Start Up Funding: Little Lamb Phonics is the brainchild of ex-school teacher Jude Lennon and her partner Dominic Bryan. They have developed an app based on a series of teaching materials around fun poems to help children learn phonics.

The app is available to download from iTunes and Google on IOS and Android tablet and mobile stores. It is aimed at reception children aged 4-5 but can be used by older children too.

The app is free for the first six poems and then £1.99 for further poems and resources.

The Investment

MSIF provided a £5.5k loan through the Start Up Loans Programme – a government backed scheme which provides start-up funding to entrepreneurs and new businesses, for which MSIF is an approved delivery partner. The loan was used towards the cost of developing the app and for working capital to launch the product.

The Outcome

Little Lamb Phonics launched on 16th June at an event which was attended by teachers, the public and even the Lord Mayor of Liverpool. Since launching, the app has been downloaded all over the world, including Australia, China, Russia and Hungary.

“The funding from MSIF has been crucial to getting the idea off the ground. They were also very supportive during the initial application as I had no previous business experience. The have also provided fantastic training opportunities through their links with the Start Up Loans Company. These courses are free and yet worth a fortune to me.”

“If you are new to the business world or just need advice I would heartily recommend using MSIF. They have certainly helped me!”