Secret 1. Creating a trustworthy and safe app for kids

The company has managed to work through regulations, integrate external links without compromising the user experience, and adhere to text and voiceover guidelines. Papumba's commitment to safety and credibility is evident through its Mom's Choice Award (Gold Seal of Approval) and kidSAFE certification. The app is 100% ad-free, blocks all in-app purchases behind the parental gate, and does not allow access to other applications or external links while in use.

Secret 2. Being featured in the Apple App Store

Gonzalo shared that being featured in the app stores helped the app boost downloads and make it easier to reach new users. He stressed that while rewards and recognition are important, the primary focus should be on creating a great app that meets the needs of users.

Secret 3. Generating 40% of additional revenue by localizing the content

Born in Argentina with a strong collaborator base in the LatAm region, the app was primarily developed in Spanish, Portuguese, and English. With growing demand in countries like Indonesia and France, the team translated text, voice-over, and games into multiple languages. Today, the app is offered in 15 different languages, leading to 40% of additional revenue.

Secret 4. Improving the adoption of annual plans

Gonzalo shared the importance of improving the adoption of annual plans to increase lifetime value. Papumba's team conducted a series of experiments aimed at improving the onboarding process and making the app more appealing to users, reducing churn and increasing adoption of annual plans.

More about Gonzalo

Gonzalo Rodriguez is an accomplished Argentinian entrepreneur and passionate CEO with a deep love for parenting and education. As a two-time startup founder, he currently leads Papumba, a VC-backed Edtech platform focused on helping families around the world raise confident and ready-for-school children.

Episode 24 sneak peek

• About localizing the content: "Even though the US is our biggest market, outside of the US market there are more than 200 million families that have kids, and they don't have many choices in their native language. We had to build a team of translators and voice-overs working on the localization. Now 40% of the revenue comes from outside of the US and LATAM."
• About getting awarded by Apple: "Parents are very careful in choices they make regarding technology so being featured by Apple is important because we need to be very good with everything that comes before using the app. Those awards are great to inspire trust."
• About the adoption of annual plans: "It didn't make much sense to offer an annual commitment in the beginning so we went with a monthly. But after iterating for the first time, we included an annual plan with a nice discount, and suddenly 40% of our user base started to prefer the annual plan. That was mind-blowing for me."
• About keeping a close relationship with Apple: "We decided to talk to Apple and Google from the very beginning. They have been giving guidance and we have been asking for support. We are partners and we share revenue."