Kinsome, a new communication platform, was born out of a personal challenge faced by Eben Pingree, former executive at Session M. After receiving news that both his mother and father-in-law were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Pingree sought a way to help his three children bond with their grandparents and create lasting memories. Along with his co-founders Mike Gerbush, Ashley Hawking, and Brianne Baker, Pingree developed Kinsome, an app specifically designed to connect kids and grandparents through meaningful conversations and daily updates.
Kinsome officially launched after a year of public beta testing, just in time for Grandparents Day. The app aims to solve the challenge many families face—engaging young children in conversations with their grandparents, especially when they don’t see each other often or when generational gaps make communication difficult. Kinsome takes a fresh approach by incorporating AI technology to help keep these conversations fun and flowing.
The key feature that sets Kinsome apart is its AI companion, Kinzey. Designed to be an audio-first assistant, Kinzey helps children and grandparents communicate more easily by suggesting conversation starters, offering real-time explanations for unfamiliar topics, and even recalling previous discussions to create deeper connections. For instance, if a grandchild mentions a pop star like Taylor Swift, Kinzey can quickly explain who she is to the grandparent. This feature bridges the knowledge gap that can sometimes hinder conversation between generations.
Kinsome is full of engaging features to keep children interested. One of the more popular activities is called Emoji Chronicles. In this activity, kids use emojis to describe their day, and Kinzey asks follow-up questions to get more details. For example, if a child uses a dog emoji, Kinzey might ask, “Tell me more about the dog,” encouraging the child to respond with a voice recording. This keeps conversations lively and makes it easy for young children to participate, even if they’re shy or unsure of what to say.
Kinzey also prompts children to ask their grandparents questions about their past, creating an opportunity for grandparents to share stories that they may not otherwise discuss. This could be something as simple as asking if they ever participated in a school talent show, providing a chance for the grandparents to reflect on their own childhood and build a stronger bond with their grandchild. Once the conversation is complete, Kinzey compiles the highlights and sends them to the grandparents, who can listen and respond when it’s convenient for them.
The app is designed to be user-friendly, especially for older generations who might not be as comfortable with new technology. Grandparents don’t need to download an app or remember a password. Instead, they receive a link through text or email that allows them to listen to their grandchild’s recordings and respond. They can reply with either a typed message or a voice recording, which will appear in the in-app messenger for the child.
Kinsome plans to introduce new features in the near future, including the ability for children to upload photos from shared family albums and add voiceovers. The app will also offer a premium subscription for $4.99 a month, which will unlock additional features like a gifting option for grandparents to send presents directly through the platform. Kinsome also plans to roll out multilingual support, allowing users to interact in different languages. This thoughtful design and future updates ensure Kinsome will continue to strengthen family connections for years to come.
