Los Angeles, California, August 13, 2015 — With the unrelenting growth of children’s access to smartphones, tablets, social media, apps, games and videos, MindMake is introducing groundbreaking tools to help parents manage and maximize their child’s online activities. Today, MindMake launched a Kickstarter campaign with the goal of raising $75,000 to fund the remainder of its software development for iOS and Android apps.

Visit MindMake's Kickstarter campaign:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/820621992/mindmake-parental-monitoring-for-ios-and-android

The percentage of households with a child between ages 4 and 14 owning a smartphone skyrocketed to 71% in 2014 from 55% in 2012.1. And, 92% of today’s teens report going online daily – including 24% who say they go online “almost constantly”2. MindMake is positioning itself to take advantage of this evolution, with the goal of empowering parents and families to navigate this emerging and complicated digital world.

“I have two children and I’m raising them in a very different world from the one I grew up in,” says MindMake co-founder Kellie Lakamp. “In our home, we have computers, TVs, tablets, smartphones, and we’re adding new devices all the time. It’s challenging to parent in this digital world, where it’s necessary to know what devices my children are using, the time spent on them, and the types of content they are consuming. That’s where MindMake comes in.”

MindMake is creating a secure, easy way to manage a child’s online activities, keep them cyber safe, and understand their media world. The team has already launched a beta for iOS, which can be accessed at http://www.mindmake.com, and they are adding powerful, new features, including usage reporting and location tracking. MindMake is currently developing production-ready apps for both iOS and Android.

When complete, parents can use MindMake’s Parental Monitoring for iOS and Android to:

• Remotely manage their child’s screen time on iPads, iPhones, iPod Touches and Android tablets and smartphones

• Easily monitor and filter their child’s online activities, including internet browsing, apps, games, social media and videos

• Prevent in-app purchases to avoid a surprise bill

• Create schedules and time limits to teach their child how to self-regulate their screen time

• Track their child’s location

• Receive weekly email reports showing which apps are on the child’s device; which were used the most and for how long; as well as what websites were visited, when they were visited and how frequently

“We have the remaining development mapped out, and we have a great team to do the work. That's why we launched the Kickstarter campaign,” says MindMake co-founder Ed Seibold. “As a Father of 3 boys, I am excited each day by their curiosity and immersion in technology. It’s what inspired us to create MindMake, and why we’re asking for everyone’s support to help us raise the funds needed to complete our first apps for iOS and Android.”

MindMake’s founding team and partners have over 100 years combined experience in developing new digital products. They have witnessed firsthand the growing need for tools to help parents manage and influence their children’s online activities, and have partnered with some of the best minds in education and child development to make it a reality.

David Cook is an industry leader and market influencer with over 15 years of business and innovation in digital media and e-commerce. Prior to MindMake, David was Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Rovi Entertainment Store, where he led the launch of retail VOD services for Target, Best Buy, Sainsburys, Warner Bros., and others.

Jesse Keane brings a wealth of experience in technology and a strong business background. Prior to MindMake, Jesse was CTO Rovi Entertainment Store, where he led several industry-leading and first-to-market product launches for DRM, VOD streaming and download to connected devices, DECE/UltraViolet, Disc-to-Digital, and many others.

Ed Seibold is a seasoned business leader with over 19 years of highly successful digital media development, marketing, sales and operations experience. Prior to MindMake, Ed was Vice President of Marketing and Professional Services for the Rovi Entertainment Store, where he was responsible for multiple, global teams involved in the development and deployment of digital media applications for consumer electronic devices.

Paul Henderson, Head of MindMake’s Child Development Board, has more than 30 years of experience in international academics and education. Prior to MindMake, Paul served as Secretariat of Education Reform, Prime Minister’s Office, New Zealand; he was the former Chair of English Language Subject Committee, British Council; University of Cambridge.

Kellie Lakamp is a digital media veteran. Kellie founded Fluxe, an advisory firm, to guide and lead innovation in digital entertainment. Kellie has led business development, content strategy, content acquisition, and deal negotiations for startups and established companies, including BestBuy, Rovi Entertainment Store and Mubi.

About MindMake: MindMake is a groundbreaking service for families, and the only solution that provides parents with tools to manage, monitor and optimize their child’s online activities across multiple devices and platforms.

1 The NPD Group, Kids and CE: 2014 Report (Children in the U.S.)

2 Pew Research Center’s Teens Relationships Survey, 2014-2015

Contact
Ed Seibold