NEWS10 December 2025
A new spin-out from the University of Surrey, ConnectPlayWise Ltd, is set to revolutionise social-emotional learning for children while addressing loneliness among older adults and retirees. Based at Surrey Research Park, the company is part of a thriving community of innovators driving societal change.
A member of our SETsquared Surrey Business Incubator, at the Park, ConnectPlayWise benefits from tailored support for startups, helping refine and scale its innovative solution.
Recently, the company secured £300,000 in Innovate UK funding to bring its educational gaming platform to market in early 2026.
The GAIN programme, which concluded last month, spearheaded collaborations between academia and industry, focusing on aligning research with industry priorities. While its primary goal was advancing innovations in entertainment gaming, its modular innovation framework proved adaptable for projects like ConnectPlayWise, demonstrating how industry-driven technologies can deliver value beyond entertainment markets, including healthcare and education.
The GAIN programme, which concluded last month, spearheaded collaborations between academia and industry, focusing on aligning research with industry priorities. While its primary goal was advancing innovations in entertainment gaming, the programme also explored technologies such as AI systems, player analytics, and accessibility features—key advancements that proved adaptable for projects like ConnectPlayWise, demonstrating how industry-driven innovations can deliver value beyond entertainment markets, including healthcare and education.
How it works – A platform for connection and learning
ConnectPlayWise creates safe connections between children and older adults in later retirement, such as grandparents living abroad or care home residents. Through fun, interactive games designed to build social skills and reduce isolation, the platform fosters meaningful intergenerational relationships.
To ensure safety, all adults on the platform undergo enhanced DBS checks and identity verification, guaranteeing that every match is appropriate and secure.
Dr Brigitte Stangl, Founder and CEO of ConnectPlayWise and Associate Professor in Tourism at the University of Surrey, said:
“Our platform helps children practice essential life skills like sharing and listening, while giving older adults meaningful interactions to look forward to.
“A child in Guildford can play with their grandmother in Poland, or a local class can connect with a care home – all in a safe, playful environment.”
GAIN programme and wider impact
ConnectPlayWise was developed with funding from the GAIN programme, a collaboration between the University of Surrey, the University of Warwick, and UCA to advance gaming innovation.
The programme’s final report (download your copy below), outlines 10 key recommendations for driving intergenerational solutions and fostering creativity in the gaming sector.
Supported by Innovate Surrey Limited, the University of Surrey spin-out aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and government priorities in education, mental health, and elderly care, offering affordable tools to improve wellbeing for schools, care homes, and families.
Discover More and Sign-Up to Support Beta Testing
For more information about ConnectPlayWise Ltd visit their website, where you can sign-up to take part in the company’s beta testing: https://connectplaywise.io
