From digital journalism to technical product management to start-up, founder Liane Katz has worn many hats throughout her career. Today, she is the co-founder and CEO of MAMA. Codes LTD a coding school for kids that aims to widen access to quality digital skills education. With a career that started during the “dot com bubble” and included a long stint at the Guardian News & Media, she has seen it all. Let’s dive deep into Liane’s background, her journey, and her vision for MAMA codes.
An Unconventional Path
Liane’s career path has been unconventional. She studied History and French Language & Literature at Oxford University and began her career as a journalist. However, her life took a turn when her colleagues at The Guardian taught her to code during her lunch hours. This experience helped her realize the importance of coding in every industry and sector and that she had felt “locked out” of STEM and tech in her early career.
She then transitioned into technical product management and worked for various digital media companies. However, Liane’s passion for coding education did not fade away. With this realization, Liane wanted to provide a solution for young children to learn coding creatively and younger than currently available. This is what led to the inception of MAMA codes.
The Go-To Early Years Coding Provider
MAMA.codes provides quality coding education to as many children as possible, with a particular focus on supporting marginalized children. The school teaches over 100 children per term aged 3-11, mostly through online video calls, and a few school-based clubs. However, the school’s vision is to become the go-to provider of Early Years children’s coding and ICT education.
In order to support her vision of widening access to quality education, Liane and her team also work with charities and community groups alongside corporate sponsors, ensuring that even children from underprivileged backgrounds have access to the opportunities and skills that MAMA.codes provides. Liane is a firm believer that every child should have the chance to learn to code, regardless of their circumstances.
An Innovative Self-serve App
To power its next phase of growth, the company has developed Looparoo, an exciting new self-serve app. This web-based tool enables children to teach themselves to code, even before they can read, through audio prompts narrated by children and engaging coding games. Looparoo is an innovative app that can potentially reach thousands of families and schools globally.
Liane believes that Looparoo will be a game-changer in the Early Years education sector. She believes that the app’s combination of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning will enable children to engage with coding concepts in a way that is fun, intuitive, and accessible.
Weathering the Storms
One of the biggest challenges that Liane faced as CEO of MAMA.codes was the COVID-19 pandemic. When the pandemic hit, MAMA.codes had to pivot their business model from in-person classes to digital delivery within just ten days. Despite the significant changes and challenges, the school did not lose a penny in pre-booked revenue for the term and trained its tutors to adapt to the new model. The resilience and adaptability of the MAMA. Codes team during this challenging time is a testament to the leadership and vision of Liane.
Secondly, Liane has also faced her fair share of challenges as a female CEO in a predominantly male-dominated industry. She expresses that there are still not enough women in leadership positions in tech and STEM, and she is passionate about changing this. She has been actively involved in mentoring and supporting other women in the industry, and she believes that diversity and inclusivity are essential for driving innovation and progress.
In her advice to emerging female entrepreneurs, she says, “Just do it! Don’t worry or second guess too much. I would really recommend you find some experienced mentors who can support, inform and challenge you for the road ahead.”
The Importance of Integrity for a CEO
Liane’s belief in integrity has been a driving force throughout her career, and she believes it is the most important characteristic for a CEO to possess. She leads by example, ensuring that MAMA.codes maintains high ethical standards, treating its teams, partners, and customers fairly. Liane’s authentic passion for excellent outcomes and an ability to represent and champion an inspiring vision with transparency has also helped her to attract investors and stakeholders who share her values.
A Roadmap Ahead
Looking to the future, Liane has big plans for MAMA.codes. The school’s vision is to become the go-to provider of Early Years children’s coding and ICT education. With its new self-serve app, Looparoo, MAMA.codes aims to reach thousands of families and schools globally.This innovative approach to early childhood education has the potential to transform the way children learn and interact with technology.
In addition to Looparoo, MAMA.codes is also working on other exciting new projects. The school is developing new courses to support students to extend their coding knowledge into HTML/CSS, website design and building, Minecraft Education coding & Python. MAMA.codes is also exploring new corporate and governmental partnerships and collaborations to expand its reach and impact. Liane is passionate about making coding education accessible to all children, and she is committed to working towards this goal.
An Inspiring Journey
Liane Katz’s journey from journalism to co-founding MAMA.codes is an inspiring story of following one’s passion and providing a solution to a problem. The school’s focus on providing quality coding education to young children, with a particular emphasis on supporting marginalized children, is admirable. Liane’s leadership, vision, and values have been instrumental in the success of MAMA.codes, and her dedication to making coding education accessible to all children is inspiring. Looparoo, the new self-serve app, is an exciting development that has the potential to reach tens of thousands of families and schools globally. With Liane at the helm, MAMA.codes is poised to make a significant impact in the world of early childhood education and beyond.
Any child aged 3-11 can experience a free online taster class with MAMA.codes – sign up at www.mama.codes
Company Name: MAMA.codes Ltd.
Featured Person: Liane Katz, Co-founder & CEO
Quote: “We make coding child’s play.
