Remember the excitement you felt receiving mail as a child? That's the inspiration behind San Francisco-based Little Passports, a new educational subscription service that aims to turn 5-to-10-year-olds into world travellers, one country at a time. Little Passports delivers monthly travel packages designed to provide a fun, hands-on way for kids to learn about other countries without leaving home. The first shipment in the USD 10.95 per month subscription prepares little voyagers for their global adventure with a mini suitcase, passport, world map and a letter and photo introducing their travel guides, Sam and Sofia.

Each following month, children receive a personalized letter and package from Sam and Sofia, which includes travel-related items like a passport stamp, suitcase sticker and collectible boarding pass to access online games and activities that teach geography, history, culture and vocabulary. As the months pass, little travellers notch up a jetsetter's stamp-filled passport, personalize their suitcase, and pack it with country-specific souvenirs.

In an era dominated by electronic communication, people are embracing concepts from a slower age, like the company that transforms emails into paper letters and one that resurrected the classic telegram. Little Passports combines that nostalgia for 'real' mail and combines it with the convenience of a subscription service. What else could this formula be applied to? (Related: Interactive piggy bank teaches kids about money.)

Website: www.littlepassports.com
Contact: info@littlepassports.com

Spotted by: Jason Ferguson

Since free information is abundant, finding a way to sell knowledge or monetize content can be a challenge. Los Angeles start-up Knowledge Genie aims to offer a solution, allowing users to centralize their knowledge on a particular topic and present it in a customizable, tutorial-style package—a 'Knowledge Genie'—that can be shared for free or sold for a fee.

Genies can be quickly set up through a wizard-style process which aids users in creating a learning-oriented structure, enabling them to break down their chosen subject matter into a series of steps and append downloadable resources and links. Creators can also build in checklists for learners to help keep tabs on their progress. One (ad-supported) Knowledge Genie can be created free, but if users want to sell it they'll have to subscribe, with prices ranging from USD 5 per month for one Genie, to USD 99 per month for 20 Genies. Social sharing options and PayPal / Google Checkout payments are all integrated.

There are of course other options for people to share their knowledge online, from eHow and Instructables to Wikipedia. For those who aren't as active on the web or aren't accustomed to putting their know-how into writing, tools like Knowledge Genie lower the barrier to entry, making it easy to assemble instructional information and sell it online. (Related: Sell what you say — Peer-to-peer '(un)classes' match interest with passion — Local lessons, advertised and reviewed.)

Website: www.myknowledgegenie.com
Contact: www.myknowledgegenie.com/contact-knowledge-genie.cfm

Spotted by: Sylvie Lafave

The global recession has hit the Irish economy harder than most. But help is at hand, albeit from an unlikely source: ChinesePod, the online learning platform, is offering free and unlimited Chinese lessons to the people of Ireland until May 2010. The company, co-founded by Irishman Ken Carroll, believes that providing this linguo-cultural inroad to the world's most potent economy could be effective towards Ireland's long-term economic recovery. ChinesePods's timing is spot on: this year marks the 30th anniversary of Sino-Irish diplomatic relations, and beginning May 1st next year, the Irish pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo will open its doors.

To receive their free ChinesePod voucher, Irish residents need to send an SMS to the company from a +353 mobile phone number before 31 October 2009. They'll then get access to daily lessons, podcasts, iPhone and Android apps, online discussion boards and Skype-based teaching from Mandarin experts. ChinesePod is hoping to further stimulate the buzz by inviting Irish users to take videos of anyone and everyone Irish saying "Ni hao!" (hello), or photos of the phrase posted in unlikely locations around Ireland, and upload them to the company's Facebook page.

While it may not get Ireland out of the recession, ChinesePod clearly speaks the language of generosity, which can create plenty value of its own and costs little for purveyors of digital media. Is there anything you give away to grow your market and help others along the way?

Website: www.chinesepod.com/ireland
Contact: www.chinesepod.com/contact

Spotted by: Pam Lao

Canadian enterprise Ekomini believes that teaching kids about money is as important as teaching them reading, writing and arithmetic. As an aid to parents, the company has given the traditional piggy bank a 21st century makeover. The Ekomini Treasure Chest features a patented coin-reader technology and hooks up to a computer via USB, enabling children to keep track of their savings and learn basic financial skills. The Ekomini package gleans pedagogical credentials from resident educational consultant Dr. Daniel Racine, who designed a platform to teach kids how to plan for purchases by setting goals, completing tasks and comparing prices; as they get older, they can also learn the basics of investment. Ekomini also aims to introduce kids to social responsibility by explaining important causes and showcasing charities.

Appealing both to creative consumers and potential licensing partners, Ekomini will also manufacture a separate coin-reader unit (minus the piggy bank), so that the system can be created using any type of coin receptacle. Speaking of partners, Ekomini is casting a wide net, targeting teachers, banks, retailers, charities and other manufacturers interested in licensing their design.

While products that target children are the scourge of cash-strapped parents, one that teaches future generations the value of saving could be worth its weight in gold. The product can be pre-ordered online and will be available in major retail stores in time for Christmas. One to check out if you're involved with financial services or children's products! (Related: Financial literacy for kids — Bank run by street kids — Facilitating kidpreneurs.)

Website: www.ekomini.com
Contact: info@ekomini.com

Spotted by: Judy McRae

With USD 714 billion outstanding student-loan debt hanging over graduates in the US, it's no surprise that more and more people are turning to free educational content on the web. Earlier this year we reported on Academic Earth, a US enterprise that makes lectures from Ivy League colleges free and accessible to all web users. Now, featuring over 1,500 videos the website is broadening its scope by offering courses for high school high-flyers.

The new lecture series is aimed at students taking Advanced Placement (AP) exams, which give them a chance to study college level material and potentially earn credit towards their future degree. This year there are 10 video courses on offer, each featuring up to 50 lectures from MIT, Yale, Berkeley and Stanford. Subjects covered include computer science, calculus and psychology, and along with the videos there is also the option to download the lectures as podcasts. According to Academic Earth's 23-year-old founder, Richard Ludlow, more AP courses can be expected in future years; in the meantime the site will be concentrating on providing supplementary materials such as lecture notes, transcripts and related books.

Academic Earth is one of a flock of 'edupunk' enterprises on the web, ranging from peer-to-peer universities to fully-fledged state-funded institutions that award accredited degrees. Open content is going to play an increasing role in higher education, and with it comes a host of opportunities for social entrepreneurs.

Website: www.academicearth.org/subjects/advanced-placement
Contact: hello@academicearth.org