Seizing on the momentum of that 2017 video, that shows how an ordinary gymnasium goes from four walls and a ceiling to a playful digital environment with depth and curiosity, the Lü team quickly launched a landing page to collect emails from educators and innovators worldwide.
“I collected thousands of emails over that first weekend and people who wanted more information or thought this was a product and it wasn't at that time were from all over the world basically,” explains Routhier.
As a result, year one, he says, was more about targeting early supporters as opposed to penetrating specific markets and countries.
“Who's excited with the product and excited enough to convince people to put money on a project that is, let's call it, risky because it's something new,” says Routhier. “It was a lot about people. So those early adopters... I think this is where we saw trends.”
By its second year, Lü had shipped over 100 units and began to identify emerging trends, particularly a higher concentration of adopters in European countries.
The company discovered that regulatory alignment and market development were key to successful international expansion and risk management in global edtech ventures.
As Vincent explains: "I would say the more developed the market is, or close to our laws and regulations, the easiest it was. So going to the U.S. was pretty straightforward. Going in the Philippines was kind of a little bit shaky."
Lü's export strategy for educational startups focused on following market traction and adapting to local needs, especially in markets with supportive laws and regulations.
