Aditya Prakash is the founder and CEO of SKIDOS, an award-winning edtech company based in Copenhagen, Denmark, that blends education and gaming to help children unlock their full potential. With a strong background in startups, strategic growth, and product innovation, Aditya has led SKIDOS to develop a proprietary SDK that transforms casual mobile games into engaging learning tools for math, English, and social-emotional skills. Under his leadership, SKIDOS has secured investments from top Danish investors, won multiple industry awards, and been recognized as one of Copenhagen’s most promising startups.
An alumnus of ISB, Hyderabad, and The Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth, Aditya has over two decades of experience across telecommunications, media, and FMCG. He played a key role in launching the first iPhone in India and pioneering luxury FMCG products. Beyond SKIDOS, he actively mentors pre-seed founders and invests in education and healthcare startups, driven by his passion for using technology to create meaningful social impact.
What inspired the creation of SKIDOS, and how was the need for AI-powered edutainment in early childhood education identified?
SKIDOS was created to address a fundamental issue in early childhood education- traditional classroom methods were failing to engage young learners. Many children were spending increasing amounts of time on screens, but much of it involved passive consumption with limited educational value. This presented a clear opportunity to rethink how technology could be used more meaningfully.
By combining the appeal of mobile games with structured learning content, SKIDOS introduced a new model of edutainment, transforming screen time into active, skill-building experiences. The potential of AI-powered learning became apparent early on, especially as children demonstrated varied learning speeds, interests, and strengths. AI offers the ability to personalize these experiences, making learning more engaging and effective. This vision was further reinforced by growing global trends such as digital adoption in education, the need for individualized learning, and a greater emphasis on social-emotional development alongside academics.
How does SKIDOS use AI to personalize learning experiences, and what makes your adaptive engine stand out in the edtech space?
SKIDOS uses AI to deliver personalized learning pathways that adjust dynamically to each child’s pace, performance, and preferences. The adaptive engine monitors user engagement and academic progress, enabling the system to modify content difficulty, recommend new learning modules, and reinforce key concepts as needed.
What makes SKIDOS distinct in the edtech space is its comprehensive approach. The platform goes beyond academic subjects to also support cognitive development and social-emotional learning. It incorporates multilingual and culturally adaptable content, ensuring relevance across global markets. Parental dashboards provide real-time insights into progress, helping caregivers support their child’s development at home. The combination of AI-driven personalization, curriculum alignment, and a focus on whole-child learning sets SKIDOS apart.
Can you share specific examples of how SKIDOS’ AI adapts to a child’s progress?
SKIDOS’ AI continually tracks how a child interacts with learning content, identifying their strengths, challenges, and preferred learning styles. Based on this data, the platform adjusts difficulty levels in real time, making lessons more challenging when a child is excelling or offering additional support when needed. Content is personalized based on age, academic history, and user behavior, ensuring a tailored experience that remains both effective and engaging.
Additionally, SKIDOS is building generative AI features that will allow children to interact with safe, controlled models. These models are designed to enhance English comprehension and math fluency through conversational, guided learning—bringing more interactivity and personalization into the experience.
How do you ensure SKIDOS’ AI aligns with educational standards and curriculum goals?
To maintain academic rigor, SKIDOS works closely with curriculum developers and subject matter experts to align its learning content with global standards, such as Common Core and the UK National Curriculum. Regular reviews and updates ensure that the content evolves in sync with changing educational benchmarks. The AI engine is trained on validated datasets to recognize learning patterns and deliver content that is both pedagogically sound and age appropriate. Continuous feedback loops, incorporating insights from parents, educators, and user performance, help refine content and keep it aligned with real-world classroom expectations. This process ensures that SKIDOS not only meets educational standards but also supports measurable learning outcomes.
What role does AI play in developing Social Emotional Learning (SEL) competencies in young learners?
AI enhances SEL in multiple ways. First, it enables personalized feedback that helps children become more self-aware understanding their emotions, learning behaviors, and areas of improvement. AI-powered games also present interactive scenarios that encourage empathy, decision-making, and conflict resolution, all within a safe, guided environment. Some tools can detect emotional cues through sentiment analysis and providing real-time prompts to help children manage their feelings. Virtual peers and chatbots offer a way to practice communication skills in a low-pressure setting. AI also supports educators and parents by delivering data-driven insights on a child’s emotional and social growth, enabling timely interventions when necessary.
How does SKIDOS ensure screen time remains productive rather than distracting?
