Jules Stories – Reimagining Playtime with Purpose

Joan Abebe
Jul 17
2 min read

Founder spotlight with Sandra Falque, CEO of Jules Stories

Sandra Falque, a mum of three and a first-time founder, was juggling parenting and professional life with no family village nearby. Like many working parents, she found herself reluctantly relying on screens during urgent work moments, and it didn’t sit right. She knew firsthand the struggle of needing to take an important meeting, and the guilt of handing over a screen to keep the kids occupied.

That real-life friction led to Jules Stories: a voice-activated, screen-free smart toy designed to spark imagination, encourage emotional intelligence, and help families reclaim storytime.

“I wanted to build something meaningful for families to replace screen time - something that encourages connection and curiosity instead of overstimulation.”

Building without funding (and pushing forward anyway)

Sandra didn’t have funding when she started. She also wasn’t building something “simple”. Jules Stories blends hardware, software, and AI into a safe, ethical toy for children. That made fundraising, especially as a first-time founder, even harder.

“One of the biggest challenges was raising money. You don’t start a smart toy company without funding… and I didn’t have any when I started.”

Despite the challenge, Sandra kept going. She built her prototype, sought advice early, and started pitching to VCs and angels long before she felt “ready.”

Finding Support through Hive Founders

Sandra joined the Hive Founders Investment Readiness Accelerator on a recommendation, and quickly found herself in a community of supportive founders and expert mentors.

“I liked that Hive was 8 weeks and not full-time, it gave me the space to keep building Jules. The training, mentoring, and advice were incredible. And they actually backed me too, through Womankind Ventures.”

Hive helped Sandra pressure test her pitch, shape her financial model, and build investor readiness while also developing Jules Stories.

Building a business rooted in identity and joy

Jules isn’t just a toy - it’s a story-led companion that helps children learn, connect, and explore. The screen-free, voice-activated device is designed to support open-ended play and foster emotional intelligence, creating space for both independent play and meaningful family moments.

“I was interested in how we could use AI in a way that felt safe, responsible, and joyful for families. That’s always been the goal.”

Fundraising: the highs, the lows, and a first raise closed

Fundraising hasn’t been easy, but Jules Stories has closed the first part of its raise, and it’s already oversubscribed. Sandra credits her early momentum to pitching early, seeking out warm intros, and not burning through potential investors too fast.

Her advice for fellow founders:

Be prepared for the rollercoaster: “You’re always learning. You never feel ‘ready’, so just start.”
Surround yourself with people: Sandra built her network early with advisors, former colleagues, and fellow founders.
Invest in the right support: “Accelerators like Hive give you structure, community, and momentum when you need it most.”