The latest AUD $671,500 earned from a second round of funding sees federal government support of ScreenCoach tip AUD $1 million, which will go towards rapid commercialisation of the game-changing app for families.
ScreenCoach, a Australian startup that helps families manage their childrens’ device screen time, has raised AUD $671,500 through the Australian Government’s ‘Accelerating Commercialisation’ grant, bringing the startups’ total government support to AUD $1 million.
The new funding, dollar-matched by local and international investment, will be used to drive ScreenCoach towards rapid commercialisation and scale, with a private Beta launch kicking off in July and an anticipated nationwide app store launch in December.
The ScreenCoach app’s simple, gamified reward system sees children and teens earn their screen time on devices once they complete pre-set activities such as homework, housework and hobbies.
By letting children self-manage their own tasks, the app alleviates a common challenge in modern parenting: getting kids’ eyes unglued from screens and focussed on other activities without having to constantly ask. Childrens’ time spent on devices has become a pressing health concern of national and global importance, with related health concerns ranging from increasing obesity from sedentary lifestyles, increased mental illness directly linked with technology overuse and a startling emergence of ‘digital dementia’ in children.
For parents and Co-Founders, Chief Executive Officer Stephanie Kakris, Head of Technology Peter Kakris and Business Development Manager Gary Borham, the recent government funding supports ScreenCoach’s extensive market research along with the passion for restoring harmony in families whose relationships are strained because of the constant battles around screen time.
“With personal experience of the challenges of managing our own kids’ screen time, we wanted to create a product that the whole family will love, while also setting children up for success as young adults in a device-oriented society”, said Stephanie, who holds a Masters in Psychology and is a published parenting author.
“We’re thrilled with this second round of funding support, which will help us finalise the design of the app and upgrade hardware for cross-device support, so we can get it into the hands of families that need it in Australia and around the world.”
The Accelerating Commercialisation grant, provides SMBs, entrepreneurs and researchers with funding with the aim to strengthen, grow, innovate and commercialise Australian business both nationally and globally.
The highly competitive grant process puts each project through an independent, merit based assessment for the chance to be awarded up to $1 million in matched funding, meaning the business must contribute an equal amount to the project.
Just 530 of the grants have been awarded between the program’s inception in 2014 and 2021, providing $260 million to support companies to commercialise their innovative products.
Beta trials
Families participating in the ScreenCoach beta trials received a free 6-month subscription and hardware (offer closed December 2022).
This program offered a chance to experience ScreenCoach, a combined hardware and software system to help families manage screen time. It allowed setting limits and encouraging alternative activities after screen time expired.
Sign up for ScreenCoach for $1 | Pricing Plans | Features Overview
