Why we started Kinwell
Every smart TV we owned treated our home screen like a billboard. Trailers we never chose autoplayed. Shows that didn't fit our family's values, or simply weren't right for our kids' ages, showed up front and center. We'd hide one app, block one setting, and something new would pop up the next week.
We know our way around technology, and it was still a constant chore. We figured that if it was this hard for us, it had to be harder for most families.
So we built the TV we wanted for our own homes: calm by default, with only the apps we chose, and a simple PIN for the grown-ups.
A family business, for real
Both of our families homeschool, and Kinwell is part of our kids' education. They're helping run it: packing and shipping orders, keeping track of inventory, and learning what it takes to serve customers well.
When your Kinwell TV arrives, there's a good chance one of our kids helped get it to you. We think learning to build something useful, and to do it with care, is one of the best lessons we can give them.
What we believe
- Parents should decide what's on the screen, not an algorithm built to keep kids watching.
- Your family's privacy isn't for sale. We block the tracking built into today's TVs, we don't show ads, and we never sell what your family watches.
- Protection shouldn't need a subscription. Kids' mode and the PIN keep working on your TV, always.
- Screen time can bring a family together. That's why Kinwell also helps with chores, the calendar and asking for a little more time, kindly.
Where we are today
We're starting with a small beta in West Michigan, setting up every TV ourselves so we can learn from each family. After the beta, we'll ship Kinwell TVs anywhere in the U.S., ready to plug in.