App/tech business of the week – STORYBOOK SHOP

Company - StorybookSHOP “personalised children’s story books”

What is it? A web site that allows the user to digitally create a personalised story book as a gift for a child based on the child’s specific interests. Storybook Shop blends high-tech PDF generation and on-demand printing with good old fashioned hard-cover story books. The company utilises a fully automated delivery system with distributors in Australia, the United Kingdom and the USA.

Founder Renae Bunster “Personalisation is a trend in all industries at the moment and I spotted a gap in the market. Personalised book technology hasn’t moved on since the ‘one story fits all’ approach of the 80s. Our system allows you to tailor a story for the individual, for instance a child who likes playing football, race car driving and animals or one who likes dancing, horses and fairies. I love the fact my books are encouraging more story time for kiddies.”

Where Accessed? StoryBookShop.com.au website, optimised for mobile devices

Funding Founder funded

Target Market The personalised children’s gift market is growing. The leading company in this space ‘I See Me’ books was recently acquired for a sum rumoured to be in the tens of millions of dollars. One study from the UK showed that personalised books increase children’s vocabulary more than those without personal information on the child.