Theresa Gattung, Cecilia Robinson, Julie Christie among backers of tech project The Zingoshi Chronicles to help pre-teen girls

The Zingoshi Chronicles founders (front, from left) CEO Ronel Schodt and creative director Bridget Ellis-Pegler with investors (back, from left) James Robinson, Theresa Gattung, Dame Julie Christie and Cecilia Robinson. Photo / Caroline Ducobu

A new tech project aimed at helping pre-teen girls has received backing from some high-profile names including Theresa Gattung, Cecilia Robinson and Dame Julie Christie.

The interactive fantasy world project for pre-teens, called The Zingoshi Chronicles, was set up by Auckland writer Bridget Ellis-Pegler and business partner Ronel Schodt.

The project includes a computer game, books, video games, and eventually a TV series aimed at creating entertaining content for girls that will help teach values including self-belief, leadership and compassion.

It aims to integrate off-screen tasks, involving a range of science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics activities, which the player has to leave the computer to complete as part of the gameplay.

The project has been in the works for seven years after Ellis-Pegler said there was a gap in the market for the age group.

"Looking for material for our children we couldn't find games we thought were suitable," Ellis-Pegler said.

"So much of what we found was pink and fluffy and fairy-princessy, while young adolescent material focused on dating and fashion."

The project was awarded a scholarship to promote the concept at the 2016 gaming convention in San Francisco as well as a scholarship for ART Venture in 2016 to 2017.

Businesswoman Cecilia Robinson was introduced to the project by Theresa Gattung and said it was an important enterprise.

"It's clear to us that there is a gap in the market and that combining technology with empowering children, in particular, young girls, is not only a fantastic thing but also very important in today's society," she said.

"The Zingoshi Chronicles also promotes and guides girls to become creative leaders and we're big believers in the value of creative leadership."

Dame Julie Christie said she had invested in the project as it was a unique creative opportunity and there needed to be more like it in New Zealand.

"The mission to create intelligent and highly engaging content for girls resonated with me," Christie said.

"A property that is developed over multiple platforms and which incorporates augmented reality technology is exciting to me as an investor."

The project has also been backed by government agency Callaghan Innovation.