Out of the mouths of babes: Soapbox Labs

Frustrated by literacy apps for young children that just didn’t work, Soapbox Labs’ founder Patricia Scanlon devoted two years to designing one that did

Patricia Scanlon, founder of Soapbox Labs Picture: Fergal Phillips
Many apps fail to take kids’ individual needs into account

When Patricia Scanlon was teaching her daughter to read aloud, she tried a technological option. It was the natural thing to do for a former engineer, who was named by Forbes in December last year as one of the world’s top women in tech. She downloaded an app designed for early readers, and was emailed updates on her child’s progress. But there was a glitch.