Mobile App Developer Movile Doubles Down On Kids Content

Movile, the Brazilian mobile shopping and entertainment company is doubling down on its investment in kids programming and entertainment with a new $5 million investment.

The move, which occurred earlier this month, is the latest in a series of investments meant to bulk up the company’s mobile platform as it expands internationally.

Movile is funneling the money into its PlayKids a, an iOS and Android application, which has educational games and videos targeting kids under five.

According to Eduardo Henrique, the co-founder and head of the U.S. market at Movile, part of the money will be used to improve the educational content available through the app.

“We want to launch more games and more educational activities in 2014,” Henrique said. The money will also be used to license content in more countries, according to the Movile executive. PlayKids is already available in 26 countries, and the company wants to expand even further.

Already among the top grossing apps for kids in Latin American countries including Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, Urguay and Argentina, the company is hoping to claim the top spot in North America and Australia, Henrique said.

Part of the new campaign involves the launch of an eBooks feature that children can download through the PlayKids app, Henrique said.

Movile operates four different business units, the Playkids app; a food delivery service in Brazil called iFood; a free hotspot location service Free Zone; and a video sharing site, Zeewee.

Founded in 1998, Movile offers content, commerce, and micropayments services for mobile devices. The company is backed by South African media conglomerate Naspers, whose holdings also include the Chinese internet company Tencent, Indian e-commerce site Flipkart, and the Dubai-based online marketplace, Souq.com, which raised $75 million from Naspers earlier this week.

Campinas, Brazil-based Movile has 300 employees spread throughout Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, and the U.S.