About

(mil-you)

We believe the environment, or “milieu”, you grow in significantly impacts who you become. Founded in 2020, MILLU’s mission is to create safe spaces through play where intergenerational wisdom can be shared.

We started with a simple idea: create more experiences for the child/inner child to play. Our first kits helped families connect by exploring their superpowers and strengths. Since then, MILLU has expanded to schools, school districts, and out-of-school-time programs across the nation, creating meaningful experiences that empower communities to grow together.

Our Values

Our core values define how we treat both others and ourselves. At MILLU, we care not just about the goal but even more about how we achieve it.

Embrace Uniqueness

We are our strongest when each person can embrace, cultivate, and bring their unique strengths at the highest level. Our differences are superpowers that make us a better SuperCrew.

Integrity and Excellence

We strive to act in honesty and transparency, ensuring that every solution we craft is in the benefit of our team, partners, and customers.

Prototype Forward

Rather than being stuck on one idea, we first empathize, define, ideate multiple prototypes, test them, and move forward with the best option.

Lead with Compassion

We strive to deeply understand problems before rushing to solve them. We intentionally connect on a human level before anything else.

Play / Rest / Work Rhythm

We operate in healthy life rhythms that allow our team and partners to flourish. We set healthy boundaries, honoring our limitations to make room for joy and sustainable productivity on and off the clock.

Collaborate in Community

We believe in the power of co-creation, that no single person has all the answers, but that we can create something far better when we team up, rather than stay in silos.

Inside Our Design Thinking

“Prototyping Forward” and “Leading with Compassion” embody our commitment to Design Thinking, a transformative framework that drives our approach to complex challenges.

Empathize Define Ideate Prototype Test Reiterate

Mother and daughter playing with the uniqueverse kit together

Empathize

Understanding the need

The COVID-19 slowdown brought unprecedented focus to mental health, prompting deep reflection on unhealed wounds and new challenges. Engaging with diverse groups, we explored what it means to flourish and uncovered a critical need for resilience-building from an early age—from childhood. Centering our interviews on the question, "What is something you know now that you wish you knew when you were younger?" we found that early adoption of key skills, perspectives, and intergenerational wisdom can profoundly enhance our lives today.

two kids on swings looking on their phones

Define

The problem we set out to solve

After speaking with children, families, and educators, we began to see there was a lack of engaging resources that nurture emotional intelligence, build connections, and cultivate purpose in a relevant way for this generation of parents and educators. As technology reshapes the future, soft skills are more critical than ever, yet current systems fail to provide practical, hands-on learning. We wanted to bridge this gap with solutions that foster resilience, empathy, and growth across generations.

Sticky notes on a board with different product ideas

Ideate

Finding the gaps

After identifying the key challenges through community feedback, our team engaged in a creative ideation process to develop effective solutions. We focused on transforming our insights into tangible resources that directly address the needs expressed by our community members. This effort led to a robust approach for transforming abstract emotional concepts into relatable, tangible experiences—a cornerstone in our methodology for creating impactful, interactive learning for children and families.

Prototype

From idea to impact

Our approach evolved through ongoing feedback, paving the way for the creation of our initial product. After numerous iterations (over 9!) shaped by deep collaboration and brainstorming, we introduced The Uniqueverse Kit. This kit centers on the theme of embracing one's uniqueness as a superpower, empowering both children and adults to develop self-awareness, healthy confidence, resilience, and a profound sense of belonging and purpose.

Test

Does it work?

Following its introduction in educational settings, the Uniqueverse Kit has reached over 4,000 children and families and more than 400 educators across the nation. The enthusiastic response has spurred further expansion and adaptation to more closely meet the dynamic needs of our community.

In 2024, our engagement with after-school professionals was instrumental. Their insights helped us refine the Uniqueverse Kit into a more comprehensive tool tailored to children’s social and emotional needs.

MILLU team with after school program coordinators

Reiterate

Commitment to continuous improvement

We are dedicated to refining our offerings continuously. Each piece of feedback from educational partners and families is a stepping stone toward enhancing our products. Our commitment to growth ensures that we constantly evolve alongside our community, striving to deliver the best possible educational experiences. Together, we are building a healthier, stronger intergenerational community, equipped to face the future with resilience and understanding for one another.

The Founders

Why we started MILLU

Sena Lee

Co-Founder, CEO

Growing up, Sena often reflected on life’s deeper meanings and our collective roles in society. She spent her 20’s leading humanitarian efforts in the Middle East, Europe, and Africa, driven by a commitment to understand and address global challenges collaboratively. A creative problem solver and passionate advocate for human-centered design, Sena she combines her love for culture-shaping solutions with a commitment to nurturing character development across ages.

Sarah Hartono

Co-Founder, COO

Sarah is a marketer, designer, and creative operator with a background at companies like Nintendo and Quizlet, where she discovered how gamification and innovative tools can transform learning. Her passion for bridging generations through education led her to co-found MILLU, where she merges tech and tradition to design meaningful, impact-driven learning experiences. Sarah thrives at the intersection of systems and storytelling—bringing people together to co-create, building joyful operations, and championing entrepreneurship grounded in healthy rhythms. You can often find her with her Nintendo Switch in hand or dreaming up new ways to make work more human and fun.

Together with our MILLU team, Sena and Sarah envision a world where emotional intelligence and personal/community growth tools are accessible to all, empowering individuals to lead lives of purpose and connection.

Join the MILLU Movement

We exist thanks to the love of our community and our shared mission. Explore our kits, participate in our workshops, and contribute to a movement that's reshaping the future of emotional literacy and connection.

Together, let's reconnect the world with those who’ll shape it future!