SKIDOS is designed to ensure that digital engagement is both productive and purposeful. Each game is anchored in defined educational objectives, spanning academics, life skills, and social-emotional development. Gamification elements such as levels, challenges, and rewards are used to motivate children while reinforcing learning goals. To address parental concerns around excessive screen time, SKIDOS includes usage reports and progress dashboards that allow parents to monitor how time is spent. Content is developed in collaboration with education experts and aligned with proven frameworks like the Science of Reading and CASEL. These measures ensure that the platform supports healthy digital habits while promoting meaningful learning experiences.
What challenges did SKIDOS face in developing AI-driven educational games, and how were they addressed?
One of the major challenges was designing an AI system that could recommend the right educational games in real time, considering a child’s interests and past performance. Ensuring a seamless balance between engagement and pedagogy required significant research and iteration. SKIDOS addressed this by developing a robust recommendation engine that leverages behavioral and performance data to guide users toward relevant learning experiences. The system not only improves discoverability but also enhances gameplay, helping children stay motivated and focused. Continuous testing and expert feedback ensure that both fun and educational value remain central to every game.
What ethical considerations should edtech companies prioritize as AI becomes mainstream in education?
As AI takes on a larger role in education, companies must be proactive in addressing ethical responsibilities. Key areas of focus include:
- Data privacy and security: Adhering to regulations like GDPR and COPPA and ensuring clear, transparent data practices.
- Algorithmic fairness: Designing systems that avoid reinforcing biases and promote equitable learning outcomes across demographics.
- Transparency and accountability: Clearly communicating how AI systems function, what data is collected, and how it is used.
- Accessibility and inclusion: Making platforms usable for children with disabilities, different learning needs, or limited digital access.
- Age-appropriate design: Ensuring content and interactivity are suitable for developmental stages and do not foster digital dependency.
- Support for human educators and caregivers: Positioning AI as a tool that enhances, not replaces, the role of adults in a child’s learning journey.
- Sustainable, responsible innovation: Prioritizing educational impact over commercial gain to build long-term value for learners.
These principles are essential not only for compliance but for fostering trust among parents, educators, and learners.
Do you see AI-powered learning replacing traditional models, or supporting a hybrid approach?
AI is not a replacement for traditional education but rather a powerful complement. Its strengths lie in personalizing learning, automating repetitive tasks, and expanding access to quality educational content. However, critical thinking, collaboration, and emotional intelligence, key components of holistic development, still require the human touch that teachers provide. The most effective path forward is a hybrid model where AI supports in-classroom learning through supplemental, on-demand resources. This blended approach combines the best of both worlds: the scalability and personalization of technology with the guidance, empathy, and creativity of educators.
How is SKIDOS working toward becoming the “Netflix of Edutainment”?
SKIDOS is building a comprehensive edutainment platform designed to deliver engaging, educational content at scale—mirroring the subscription-based convenience and diversity of platforms like Netflix. The platform offers access to 1,000+ learning activities spanning math, literacy, emotional well-being, and 21st-century skills, all under a single subscription. SKIDOS partners with game developers worldwide to transform kid-friendly games into educational experiences using its proprietary SDK. Personalization, safety, and quality remain at the core, supported by industry certifications and alignment with educational frameworks. The platform’s growing list of accolades, including the Parents’ Choice Award and recognition from Apple and Google, reflects its credibility and global appeal. With multilingual support and content designed for global accessibility, SKIDOS is steadily realizing its vision of becoming the go-to destination for fun, safe, and effective learning experiences.
How do you see AI evolving in the gamified learning space over the next five years?
AI will significantly advance gamified learning by enabling more immersive, intelligent, and inclusive experiences. Key developments on the horizon include:
- Hyper-personalization: Real-time analysis of user behavior will drive content tailored to individual learning paths and emotional states.
- Immersive environments: Integration with AR/VR will create rich, interactive worlds that make abstract concepts tangible.
- AI-generated content: Dynamic storylines, challenges, and adaptive scenarios will reduce content fatigue and increase engagement.
- SEL-focused experiences: AI will simulate real-world social scenarios to help children build empathy, teamwork, and emotional skills.
- Data-driven instruction: Educators will receive real-time insights into each child’s progress, enabling more effective, targeted teaching.
- Greater inclusivity: Language and accessibility barriers will diminish as AI adapts content for a broader spectrum of learners.
As gamified AI learning evolves, its potential to foster lifelong learning, close educational gaps, and make learning enjoyable for all ages will only continue to grow.
Thank you for the great interview, readers who wish to learn more should visit SKIDOS.
