UpTech Class of 2015: Hello Parent embraces its new name

Covington informatics accelerator UpTech celebrated the graduation of its third class of startups in mid-March. One startup in particular, Hello Parent, is living proof that a lot can happen during the six-month program, particularly in an ever-changing startup market.
 
Hello Parent is an app created for parents by parents that hopes to improve communication within families, specifically when it comes to planning family-oriented get-togethers. When co-founders Candice Peters and Amanda Kranias came up with the idea, they named the company Seesaw. Then, during their time at UpTech, a small hurdle arose when they discovered another company released an app called Seesaw on iTunes.
 
"We could've whined about it, but that's not really our style," Peters says. "There was a problem, so we solved it."
 
A new name isn't the only thing Kranias and Peters gained during their time at UpTech.

The structure of the UpTech office allows for constant interaction with other startup founders, as UpTech grads are permitted to use the office space to continue product development for up to a year. One of Hello Parents' most helpful mentors was UpTech alum Alex Burkhart, whose startup Tixers was acquired just last month.
 
"He gave us some really great advice as we entered our fundraising phase," Peters says. "He always told us, 'Until they write the check, it doesn't mean anything.' From that we know to always stay in fundraising mode, no matter what promises are made."
 
The months at UpTech also provided Peters and Kranias with access to individuals whose technical knowledge far exceeded their own.
 
"We spent a lot of time just trying to navigate the system," Peters says. "A lot of us (at UpTech) are nontechnical founders figuring out the dos and don'ts of talking with developers."
 
Upon graduation from UpTech, the future for Hello Parent looks bright. The company is set to move into dunnhumby in June as a part of their Entrepreneur-in-Residence program. Peters and Kranias have also been selected as finalists in Venture Connector's Venture Sharks business competition, one much like ABC's Shark Tank. Hello Parent will learn if it's the winner of $10,000 in cash and a slew of professional services on May 6.
 
As for the app, the Hello Parent team is listening closely to user feedback.
 
"The app that exists right now will be entirely different in three months," Peters says. "Our users want more — more ways to communicate, more information on the other families."
 
Peters emphasizes how different the world is today than it was 20 years ago, particularly with social media allowing everyone to chime in on parenting techniques.
 
"If my child does go on a playdate, I may want to know if there are guns in the home, if any of the children have allergies, a pool, a dog," she says. "We want to provide a place for families to communicate about these things in a nonjudgmental way."
 
As the company develops, Kentucky will remain its home base. Peters and Kranias, both Cincinnati residents for over 20 years, are pleased with their decision to establish the company south of the river. The incentives for startup growth in the state are impressive, including a 40 percent tax credit for angel investors.
 
"We're sticking with Kentucky," Peters says of their future plans. "UpTech gave us a chance, all of our investors are from here. Kentucky is doing a great job of building a tech scene."