The Marshmallow Project

The Marshmallow Project is a Paris-based EdTech startup founded in 2024 by Cédric O — former French Secretary of State for Digital and advisory cofounder of Mistral AI — along with cofounders Flore Cousin, Nicolas Princen, Frédéric Potter, and Sébastien Boyer. The company is developing a screen-free AI platform designed to promote cognitive development in children through conversational, human-like voice interactions. Rather than placing children in front of screens, the platform leverages AI-powered voice technology to deliver educational content and interactive experiences. The startup raised a seed round of approximately €10 million with backing from General Catalyst, Balderton Capital, Alpha Intelligence Capital, Edu Capital, Motier Ventures, Kima Ventures, daphni, and Sistafund. The Marshmallow Project is backed by scientific advisory expertise in developmental cognitive neuroscience and targets the growing demand for healthy, developmentally appropriate AI experiences for young children.