Rovio spins off education businesses to create Fun Academy

Angry Birds creator Rovio has spun out its education operations into a new company under the name of Fun Academy. 

Fun Academy, according to its website, is a "new start-up company focused on fun learning," and will continue the work being done over at Rovio Learning - the division behind learning game, Angry Birds Playground. 

The spin-off group, led by Rovio's former VP of Education, Sanna Lukander, has licensed the Angry Birds brand and recruited a number of "key personnel" from the Finnish developer,.

According to Rovio, Fun Academy will have more flexibility when it comes to financing and decision-making, allowing it to grow even faster than Rovio Learning. 

In addition to taking control of Angry Birds Playground, Fun Academy will also develop other products, services, and tools for teachers, students, and parents in an bid to promote fun learning. 

"As a spin-off from Rovio we can continue from all the work Rovio has done over the past five years developing fun learning,” said Lukander.

“That puts us in a unique position as a start-up. Not only do we have Angry Birds Playground, a product that has real operational customers in Shanghai, Chengdu, Nanjing, Singapore and Saint Paul (Minnesota), but also ongoing major partnerships as well as research co-operation with universities like the University of Helsinki and Beijing Normal University."