A former lawyer, techie, and school counselor, Sophie Deen is the founder of Bright Little Labs, a media start-up on a mission to create Sesame Street for the digital age.
Her flagship story, Detective Dot, is about a nine-year-old coder who is an agent for the CIA (Children’s Intelligence Agency). The idea is to help teach kids, especially girls and underrepresented groups, to code. The book has reached over 30 countries, is backed by the Cabinet Office, and is launching in 18,000 schools this September with the support of EDF Energy. Bright Little Labs are now creating an interactive world to ‘edu-tain’ with games, animations, and on-demand content.
Sophie previously worked at Code Club and, alongside Google and the Department For Education, introduced the first coding curriculum in primary schools. Her awards include the Barclays Startup Founder of the Year 2017, British Interactive Media Association Innovator 2017, and Computer Weekly’s ‘Rising Star’ 2016.
Sophie is extremely passionate about creative education, diverse role models, and the power of stories to inspire the next generation.