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Loudoun native's company bought by Disney
A company co-founded by a Loudoun County native that lets children create art online was recently acquired by the biggest player in the industry of kids: Disney.
Jonathan Ballagh, 31, is the creative brain behind the two-year-old Kerpoof Studios, a Boulder, Colo., company that developed the popular Web site, Kerpoof.com.
The site allows users to create cartoon characters, develop stories and produce animated movies. Some of the functions are free, but a subscription is needed to access premium applications.
“We noticed there was nothing out there that engaged kids that also allowed them to have fun,” said Ballagh, Kerpoof's creative director.
Ballagh's interest in creating for the Web began in the mid-'90s when he developed and sold his own online game while still a student at Loudoun County High School.
“I have always had an interest in the convergence of art and technology,” he said.
From high school, Ballagh went on to study computer engineering at Virginia Tech University. After graduating in 2001, he moved to Boulder to work for a company called Xilinx Inc., where he and three coworkers hashed out the idea for Kerpoof Studios.
Regarding the odd name, Kerpoof, “Someone just threw it out there and it stuck,” he said.
After the four worked around-the-clock much of 2006, Kerpoof.com launched in September 2007 at TechCrunch, a conference of technology entrepreneurs and corporate heads.
Soon, word of the site's children-friendly applications spread through the Internet. Schools eventually saw the educational benefits of the site and began using it in classrooms worldwide.
Eventually, Disney took notice and bought the company last summer for an undisclosed amount, but it did not announce the purchase until February when Kerpoof applications began appearing on Disney.com, which gets about 30 million unique hits a month.
“It's a whole new way for kids to enjoy their interests online,” said Disney.com spokeswoman Brandy Phillips. “Kerpoof adds a new layer of creativity.”
Ballagh said he is excited to be part of the company that brought the world Mickey Mouse. He is particularly thrilled by the prospect of the media giant's popularity and vast resources helping to expand Kerpoof's reach, especially in the education of children.
“We had seen a lot of adoption in the classroom,” he said. “We really want to build on that.”
Contact the reporter at jjacks@timespapers.com
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