Halifax-based Athena's Playground has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help boost the number and range of hobby-focused courses it offers online.

The startup’s platform has been created to allow users to embrace new skills and hobbies with ease, creating community, and overcoming the difficulties people often feel when getting started with a new interest.

“Our mission is to transform the way people engage with personal growth,” CEO Michael Sanderson told Entrevestor.

“We are creating a vibrant, supportive space where users can rediscover the joy of learning and connect with a global community of experts and fellow enthusiasts.”

Since launching in 2021, the startup has been creating a small but growing presence. The platform currently offers eight courses, from dance to cooking and painting. There is a 95 percent completion rate among users with a 4.9-star average rating. The company is aiming to provide 50 courses by Fall 2026. Its Kickstarter campaign is currently a third of the way towards its $25,000 goal.

Sanderson said many people sign up to learn a hobby or develop a passion with big platforms that don’t offer personal support and connection, and that is where Athena’s Playground – named for the Greek goddess of wisdom – stands out. The platform is accessible and designed for learners to pursue their interests without the barriers of extensive searching, costly initial investments, or limited time.

Users can learn on their own schedule from anywhere and become part of a global learning community that offers expert support, said Sanderson, who is also Director at Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre at Saint Mary’s University.

Trainers are chosen for their experience and enthusiasm, with Sanderson and co-founder and Chief Operations Officer Meredith Drost, providing further training. Other staff include Mukul Gupta, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, and Grace Giffin, Marketing Manager.

Sanderson and Drost first met at Saint Mary’s University, where Sanderson was mentoring students who were building businesses around social impact through the global Enactus movement. Drost was a student. The two stayed in touch after she graduated and moved to Toronto. They now work together at the university’s Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre, which she manages.

The idea for Athena’s Playground began with a dream Sanderson had about the kind of learning platform he wanted to create.

“The person in the dream told me, ‘This is your business,’” he said.

He shared the dream with Drost who was alone in Toronto at the time. Together with Gupta, a longtime collaborator, they conceived of a platform where learning could be social, accessible, and human.

“There’s a quiet moment many adults know well, the moment you want to try something new, and just as quickly, the feeling fades,” said Drost

“Not because the curiosity isn’t real, but because starting alone feels overwhelming...Our focus is on ensuring that the journey of mastering a new skill is a shared experience...We aren’t just launching courses; we’re giving people a space to truly experience learning.”