Recently we had an opportunity to speak with Chetan D'Souza, the Founder at KidzByte MediaTech Pvt. Ltd. about KidzByte

Please share with us the backstory of what motivated you to create this app.

Coming from media, marketing and communications background, I always had access to several newspapers, news portals and news apps. However, one of the biggest challenges facing the news business is how to appeal to younger audiences. Kids would love to know what's happening around the world, but adult news channels and sites can sometimes be scary, overwhelming, or even boring for children. There is no suitable news source for kids that is current, relatable and easy to understand. The KidzByte platform is dedicated to guiding kids to thrive in a world of media and technology.

What features do you hope to roll out to your app in the future?

We are exploring various engagement models that will benefit the users and help increase retention and time spent on our platform.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of the creation of this app?

We wanted the KidzByte app to be an engaging one with two-way interaction. We run contests & quizzes every single day with some amazing prizes up for grabs. This approach has worked for us.

What is the coolest or most innovative feature of your app?

We have launched an exclusive digital news channel with animated characters reading out news in a newsroom setup. Video consumption is increasing by the day, and today the kids on our platform are consuming news and other educational content in text, audio and video format.

What surprised you most in your journey to create this app?

The limited options available for a child to read and learn beyond textbooks, the alarming rise of fake news & misinformation and lack of healthier screen time alternatives has surprised us all along.

Which other mobile apps or technology have inspired you?

Kids are spending a lot of time with the screen, which has a profound impact on their social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development. All mobile apps that ensure our children learn how to use technology wisely are an inspiration.

Do you have any recommendations or advice for others wanting to create a mobile app?

Ensure your idea, technology, mobile app addresses a need, fill in a gap and adds value to the user.

How did you decide which platforms to release your app on and do you plan on releasing your app to other platforms?

If you see the mobile operating system market share in India, the Android user base is much higher than iOS. While we've launched our app on the Google Play store, we also have plans to launch an iOS version as well as a dedicated news website for kids in the near future.

How is your app different than the rest of the market? Which unique need does it fill?

News that children consume today is not curated, not age appropriate and not engaging enough. And that's the gap we wanted to fill in with KidzByte News App. Our aim is to empower kids, parents and educators by providing unbiased and trustworthy information, innovative tools and an independent voice, by harnessing the power of media and technology.

You can view KidzByte here