Press Kit
Thank you for your interest in Zoog! Please find relevant details and assets below.
Let's Talk!
If you’d like to learn more about Zoog, please reach out to our CEO, Yoav Oren: yoav@getzoog.com
You may also schedule a meeting with Yoav here.
About Zoog
Zoog is a creative communication platform that uses advanced AR technology to connect families in a meaningful way. Our platform is designed to bridge generational and geographical gaps, transforming loved ones into children’s favorite characters through stories, songs, and educational content. The Zoog experience is approachable and accessible to all, providing safe and valuable screen-time.
How Zoog Works
With Zoog, anyone can create stunning videos to share with their loved ones. To create a Zoog, simply select a creation from the library, and press record. Then, read or sing, and we automatically apply filters, effects, and music, making the process simple and fun for all. The finished products can be shared and viewed on any device, at any time, and are stored forever for repeated enjoyment.
Who is Zoog for?
We built Zoog with all generations in mind, so it is easy to use and enjoy. Today, over 70% of our users are grandparents, and their families absolutely love what they create and share on Zoog. Our storybooks, songs, and educational content is great for kids aged 1-8, and creations such as jokes and greeting cards are wonderful for all ages. Our diverse library is meant to bring loved ones closer together by promoting the art of storytelling, a powerful and meaningful way to interact.
Why use Zoog?
Zoog keeps children engaged when interacting with their loved ones – something that’s difficult to do over traditional phone or video calls. Plus, Zoog overcomes the challenges of time zones and conflicting schedules by allowing asynchronous communication. Users can record their creations and send them to their loved ones to be viewed at any time and as many times as they’d like. This means that children can always enjoy story time, bedtime, or just about any time with the family members they love and miss. Another added benefit is that Zoog creations are stored forever in each family’s ‘memory album’, effectively creating a time capsule to be enjoyed for years to come. Just imagine showing your grandchildren a video of your grandmother reading to you.
Zoog also uses best-in-class augmented reality technology in partnership with Snap Inc. to provide an immersive and captivating experience. This way, kids can enjoy seeing their loved ones ‘become’ their favorite characters and star in various, unique scenes, keeping them engaged and excited.
Zoog is more than just an app, it’s a bridge connecting family members across the globe. We’ve seen families create beautiful animated adventures that can be shared with anyone, on any device. Our app is simple and intuitive, yet fun and entertaining for all. Even the littlest hands and the oldest hearts find joy in our visual communication platform.
Our Story
When the COVID-19 pandemic shook the world in 2020, Yoav Oren, father of three, realized that family communication is hard. Kids don’t care for small talk over the phone, they need to be entertained. Yoav’s parents missed their grandchildren deeply, and the idea for Zoog was born. Yoav met his co-founder, Matan Guttman, father of one, and they got to work. After tireless hours of research, brainstorming, meetings with real grandparents, and a lot of trial and error, Zoog was officially launched in the U.S. in early 2021. Zoog originally held a library of just a few children’s stories, but today it offers dozens of stories, songs, educational activities, and new releases every week. Thousands of families around the world, including Yoav and Matan’s, are enjoying Zoog and connecting with the ones they love.
Our Founders
Matan and Yoav are both experienced tech executives. Matan (CTO) has the unique experience of working in 3 different consumer startups in the past decade, building products from the ground up as an early employee. Some products Matan built reached millions of users worldwide. Being on the nexus of development and product gives Matan a valuable perspective, especially in the consumer space.
In the five years before Zoog, Yoav held several leadership positions at SimilarWeb, the most recent being Chief of Staff. Yoav worked hand-in-hand with the CEO, helping drive and execute strategic decisions for the company. Before that, Yoav built and managed the company’s China operations, both data partnerships and commercial activities, closing complicated deals with some of China’s largest tech giants, such as Baidu, JD.com, Huawei, Alibaba & ByteDance. Yoav also led the company’s sales. He lived and worked in China for 15 years, building and managing SimilarWeb’s business endeavors for all of Asia.
Both Matan and Yoav are parents to young children and live in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Our Investors
Zoog has raised its pre-seed round from many renowned VCs and businesses including Insight Partners, 500 Startups, Comcast NBCUniversal, Techstars, Remagine Ventures, as well as a number of private investors including the co-founder of Rotten Tomatoes and the co-founder of Fiverr.
Our Partners
Zoog’s innovative approach to storytelling has attracted significant partnerships with notable companies in the tech and entertainment industries. These collaborations have expanded the scope of Zoog’s offerings and solidified its position as a pioneer in AR-enhanced family experiences.
In early 2022, Zoog entered into a partnership with Snap Inc., the company behind popular products and services like Snapchat, Spectacles, and Bitmoji. This collaboration grants Zoog access to Snap’s Camera Kit, an end-to-end AR creation solution currently available to a handful of businesses worldwide. Camera Kit brings Zoog the ability to create best-in-class augmented reality animations and creations. With this, family members can entertain their little ones through their favorite characters in a more immersive way.
In mid-2022, Zoog began an exciting partnership with DreamWorks Animation, the renowned studio behind popular Netflix series Gabby’s Dollhouse. This collaboration, a product of Zoog’s participation in the Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs Accelerator, enables fans to immerse themselves in their favorite series like never before. Using the Zoog app, family members can record themselves acting out scenes from Gabby’s Dollhouse, complete with animations, audio effects, and AR filters. The result is a unique, shareable video that brings DreamWorks characters to life in a whole new way, engaging children even more. There are more collaborations with DreamWorks Animation on the way.
Our Content
Zoog has hundreds of interactive experiences ready to be created, with the library being updated on a weekly basis. Our content includes cherished children’s tales, classic songs, and nursery rhymes. Zoog also offers a collection of educational ‘shorts’ designed to spark the curiosity and learning of toddlers. The library extends beyond traditional narratives to accommodate all of life’s special moments, featuring greeting cards and invitations for special occasions, and a large selection of ‘dad jokes.’ Plus, Zoog’s ‘Share a Memory’ feature uses AI to help family members craft beautiful, personal tales. Of course, in all of these creations, the family member becomes the star of the show through Zoog’s AR technology, making each experience unique.
Our Business Model
Zoog introduced its premium subscription service, Zoog+, in June 2022. The platform operates on a ‘freemium’ model, providing a selection of content at no cost, while full library access is given with a subscription. Users can opt for a monthly, quarterly, or annual subscription, with the annual plan priced at $7.49 USD per month. Since launching monetization, Zoog has seen 70% revenue growth quarterly.
