01A feeling
reluctant·
Not wanting to do something, or slow to agree.
A story can show the difference between wanting to join in and holding back.
A world of words. Built together.
Help the next word
make sense.
A dictionary for every word a young reader meets in books through Year 13. Pictures made for the meaning. Explanations that grow with the reader. Languages that keep home close.
We’re building towards that ambition, not claiming complete coverage today. Backing will help create and review a shared library, so learners can return to a useful answer instead of generating a new one each time.
Express interest today. Payments aren’t open.
Not just apple and chair
The words that need
a little more thought.
Feelings. Abstract ideas. Words with several meanings. The right answer may need a picture, a contrast, a sequence—or carefully chosen words.
02An idea
inference·
A conclusion you reach from clues and what you already know.
The footprints, the open gate, the missing dog. The picture helps a learner connect the clues.
03A relationship
orbit·
The curved path one object follows around another in space.
A sequence can make the path visible; motion may make it clearer still.
04A distinction
irony·
A surprising difference between what is expected and what happens.
Context and contrast matter. A decorative picture alone cannot explain every meaning.
Illustrative teaching examples, not claims that these entries already have approved pictures. Generated work still needs review.
One shared project
Pictures first.
A world of languages next.
Choose the languages that matter to you when you express interest in backing. Those preferences guide priorities; they are not separate fundraising pots.
- 01
Make and vet the pictures
Work meaning by meaning. Generate, check, revise and connect the picture to the right explanation. Abstract or sensitive meanings need particular care.
- 02
Connect languages, not just labels
Reuse pictures where they fit. Add translations, explanations and examples with native-speaker review. Every language and regional variety is welcome.
- 03
Add motion where it teaches more
An optional stretch goal, if the budget permits. Short videos for actions and changes that still pictures struggle to show—not video for its own sake.
An open notebook, not a funding promise
What would it take?
A useful picture dictionary needs more than generated pictures. Explore the cost of creating them, checking them, and making sure they teach the right meaning.
meanings
One word can have several meanings. We estimate 140,438 picture panels for this selection, including comparisons and action sequences.
The starting point is an older local snapshot: 88,741 meanings across 30,714 headwords, measured in September 2026. It is neither today’s verified inventory nor a complete count of vocabulary through Year 13.
Core picture dictionary
USD
Planning allocation · not a confirmed funding goal
- Picture generationIncluding assumed retries
- $16,987
- Prompts & automated checksA small usage allowance
- $281
- Editorial reviewAssumed paid human time
- $66,556
- Uncertainty reserveRoom for the unexpected
- $16,765
Human review is a major part of the work. The model uses paid time; donated expertise could reduce the cash needed, while keeping the review essential.
Additional · per language
A language that feels like home
For the selected meanings, translating all four explanation depths and examples. A shorter mother-tongue bridge would be a different scope.
- Machine drafting
- $2,280
- Native-speaker review
- $66,556
$68,835 USD per language, before extras
Pictures are shared where appropriate. Cultural adaptation, language setup, pronunciation and reserve are extra. Reviewer availability and actual cost vary by language; a preference is not a delivery promise.
Optional stretch goal
When a word needs motion
A separate milestone: 1,000 motion meanings, with four-second, silent 720p clips. This does not grow with the picture estimate above.
$640USD · generation only
2 generated attempt(s) per accepted clip assumed. Reviewing, editing, encoding and delivery are additional.
Only if the budget permits, and where motion helps a learner understand. The core allocation above does not include videos or extra languages.
Open the assumptions & sources
What changes between scenarios?
These are planning assumptions, not measured success rates or supplier quotes. “Difficult” is a sensitivity scenario, not a maximum bill.
- Still panels per motion meaning
- 2
- Average Flash + Pro render attempts per panel
- 1.5 + 0.15
- Review time per meaning
- 1.5 minutes
- Assumed reviewer rate
- $30/hour
- Core uncertainty reserve
- 20%
- Translation draft-equivalent passes
- 1.5
How we calculated it
We scale the snapshot’s mix: 30,282 single-picture meanings, 18,574 comparisons with two panels, and 36,504 motion meanings. Non-depictable meanings still need editorial review. No existing assets or unconfirmed donated credits are subtracted.
1K image outputs use Flash at $0.0672 each ($0.0336 in the lean batch scenario) and Pro at $0.1344. Automated checks and prompt usage add an allowance. Full translation drafting uses 75.99 million measured source characters per snapshot, at $20 per million per target language.
New lexical authoring, specialist commissioning beyond the assumed review time, engineering, hosting and taxes are excluded. Actual acceptance rates and expert time need a measured pilot. Subscription generation can contribute limited batches; it is not unlimited free production.
Rates checked 11 November 2026. All estimates here are USD. Any proposed GBP backer rewards are separate; no currency conversion is implied.
One household. More possibilities.
Built with family at heart.
From the very beginning.
