Former Session M executive Eben Pingree received distressing news over a year ago when both his mother and father-in-law were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease within two days of each other.
To create lasting memories and help his children connect with their grandparents, Pingree and his co-founders Mike Gerbush, Ashley Hawking, and Brianne Baker developed Kinsome, a communication platform specifically designed for kids and grandparents to share daily updates and cherish memories together.
The app, which has been in public beta since last year, officially launched to the public on Grandparents Day, coinciding with the announcement of securing $1.2 million in pre-seed funding from investors like Wattpad co-founder Ivan Yuen and others with notable backgrounds in tech.
Kinsome aims to stand out from similar family-oriented messaging apps by introducing “Kinzey,” an AI companion that uses audio-first technology to facilitate conversations and bridge the generational gap between kids and grandparents.
With Kinzey’s capabilities to suggest conversation starters, provide explanations, and remember past interactions, Kinsome offers engaging features like interactive games and activities to keep kids and grandparents connected.
Kinsome simplifies the communication process for grandparents by allowing them to access messages without downloading an app or remembering passwords, ensuring a seamless experience for users of all ages.
Plans for future features include photo sharing, premium subscriptions, gifting options, multilingual support, and an Android version launch, all aimed at enhancing the interaction between kids and grandparents on Kinsome.
