Gabby Slome and Ariel Boorstin met in 2021 at a local parenting group in New York City and quickly bonded over their frustration about the isolation they experienced post-having babies and the “drama” associated with differing opinions about raising children.
The duo thought there had to be a better way for parents to get the support they need and set out to build it for themselves.
Two years later, their brainchild has officially launched: Cooper, a support system for parents offering one-on-one sessions, virtual events, and other tools. The startup just raised a $2 million pre-seed round co-led by Difference Partners and Kli Capital. XFactor Ventures and multiple angel investors, including the founder of workout brand SLT, Amanda Freeman, also participated in the funding round.
Cooper offers a $49 monthly membership that includes monthly small group sessions with other parents, events and workshops, an online forum, and one-on-one coaching sessions with parenting experts who provide personal support.
While Cooper supports any parent, Slome and Boorstin explained that they built the start specifically to help moms, who historically take on the majority of caregiving, according to the World Journal of Psychiatry. But that premise, in addition to the pair being female founders, proved difficult when trying to raise VC funding, even though Slome had cofounded petcare startup Ollie in 2015 and a track record of raising over $45 million in funding.
“We still dealt with the headwinds faced by female founders in general and particularly who are creating services that will support women,” Slome told Insider. “There is a deficit of understanding among investors about the true value and potential of women-led businesses that speak to the needs of women.”
Boorstin added that in partnering with Difference Partners, Kli Capital, XFactor Ventures, and Cooper’s angel investors, the pair found a community of people who also value caregiving and appreciate the work that parents do.
“We were fortunate to align with investors who felt personally connected to the solutions that Cooper offers. So many of our investors are balancing — or have balanced — growing a business while raising a family, or have struggled with the isolation and fears that you cope with at times during your parenting journey,” she said.
Kid-focused startups are a booming industry, where entrepreneurs are tackling innovation in education tech and pediatric mental health. But there are few options specifically focused on supporting parents through the journey of raising a child.
Cooper’s cofounders are betting that by focusing here, they can capture more of the child and caregiving market as they expand the startup to include other offerings — including ADHD support, which is the startup’s next area of focus, Boorstin said.
Check out the 15-slide pitch deck Cooper used to raise $2 million in pre-seed funding:
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