The Stage | Ben Drury, Co Founder & CEO, Yoto

Why It Matters

Yoto’s rapid scaling demonstrates strong consumer appetite for screen‑free educational tech, offering investors and educators a scalable solution to improve early literacy.

Key Takeaways

• Yoto offers screen‑free audio speaker using interchangeable story cards.
• Founded by new parents, targeting early childhood learning and imagination.
• Revenue surged from £3 M (2020) to nearly £100 M (2024).
• Operates in US, Canada, UK, France, Australia; global expansion goal.
• Audio content aims to boost reading skills amid declining literacy.

Summary

In a recent interview, Ben Drury, co‑founder and CEO of Yoto, outlined the company’s mission to provide a screen‑free audio experience for young children through a physical, connected speaker that plays story cards.

The device lets kids as young as one or two insert cards containing stories, music, podcasts or radio, delivering content without a screen. Drury highlighted rapid growth: from roughly £3 million in revenue during the pandemic‑year launch to nearly £100 million in 2024, and expansion into five markets – the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Australia.

He emphasized the educational angle, noting, "listening to audio is a great pathway into reading," and positioning Yoto as a tool to counter the decline in children’s reading rates. The company’s timing, launching amid Covid‑related stress for new parents, resonated with families seeking safe, engaging entertainment.

The implications are twofold: Yoto taps a growing demand for screen‑free learning toys while positioning itself for global rollout, potentially reshaping early‑childhood media consumption and supporting literacy initiatives worldwide.

Original Description

In this episode of The Stage, Ben Drury, Co‑Founder and CEO of Yoto, reflects on how the realities of modern parenting inspired a screen‑free audio platform for children.

Ben shares how Yoto grew from an early idea into a global business, spanning five countries, while staying focused on creativity, imagination and learning. He also reflects on why audio can be a powerful gateway into reading, and why that matters as children’s reading habits continue to change.

About The Stage

The Stage is a video series by London Stock Exchange Group celebrating the people behind the markets. Each episode features founders, leaders and industry voices sharing insights, milestones and the stories that shaped their journey.

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