Modern Entrepreneur Profile: Mississauga's Fatima Zahra Hamaimou

In conversation with Fatima Zahra Hamaimou, recipient of the Mississauga Starter Company Plus grant.

1. What does your company provide/do?

We operate at the intersection of physical and digital education. lunAR kids transforms traditional children's books into immersive learning experiences by combining physical storybooks with Augmented Reality (AR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Our platform enables children to scan physical pages using an app, bringing scenes to life in 3D, and listening to narrations, with the potential for future interaction with an AI tutor for added context. We offer a "hybrid" learning model that combines the tactile benefits of reading with the engagement and immersion of modern technology.

2. What inspired you to start your company?

The inspiration came from our own experience as parents raising "digital natives" in a world that often forgets their roots. We saw a massive disconnect in the market: on one side, highly addictive but passive entertainment, and on the other, traditional faith-based books that felt text-heavy or outdated. We aimed to address the challenge parents face in striking a balance between screen time and meaningful, values-driven learning. We built lunAR kids to give children engaging, high-tech experiences that reflect their identity.

3. What's been the most impactful lesson you've learned being an entrepreneur?

The most impactful lesson has been realizing that the "innovation gap" in the faith-based market is vast, and filling it requires more than just a good idea—it demands a commitment to excellence (Ihsan). As we developed the concept for lunAR kids, we learned that parents are actively searching for solutions that bridge the disconnect between their children's digital reality and their traditional roots. This early stage has taught us that we cannot simply digitize old methods; we must fundamentally reimagine how we present our history to ensure it is as engaging and immersive as the mainstream entertainment our children consume daily.

4. How do you unwind?

Learning to unwind as parents of 2 (aged 4 and 18 months) is so important. I find that mentally stimulating activities like puzzles, games, and activities are what most connect us as a family. We are very fortunate that a lot of our creative ideas come from the quality time we spend as a family. However, when it comes to personal leisure, we do enjoy team sports after the kids go to bed, and spending quality time doing hobbies together.

5. What succinct advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs?

Build your business on a foundation of excellence and sincerity. Don't just innovate for the sake of technology; innovate to deliver positive change, for social good, and bring the best of yourself to every interaction, whether it is behind the scenes or facing the customer. 

Another piece of advice that is often repeated but overlooked is to just start. Positive change comes from taking small, incremental, but consistent actions towards your goals. Never compare your current state as a business owner to somebody else’s future state.

6. What are your goals for 2025?

Our primary goal for 2025 is to bring our concept to life by finalizing our prototype and launching our Minimum Viable Product (MVP) to the market. We aim to complete the development of our flagship title, laying the groundwork for a future library covering literacy and character-building, while exploring the potential for Arabic and bilingual editions. On the technical front, we are focused on eventually building and testing our AI glossary with strict guardrails to ensure safe, personalized comprehension support. Additionally, we aim to validate our B2B model by establishing initial pilot programs with schools and homeschool networks.

7. How did the Mississauga Starter Company Plus program help you start or expand your business?

Beyond the $5,000 grant, the Starter Company Plus program provided us with resources and support through a community of inspiring, driven, and like-minded entrepreneurs and mentors. This wealth of capital is allowing us to strategically deploy to accelerate our transition from soft launch to a wider market release. Specifically, IDEA Mississauga is supporting us in covering three critical areas at the moment: marketing, product development, and operations.