Give InKind, a digital platform for coordinating caregiving and social support, has notched a pre-seed investment round of $1.5 million, it announced yesterday.
The startup highlighted a $100,000 investment from Trilogy Equity Partners tied to its participation in Ready Set Raise accelerator, and also listed support from Madrona Venture Group, SeaChange Fund, Keeler Investments, FAM Fund, and Grubstakes, X Factor Ventures and Seattle-area angel investors.
WHAT THEY DO
The Give InKind web tool allows users to create sharable online pages for a number of caregiving situations, ranging from birth to senior care to grief to serious medical events. These personalized pages can include a collaborative calendar for scheduling multi-person caregiving, product wishlists, GoFundMe or PayPal fundraising links and other general information about the individual receiving care’s needs. Beyond these, the startup’s website features educational materials designed to help caregivers better understand their role and strategies they can implement to improve it.
“When someone has a new baby, an unexpected illness, or anything unforeseen – friends, families, and communities all want to help, but most don’t know how,” Give InKind CEO and founder Laura Malcolm said in a statement. “Give InKind makes it easy for people to support one another, from anywhere. Thousands of people across America have already channeled support and received help through Give InKind.”
The startup launched a beta version of its platform back in September of 2016, and went live with a full version in January of this year.
WHAT IT’S FOR
Give InKind said that is interested in further building out the platform and its reach, and will be targeting healthcare groups, churches and other community organizations by developing new strategic offerings.
“Seeing the number of lives that have already been impacted by Give InKind has been powerful, and knowing that we’ll now be able to grow that impact even faster is an honor,” Malcolm said.
MARKET SNAPSHOT
Caregiving and caregiver support platforms have taken a handful of forms over the years. Earlier this year Philips was showcasing its Philips Cares app as a central hub for families or groups coordinating care for a single senior, while other platforms like WeMa, SeniorLink and Honor focus more on helping families secure and manage caregiving services for their loved ones. On the social side of Give InKind’s support strategy, it’s also worth noting that big name social media platforms like Facebook offer “Health Support” tools and private groups for those seeking others experienced in managing similar health challenges.
