design principle remains firmly rooted in sparking imagination. It actively avoids the passive consumption often associated with tablets or televisions. It encourages active participation and narrative exploration. Children become integral parts of the evolving story, fostering deeper cognitive and emotional engagement.
The company strategically positions itself at a critical intersection of modern industries. It merges cutting-edge edutainment principles with holistic well-being practices and advanced consumer technology. This comprehensive approach directly addresses the evolving needs of contemporary parenting. Today’s parents actively seek enriching, healthy, and innovative entertainment options for their children. BiMA directly delivers on this significant demand. It promotes essential cognitive development through highly engaging, interactive narratives. It robustly supports emotional well-being by effectively reducing screen dependency, a major public health concern.
Larissa Ruf and Greta Garkisch co-founded BiMA in 2024. Ruf adeptly serves as CEO, while Garkisch brilliantly leads as CTO. Their combined expertise forms the bedrock of the company's ambitious vision. Ruf brings incisive insights from education and consumer science domains. Garkisch provides unparalleled deep tech and industrial design acumen. Their impressive professional backgrounds include impactful roles at global giants such as Schleich, Siemens AI Lab, Microsoft, and Accenture. They initially connected through Academy Consult Munich, a prestigious student consultancy. This rich, diverse foundational experience profoundly strengthens BiMA’s innovative core and execution capabilities.
The market potential for BiMA’s mindful entertainment solution is truly immense. In Germany alone, an estimated 3.5 million households nurture children aged 0-5. This represents a substantial €730 million market opportunity for BiMA. Across the broader European landscape, these numbers swell dramatically. Seventeen million households translate to an impressive €3.7 billion addressable market. On a global scale, industry analysts estimate over 420 million households fall within this key demographic, forming a staggering potential market valued at more than €88 billion. These compelling figures unequivocally highlight the widespread and urgent need for BiMA's innovative offering.
The recently secured funding will support several crucial operational areas. It covers the meticulous initial production run of the advanced projectors. Robust marketing efforts will strategically expand BiMA's brand awareness and market reach. Content development remains paramount; a continuous stream of fresh, engaging stories and immersive experiences will ensure sustained child engagement. The core team itself will undergo strategic expansion, attracting top talent in engineering, design, and content creation. An initial batch of 1,500 projectors is meticulously planned for release later this year, marking a significant and anticipated milestone for the young company.
BiMA's profound mission extends far beyond simple entertainment. It aims to fundamentally strengthen family bonds. It seeks to transform the often-challenging bedtime routine into a magical, cherished ritual. Evenings become dedicated, sacred moments for genuine connection. Parents and children share enchanting stories. They collaboratively explore imaginary worlds projected onto their very own walls. This innovative approach fosters deeper emotional ties, creating invaluable, lasting family memories. It cultivates a shared experience that screens cannot replicate.
The steadfast emphasis on mindful entertainment is a critical differentiator. It actively promotes a calmer, more focused, and deeply engaging play experience. Unlike a multitude of passive toys, BiMA doesn't merely "keep kids busy." It proactively invites active imagination. It vigorously encourages shared, interactive experiences. This transformative shift directly aligns with growing global concerns over pervasive digital overload in children’s lives. It robustly supports healthier child development pathways, emphasizing creativity, narrative comprehension, and emotional connection.
BiMA represents a bold, refreshing new chapter in children's entertainment technology. It champions digital wellness as a core tenet. It offers a tangible, impactful solution to effectively reduce unproductive screen time. Its innovative screen-free projector provides a captivating gateway to wonder, curiosity, and learning. It empowers children to dream without boundaries. It connects families in profoundly meaningful, memorable ways. This forward-thinking Munich startup is poised to make a significant global impact, offering a refreshing and vital vision for the future of child-centric play and family engagement.