A new start is called Kinnect aims to help people privately store generational memories, traditions, recipes and more. The company’s app, which launched this month, lets users create invite-only spaces where they can share images, videos, audio, text and more with their entire family.
Kinnect was founded in May 2023 by Omar Alvarez, an entrepreneur with experience working with telehealth brands focused on mental health. Alvarez came up with the idea for Kinnect after losing his grandfather to Alzheimer’s and his best friend to leukemia.
At the beginning of his grandfather’s battle with Alzheimer’s, Alvarez and his family were coming to terms with the fact that his grandfather was going to lose his memories. They tried to find a place where they could record and store his memories, but his grandfather died before they could find a way to do so.
Four years later, Alvarez’s best friend was diagnosed with leukemia. He asked Alvarez if he knew of a way to record and store private messages for his wife so she could listen to them after she passed.
Alvarez’s best friend died last November, six months before Kinnect was launched. While Alvarez wishes he had been able to launch Kinnect in time so his best friend could easily record messages and stories for his wife, Alvarez says his best friend’s ideas and experiences are very much a part of Kinnect .
Alvarez decided to call the app Kinnect because he believes it’s the most inclusive term for family, and one that includes both kindred and blood relatives. He wants Kinnect to be a platform for everyone to store memories of generations, not just blood family.
“I’m Latino and I’m also gay, so when I think about family, friends who feel like family are included in that equation,” Alvarez told TechCrunch. “The ‘Kin’ in ‘Kinnect’ represents the most inclusive term for family. And the “net” is for the need to connect. The need to feel like you belong. I hope that Kinnect will reduce the feeling of isolation or the feeling of not belonging.”
Once you get started with the app, you’ll be asked about your goals. For example, you might say you want to “capture life lessons,” “preserve family history,” “remember loved ones,” or “share moments.” You can choose all the options that apply to your goals with Kinnect.
Kinnect has a home feed that’s similar to what you see on Facebook or Instagram, showing updates from people in your invite-only space, such as new comments or uploads.
The app also features a “Storybooks” feature that allows users to organize memories into digital albums based on different themes. You can store chapters in your family’s ongoing history that current or future generations can revisit for years to come.
If a family member isn’t sure what to add to their Family Storybook, they can use the app’s Guided Storytelling feature to receive prompts they can respond to. For example, the app might ask you to talk about your current home and what made you move there. Alvarez says that while many people want to record their stories, they may not be sure where to start, which is why the startup added the Guided Storytelling feature. Kinnect plans to use artificial intelligence in the future to personalize these prompts to each member of a group’s family.
The app is aimed at people of all ages, from teenagers to grandparents. Alvarez says it was important to him to release an easy-to-use platform that could be used by seniors.
Kinnect is currently only available on iOSbut the startup plans to release an Android app in the coming months.
While Kinnect’s core features are free to use, users can sign up for an annual subscription to gain access to unlocking unlimited storybooks and unlimited photo, video and audio uploads per story. Membership costs $70 per year and can be used by up to five family members.
As for the future, Alvarez teased that Kinnect wants to go beyond the digital world and focus on interpersonal connections.
“We don’t want to be another technology company that only focuses on digital solutions,” Alvarez said. “I know all too well the mental health benefits of interpersonal relationships and feelings of belonging. We will think about how we will appear in the real world.”
The startup has received $100,000 in funding through TechStar’s Rising Stars program, which aims to help fund founders who are underrepresented in the US.
