Chicago-based start-up Codeverse is on a simple mission to teach 1 billion kids how to code and turn today's youth into tomorrow's leaders.

Codeverse is the brainchild of one of Chicago's most successful husband and wife duos, Craig Ulliott and Katy Lynch. The pair met at Where I've Been, Craig's first company, which was acquired by TripAdvisor in 2011 with 10 million users.

Ulliott and Lynch then joined forces to build the explosively popular digital media firm, SocialKaty, which was acquired by Manifest Digital in 2014. Ulliott also co-founded leading loyalty company Belly, and Lynch served as CEO of Techweek.

On this episode, I speak with co-founder Katy Lynch about why they believe that every child should be set up for success as early as possible. They do this by equipping children with the right tools and resources they need to thrive in their ever-changing, technologically-advanced world.

KIDSCRIPT: A KID-FRIENDLY PROPRIETARY LANGUAGE

Built from the ground up purely to teach children to code, KidScript is Codeverse's original, kid-friendly coding language. Using KidScript, children learn the craft of code while bringing their own ideas to life through a simplified programming language. This innovation allows children to see results as they type, providing a much greater understanding of cause and effect, as well as an immediate sense of accomplishment.

Unlike traditional coding, feedback is given in real time, which enables children to correct errors on the spot, and creates an active learning environment. The underlying curriculum is self-guided and adaptive, meeting and challenging children at each individual skill level.

Coding teaches essential life skills beyond the computer screen. It encourages creativity, instills confidence, and promotes critical thinking and problem-solving.