Luka® and Oxford University Press
In the Luka® library can now also be found the popular English book series Winnie & Wilbur. This has been made possible by a new licensing agreement between ITR and Oxford University Press.
Over the course of 19 picture books, Winnie the Witch and her black-haired companion, the cat Wilbur, undergo a multitude of exciting and entertaining adventures. The stories about the magic misadventures of the two title figures, created by Valerie Thomas and paired with the unmistakable illustrations of Korky Paul, have already delighted millions of young readers the world over. The various titles are aimed at children aged 0-5. This magical book series will, appropriately enough, be available to buy in the Luka® library from Halloween.
This is the next step in expanding the Luka® Library's range of English-language books: through its co-operation with Oxford University Press, ITR stands to gain a further important licensor. In its division Oxford Children‘s Books, Oxford University Press publish a multitude of inspiring and exciting books for children and youngsters. This large selection might eventually be integrated into the Luka® library.
Luka®, the kids’ reading friend: available in stores as from 4 October
Starting on 4 October, the friendly owl is finally available in brick-and-mortar retail, including at Media Markt, Saturn, expert, Euronics, Hugendubel, Thalia, Amazon, and, of course, at luka-world.com. Right from the start, the Luka® library will contain a wide selection of books from various publishers, among them Coppenrath Verlag, Clavis Books, Rubinstein, Thienemann-Esslinger Verlag, arsEdition, Beltz & Gelberg, HörbucHHamburg, Carlsen Verlag, Oetinger Media, De Eenhoorn, Verlagsgruppe Oetinger, Arena Verlag, and Janosch Film & Medien AG.
ITR announces strategic partnership with Hugendubel
Essen-based company ITR, the distributer of the kids' reading friend, has concluded a strategic partnership with Hugendubel. Hugendubel will be named as the exclusive consumer sales partner in the Luka® app, which is compatible with iOS and Android, as well as in the Luka® online shop.
Luka® goes Europe: Key note at Brussels EURead
“Get Europe reading again – Campaigns and Programs”. This was the motto of this year's EURead in Brussels. Essen-based company ITR was invited to present the key note at the Annual General Meeting. Among others, it tackled the question of how technology can help to meet global challenges. This is exactly what Luka®, the kids’ reading friend, does: Using a simple form of artificial intelligence, it gets children excited about reading, whilst at the same time training their linguistic and cognitive skills.
Luka® was enthusiastically received by various reading foundations from all over Europe. What a great success. Luka goes Europe!
Luka®’s innovative potential delights the audience at the NRW.BANK evening
NRW is moved by digitalization and innovation. Under this theme, NRW.BANK hosted the NRW.BANK evening on 17 September. Luka®, the kids’ reading friend, was also invited. Using a simple form of artificial intelligence, Luka® fascinated the guests and representatives from the political field, among them Prof. Dr. Andreas Pinkwart, Minister for Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digitalization and Energy, as well as Rainer Matheisen, Member of the North Rhine-Westphalian Parliament.
Luka® European Headquarters in Essen opened their doors to 100 guests.
Starting on 4 October, Luka® will be available on the German, Austrian, Dutch, Swiss, and Belgian markets. On 19 September, the wise owl was presented in the context of the inauguration of the Luka® European Headquarters in Essen-Werden. Approximately 100 guests from the political, commercial, economic, and publishing spheres witnessed the unique storyteller in action for the first time.
Global novelty: Luka® helps children to develop a passion for books
Starting on 4 October, Luka® will be available at retail outlets in Germany, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, and the Netherlands at a recommended price of 199 euros. The Luka® starter package comes with a book about its very own special story. The related recordings and the books “Mein Papa kann fast alles” and “Das kleine WIR” from Carlsen Verlag can be downloaded for free in the Luka® app.
Expert as partner for Luka
Luka® will be available from 04 October in participating expert-stores. As a strategic partner, Expert looks forward to the official launch of Luka® in Germany.
CES, Las Vegas, USA, 2019
In January 2019 at the CES in Las Vegas, USA ITR and our partner Ling Technology Inc. officially introduced Luka® to the European market. Ling Technology Inc. is a Chinese business specializing in Artificial Intelligence, joint developer of the prizewinning ‘social robot’ Jibo and launched Luka® in China at the start of 2017. Since July 2018 Ling and ITR GmbH have been strategic cooperation partners.