94. toucanBox Our experts We are a team of writers, experimenters and researchers providing you with the best advice with zero bias or partiality. Founder: Virginie Charles-DearFounded: January 2012 (launched April 2012) Website: www.toucanbox.comWhen watching a popular children’s programme with her four-year-old daughter, inspiration struck Virginie Charles-Dear as she realised that the ‘everyday household objects’ needed for the activities featured on the show were actually far from commonplace – as she puts it, ‘who saves 24 ice lolly sticks?’. toucanBox solves this issue by offering a six or 12 month subscription service that delivers a complete package of activities for children and toddlers every month, containing all the materials and instructions needed for four different creative DIY projects. Drawing on her previous experience as head of marketing at an ecommerce start-up, Charles-Dear has created a concept that parents and grandparents can easily buy into. The young company has already been backed with a six-figure investment from 20 angel investors including Innocent Drinks founders Richard Reed, Adam Balon and Jon Wright, and toucanBox has plans to scale its offering in the UK in preparation for a launch across the Atlantic. Share this post facebook twitter linkedin