The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Age 0 to 8 (Common Sense Media, 2020); The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Tweens and Teens (Common Sense Media, 2021)
Betweened is a sensible and forward-thinking solution, carefully crafted to ensure safety, create connections, and foster lifelong mindful media habits. We deliver expertly-curated, short-form video content that is enjoyable for all ages (but especially 4-13) on iOS and Android.
Our philosophy is pragmatic and rooted in developmental psychology
Our resources uniquely guide parents and caregivers in actively leveraging media to build a strong foundation, regardless of how much media they choose to engage with in their homes. To further support the challenges of navigating technology, we developed a workshop with parenting and mental health expert Dr. Marcie Beigel, which is freely available.
Betweened is more than just a content platform; it is a community of creators, educators, and experts dedicated to sharing high-quality content kids and families. They are carefully selected for their commitment to producing content that is not only safe and educational but also fun and engaging for all ages.
We work with creators of all audience sizes -- from those who are just getting started to 800k or more followers across popular platforms. Unlike other platforms that may encourage engagement and monetization through behavioral tactics, Betweened prioritizes and supports the growth of creators who focus on quality and genuine engagement. It offers a nurturing environment for creators at all levels to expand their reach and impact positively on young audiences and their families.
Betweened is the brainchild of Dr. Carla Engelbrecht, whose vision is to transform how children interact and learn with media. With a background in pioneering innovative projects such as "Black Mirror: Bandersnatch" and Elmo’s Musical Monsterpiece for Nintendo Wii, Dr. Engelbrecht brings a wealth of experience in creating engaging and interactive content. Her work over the past 25 years with Netflix, PBS Kids, Sesame Street, Highlights for Children, and many other beloved brands, has already reached the majority of people under 30 in the United States, showcasing her ability to blend entertainment with education seamlessly.
The team at Betweened is far from your average tech company. Comprised of experts in scale and global educational impact, our members have roots in industry changemakers like Apple, Netflix, Tinder, Tesla, Google, Lumosity, Sesame Street, Monkey Preschool Lunchbox, and Blue’s Clues. This diverse and talented group is driven by a shared mission to shift the media landscape from passive consumption to enriching experiences for children worldwide. We are dedicated to creating a safer, more engaging media environment for kids around the world.
In 2024, we are growing an average of 24.5% month over month. Our initial users have streamed 100k videos, which is 100k moments of peace of mind delivered for families. This is with no personalization or interaction. It's a simple time-sorted stream of curated video. Imagine how it'll be when additional features come online?!
Betweened is necessary now. We address the collective concerns with a platform that prioritizes the safety and developmental needs of children, providing content that is both educational and entertaining within a secure and controlled environment. This approach not only aligns with the current legislative and societal push for better online safety for children but also taps into the positive potential of digital media as a connector and educator.
You may have noticed by now that we are realistic, pragmatic, and confident that there is a better way to do things. How we approach revenue is no different.
Realistic: Kids drive more than $1 trillion in spending decisions through direct and indirect decision making. Kids already see 1,200 brands a day across their digital and physical life activities. (Protecting Kids from Stealth Advertising in Digital Media, Federal Trade Commission, 2023)
Pragmatic: The kids digital ad market is predicted to be $21b by 2030. The risk is high for stealth, inappropriate, and manipulative advertising tactics.
We Can Do Better: We’re poised to capture a significant portion of the market through transparency, education, and quality. Just as kids need to learn digital citizenship skills, they also need to learn advertising literacy. We set the standard for safe practices over stealth while teaching kids about the reality of the world they live in. They have to learn that candy is in the grocery store check-out aisle for a reason and ads want us to take specific actions.
We are beginning experiments in three areas -- advertising, sponsorship, and subscription.
With your support now, we have plans to be a $250m business in 5-7 years.
Future projections are not guaranteed.
Our competition falls into two main categories -- established incumbents like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, and emerging family-friendly start-ups like Sensical and Zigazoo.
The incumbents, though popular, face significant trust issues evidenced by Senate hearings, legislative actions, and numerous lawsuits. Their broad appeal and vast user bases come with challenges in adequately safeguarding younger audiences, which is a growing public and legislative concern.
We warmly welcome others who are building dedicated kid-friendly solutions. Together we create a community of options for parents that transforms the entertainment landscape. Sensical operates under the umbrella of Common Sense Media, adopting a conservative, safety-first approach to video content. Zigazoo initially focused on user-generated social media for children under 13, but recently pivoted to focus more on teenagers.
Our unique advantage lies in leveraging extensive expertise from both the educational and technology sectors, whether creating impactful educational content with organizations like PBS, Blue's Clues, and Lumosity and/or contributing to the massive scaling of technology companies like Netflix, Apple, and Tesla. This blend of educational impact and scalable product innovation is unique and core to our competitive edge.
This is our first raise (!!!). We're bootstrapped to date with a $100k investment from founder Carla. We currently burn $6k/month. As we secure funding, our burn will increase to ~$22k/month in support of engineering, curation, and ongoing operations.
Less than 2 months after incorporation, Betweened pitched onstage at TechCrunch Disrupt as part of the iconic Startup Battlefield. Our pitch and the TechCrunch article encapsulated our view at the time: Betweened wants to teach kids how to use social media, not shut them out of it.
It remains true that we want to teach kids how to use social media as well as how to be safe online. Without that, we end up handing over the keys to the car without teaching them how to drive.
BUT... we have also evolved as we continue to talk with parents, kids, and creators: Betweened is about much more than making a child version of TikTok. It is about addressing the collective anxiety of caregivers around the world to reimagine entertainment for the youngest generation, through connection, collaboration, and fostering critical thinking.
As part of our commitment to helping kids learn to navigate the digital world, we're developing kid-friendly tools to create and share content. Learning to successfully contribute to the digital world is not just about entertainment, but also a foundational skill for many careers. All user-generated content is subject to strict moderation policies to maintain a safe and appropriate space for family viewing. Content will be shared privately with the child's immediate network. A parent will have to additionally approve if content is to be shared more broadly.
A SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) is an agreement between investors and a company that provides rights to the investor for future equity, except without determining a specific price per share at the time of the initial investment. SAFEs are typically used by early stage startups to raise funding in a way that is simple and quick, allowing the business to focus on establishing product market fit and meeting growth goals.
When you invest in Betweened via a SAFE, you are purchasing the right to obtain equity in the company at a future date, typically when the company raises additional financing in the form of an equity round or undergoes an exit event such as an acquisition or an IPO (Initial Public Offering).
Unlike investing in publicly traded stocks where you can buy and sell shares at any time, investing in a SAFE involves holding your investment until a future event such as an acquisition or IPO. The stock market offers more liquidity and the ability to react to market changes quickly, but startup investments via a SAFE can offer higher potential returns if the company achieves significant growth.
The potential returns for investors depend on the success of Betweened. If the company grows and succeeds in its mission, investors could see returns through:
Investing in a startup always carries risks, but it also offers the potential for significant returns if the company achieves its growth targets and successfully scales its operations.
Our pitch deck is available here. You'll need to provide your email address to access it.
