Grogo

Brain Boosting Screen Breaks

“Eight Bit didn’t just build us an app — they helped shape an entirely new parenting mindset around screen time. They did everything we asked and more.”

Richard Marra Jr.
CEO, Grogo

Interrupting the Scroll: How Grogo and Eight Bit Studios Transforms Screen Time into Brain-Boosting Breaks for Kids

Grogo is a subscription-based mobile app that transforms screen time interruptions into brief, educational moments. Designed for families with kids in grades 2–12, Grogo helps children build healthier tech habits by turning digital downtime into snack-sized learning opportunities.

Overview

With concerns about excessive screen time on the rise, Grogo set out to create an entirely new category of edutainment. Rather than controlling or restricting screen use, Grogo empowers parents with a tool that encourages kids to take short “brain breaks” by answering subject-based questions before regaining access to their devices. To bring this ambitious vision to life, Grogo partnered with Eight Bit Studios to lead the charge from idea to app store launch.

Ask

Grogo engaged Eight Bit Studios to help shape and deliver a brand-new app experience across iOS and Android. The team was tasked with:

  • Collaborating on the concept and technical foundation

  • Designing the entire product ecosystem (apps, branding, admin tools, website)

  • Developing and launching a fully functional app to the Apple App Store and Google Play Stor

  • Ensuring a playful, high-trust experience for both kids and parents


Solution

Eight Bit assembled a cross-functional team of over 10 strategists, designers, developers, and QA specialists to craft Grogo from the ground up. Key phases included:

  • Discovery & Strategy - Business requirements, user journeys, and a phased product roadmap

  • User Research - Parent and child interviews, research synthesis, and insight reporting

  • Brand & Character Development - Visual identity, illustration system, and Grogo’s lovable character design

  • Design & Development - Dual native apps for iOS and Android, backend API development, QA testing, and a custom admin web portal for content control and analytics

Results

Grogo’s successful launch in early 2025 was powered by clear goals, thoughtful design, and strategic technical execution.

  • Released simultaneously on iOS and Android platforms

  • Delivered personalized, adaptive quiz engine spanning 5 subjects

Our Approach

Approach Section 1: Discovery & Strategic Planning

From Ambiguity to Clarity for a Transformational EdTech Product

The Grogo team engaged Eight Bit Studios to help define, plan, and prepare for the development of an innovative parental control mobile app that integrates AI-driven educational experiences. Our Discovery phase set the foundation through:

  • Strategic Alignment Workshops to clarify measures of success, define key experience moments, and understand where to innovate versus maintain.

  • Business Requirements Development to capture a comprehensive understanding of the functional and experiential needs of the platform.

  • User Flow and Technical Architecture Documentation, guiding technical decision-making and establishing a scalable path forward.

  • Strategic Release Planning to align stakeholders on timelines and priorities for launching a Minimum Lovable Product (MLP).

This phase provided the client with a clear vision, documentation for future phases, and the confidence to proceed into execution.

Approach Section 2: Research & User Validation

Understanding the Needs of Parents and Students

To ensure the Grogo app resonated with real families, we conducted foundational research focused on both end-users and decision-makers:

  • Conducted 1:1 interviews with up to 5 parents and 5 learners, gathering nuanced insights beyond what surveys could provide.

  • Synthesized findings into a Research Readout, identifying priority features and pain points.

  • Facilitated validation sessions with stakeholders to align around must-have features and early product direction.

This phase was essential in ensuring our solution would not only meet business goals, but also truly engage and support families.

Approach Section 3: Branding & Visual Identity Exploration

Building an Engaging Brand to Resonate with Families

With a mission to bring a positive, fun, and educational twist to screen time, we knew the brand had to be both trustworthy for parents and appealing to kids:

  • Led brand strategy and visual exploration workshops to define the app’s personality and visual tone.

  • Delivered a visual identity package, including:

    • 5 original illustrations

    • 10 badge designs to be used in the app and marketing

    • 2 rounds of revisions for each visual asset

    • Final production-ready digital files

The result was a vibrant and flexible visual system that could support Grogo’s educational goals while standing out in a crowded parental tech space.

Approach Section 4: Delivery & Release

Following discovery and validation, we moved into full-scale product design and development of the Grogo platform:

  • Ran three iterative Design Sprints to rapidly prototype and refine core features for the Parent and Student experiences.

  • Designed and developed native iOS and Android applications, including both onshore and offshore collaboration for delivery efficiency.

  • Created a Web Admin Portal to support content management and internal operations.

  • Built out a robust Backend/API infrastructure, ensuring stability, scalability, and easy integration with future tools (e.g., analytics, educational content).

  • Conducted usability testing on interactive prototypes and beta builds to validate UX decisions and ensure a delightful experience for both parents and children.

  • Delivered a marketing website to support go-to-market efforts and user acquisition.

The result was an MVP-ready platform with core functionality in place, tested and designed to scale with Grogo’s vision for revolutionizing screen time.