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Killer Snails makes educational games designed to spark interest in science among K-12 students. The startup was founded in 2015 by Mand\u00eb Holford, Jessica Ochoa Hendrix, and Lindsay Portnoy, who among them have decades of scientific research and teaching experience. From the outset, the partners knew the \u201cplay-break-fix\u201d model would be key to building and expanding their business, says Chief Executive Officer Ochoa Hendrix. Killer Snails invests hundreds of hours in gathering feedback\u2014over the past three years, roughly 10,000 students have tested its products. In January the company embarked on its first national pilot program for BioDive, a game that uses an online journal and virtual-reality immersions to simulate the experience of marine biologists on underwater missions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019re trying to figure out how we build content that is both a compelling story and scientifically accurate,\u201d says Holford, an associate chemistry professor at the City University of New York\u2019s Hunter College. Piloting is key for \u201cdeveloping games that make students feel like scientists addressing real-world problems.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Determine which age group your product is for and where it will be used, such as at home or in the classroom, says Ochoa Hendrix. For Biome Builder, a tabletop game aimed at families, the team did prototyping at New York cultural institutions popular with parents, including the American Museum of Natural History and the New York Hall of Science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In early trial runs, Killer Snails teamed up with schools and other entities near its Brooklyn location so the founders themselves could participate. They reach out directly to teachers as a first step. The team looks for educators with a range of experience, from 20-year veterans to newbies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Killer Snails team coordinates visits with teachers, making sure to ask ahead of time about the number of students who will participate, the length of the class, the classroom setup, and any special considerations. For the BioDive national piloting, the startup provides teachers with a 15-page booklet of instructions, learning objectives, and potential discussion questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Affordability and usability are crucial, says Ochoa Hendrix. Killer Snails pays for and provides teachers with inexpensive cardboard kits for VR viewing on smartphones. \u201cThe cost is zero for the school to pilot,\u201d says Ochoa Hendrix. \u201cIt\u2019s just the time commitment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to the team\u2019s notes, students complete surveys after testing a game and answer questions meant to gauge their interest in science. \u201cThere\u2019s never been a time where we\u2019ve been like, \u2018This is flawless, got it, nailed it,\u2019?\u201d Ochoa Hendrix says. \u201cEvery time we pilot, we make changes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Killer Snails expects to start licensing BioDive to schools this summer. To build a sales team, it will seek more money, including from the National Science Foundation\u2019s seed funding program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n