Tin Can is answering the call from investors.
The Seattle startup behind a landline-style, Wi-Fi-enabled telephone for kids raised $12 million in new funding, the company announced Thursday.
The seed round was led by Greylock Partners with participation from alus Holdings and existing backers. Tin Can previously raised $3.5 million in pre-seed funding in September from PSL Ventures, Newfund Capital, Mother Ventures, and Solid Foundations.
Tin Can’s colorful screen- and text-free phones aim to help kids connect without the pressures and addictive pull of the digital world. The devices operate on a private network and include a companion app and modern safeguards.
Since launching its flagship product earlier this year, Tin Can quickly went “viral,” sold out its first two production runs and built a near-six-figure waitlist. The momentum comes amid growing concern about the effects of smartphones and social media on kids’ mental health, attention and development.
Co-founder and CEO Chet Kittleson told GeekWire that his team is “pretty elated” to attract investors who are also parents, who care about what Tin Can is building and want to help the company keep pace with demand.
“They really care about us and about the customer and about the world that we want to see, and they’re also really technically proficient,” Kittleson said about David Shuman, founder of alus Holdings, and Mike Duboe, general partner at Greylock.
“Mike is like a growth machine. He was head of growth at Stitch Fix for a long time,” Kittleson said. “And David just knows everything you could ever want to know about supply chain and manufacturing, and cash flow. He’s already helped us a million different ways.”
Duboe said in a news release that Tin Can isn’t just building a product; they’re leading a movement.
“In an age defined by digital noise, they’ve created a joyful alternative that redefines how we view modern connection,” he said.
Kittleson, along with co-founders Graeme Davies and Max Blumen, previously worked at Seattle real estate startup Far Homes. He was recognized this month as one of GeekWire’s six “Uncommon Thinkers,” honoring innovators driving positive change in the world.
“I’m so grateful that this is the hit, that it worked,” Kittleson said in a GeekWire profile tied to the honor.
Tin Can employs 17 people and is “growing at a pretty fun clip,” Kittleson said.
The startup plans to use the new funding to scale production, add engineers and customer support, and prepare for international expansion.
Coming up: Tin Can CEO Chet Kittleson will be our guest this weekend on the GeekWire Podcast. Subscribe to GeekWire in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