One subscription. A growing family of apps. The plan includes Gloss, Nesta and the TinyKite family products we launch in the future. Access stays free while we’re in beta.
Gloss
For the words in their world
A picture dictionary and personal vocabulary practice, for young readers and grown-ups learning another language.
Nesta
For the people in their world
A household-first messenger, being built around family connections and parent-approved contacts for children.
A closer look at Nesta
Your household,
connected to theirs.
Nesta is built for your family, your friends and the parents of your child’s friends. Each family has its own household.
The family model puts adults on both sides in charge of approving cross-household contacts. Each approval connects specific people; the whole household doesn’t become an open contact list.
Shown in the app’s light appearance.
Backing helps build the picture dictionary; family membership rewards include this wider family of products. Rewards and future subscription benefits are proposals until the campaign opens; expressing interest today doesn’t start a subscription or charge you.
A thank-you for getting us there
Back the words.
Bring your family.
One-off backing, with a clear reward. Family memberships cover Nesta, Gloss and future TinyKite apps. Your included year starts after the free beta.
One-off backing
Picture supporter
£10
- · Help create and review the shared picture dictionary
- · Progress updates and a published spending report
- · An optional grown-up name in the thank-you list
A contribution only; no paid membership included.
Register interest: Picture supporterOne-off backing
Founding family
Planned annual price: £49
£39backer price
Save £10 on the first paid year
- · 12 months of TinyKite Family for your household
- · Nesta, Gloss and future TinyKite apps as they launch
- · Your paid year starts after the free beta
- · Campaign updates and optional acknowledgement
Fixed-term membership. No automatic renewal.
Register interest: Founding familyOne-off backing
Bring another family
Planned annual price: £98
£78backer price
Save £20 on the first paid year
- · 12 months of TinyKite Family for two households
- · Keep one membership and gift the other to a family
- · Both memberships start after the free beta
- · Campaign updates and optional acknowledgement
Fixed-term membership. No automatic renewal.
Register interest: Bring another familyOne-off backing
Sponsor the pictures
£249
- · Everything in Bring another family
- · Suggest a word for the picture-making queue
- · See its draft and send feedback before publication
- · Editors keep the final say on accuracy and suitability
Fixed-term membership. No automatic renewal.
Register interest: Sponsor the picturesReward preview — payments are not open. Choose a reward, then add your language preferences. Expressing interest does not reserve a reward or charge you. Backing is for grown-ups. Children don’t need to contribute to use Gloss.
Savings compare with the planned post-beta annual price, not a previous selling price. The backer price covers the first paid year only. After that, you can choose whether to continue at the price offered then; there is no automatic renewal.
A word met. A meaning remembered.
Their own words.
A little more familiar.
A word can make sense in a story, then slip away. Gloss brings back the words saved in each reader’s history for a little practice, at their own pace.
Flashcards
In Gloss todayRecall a meaning. Turn the card. Keep practising the words that still feel new.
Picture & meaning quiz
In Gloss todayA picture or definition gives the clue. Both the question and its answer choices come from the reader’s saved words.
Current practice needs at least three available words. Choose today, the last 7 or 30 days, or all saved words.
Little crosswords
Clues built around the meanings a reader has met.
Letter games
Put a familiar word together, then use it in a fresh sentence.
Meaning connections
Explore how familiar words fit together—and how they differ.
The plan: choose “Use words I’ve read” and build from that reader’s saved vocabulary—including any words needed to fill a puzzle. If those words don’t fit, offer a smaller game or practice cards.
“Read” means saved lookups, not every word in a book. New games will need suitable reviewed content and testing before release.
Your language belongs here
Welsh at home.
Swahili with family.
A new language
just for you.
Tell us which languages and regional varieties you want to see. We’ll need people who know the words, the culture and the context—not just a machine translation.
Spare credits or a little expertise?
Choose how you’d like to help. You can offer review time or generate agreed pictures in your own account where the provider permits it. We’ll agree the brief and publication rights first.
Please never share passwords, API keys or account access. Donated work still goes through review.
Before anyone pays
One shared project. Backing supports Gloss’s picture dictionary. Language interests help us prioritise; contributions are not ring-fenced to individual languages.
A one-off pledge, with a clear reward. Family rewards include fixed-term access to Nesta, Gloss and future TinyKite apps. Membership starts after the free beta and does not renew automatically.
Honest progress. Picture coverage and language expansions are work in progress. We’ll publish what we create, what has passed review and how contributions are spent. A language estimate is not a delivery promise.
Before payments open. We will publish delivery estimates, cancellation and refund terms, and how grown-ups claim or gift their membership. No payment is being accepted on this preview.
What does your child need?
The next good idea
could be yours.
Does your child borrow your phone or visit other websites for something useful? Tell us what they’re trying to do. We’d love to build the tools families need, and your ideas will help us choose what comes next.
We’ll consider ideas as we plan. A suggestion isn’t a promise that we’ll build it, or a delivery date.