MyFirst, the Singapore-based kids’ tech brand behind the myFirst Fone watchphone and myFirst Circle family app, has raised over $8 million in its Series A funding round, led by Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India.

MyFirst said in a statement on Tuesday that backed by this latest funding round, the firm will deepen its KidsTech ecosystem, bringing together devices, connected services, and a secure social platform to support a child’s first digital experiences across communication, creativity, and self-expression.

The company will expand its presence across North Asia, the Middle East, the United States, and Europe through retail and telco partnerships with partners such as Walmart and Best Buy, while enhancing myFirst Circle as a closed, ad-free social network designed specifically for children.

At a time when most children’s online lives begin on platforms built for adults, myFirst is working to define what safe, age-appropriate technology should look like for the next generation.

Used by more than one million families across 60 countries, myFirst said it is redefining how children experience technology, safely, purposefully, and joyfully.

“We started myFirst because our own kids wanted to use technology, but everything out there was built for adults. Every child deserves their first digital device to be built just for them, at a price point that makes it accessible,

“This new funding will help us bring safer, kid-ready tech to even more families around the world, and help parents feel confident about their child’s first step into the digital world,”
said G-Jay Yong, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, myFirst.

Jessica Koh, Senior Executive Director, Vertex Ventures SEA & India, commented that they see a structural shift in how families introduce children to technology, driving demand for purpose-built products rather than adaptations of adult platforms.

“The global KidsTech opportunity remains underpenetrated, and with its integrated ecosystem and global reach, myFirst is well positioned to define the category at scale,” she added.

It is noted that the myFirst Fone watchphone gives kids the freedom to call, message, and share their day, while built-in GPS, safety zones, and an SOS button help parents stay reassured without handing over a full-fledged smartphone.

MyFirst Circle, the family social app, lets kids share moments only with approved family and friends, within a fully encrypted, parental-controlled environment, creating a safe, ad-free space for connection and fun, free from strangers and inappropriate content.

Together, these form the foundation of a growing ecosystem that spans watchphones, cameras, headphones, drawing tablets, and more, combining fun devices with connected services purpose-built for children, said the statement.

The Invention Lab completes seed investment in Singapore’s AI computing startup RIDM