An app called Young Minds wants to give parents control over what their kids do on the internet, while also protecting their children’s privacy and teaching them good online habits.
The startup was founded by Nino Dvalidze (pictured), an entrepreneur and a mother of two from the United Kingdom. Dvalidze told TechCrunch that the idea for Young Minds came from conversations with fellow parents, who are also worried about how to keep their children safe, while also allowing them to have access to the internet, which, she admitted, is “enormously helpful in terms of education and exploration and connection with so many people outside of your immediate zone of contacts.”
Dvalidze explained that Young Minds, which will be presenting at Startup Battlefield at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, has two versions: the parent app and the children app. The former gives certain control to the latter, allowing parents to set up screen time limits, to curtail certain content, but not the ability to monitor all communications on their kids’ devices. Disrupt runs October 27 to 29 in San Francisco.
“We’re doing safety as a minimum foundation,” Dvalidze said in a phone call. “We need to make sure that nothing that is not intended for the young eyes can reach them.”
But the app is also designed to teach kids why certain content is blocked or why something is flagged as risky. Dvalidze said the app scans the child’s use of their tablet or phone with AI to detect and flag potentially harmful content, but the company does not store any user data. Parents can also use an in-app chatbot to educate themselves about the potential risks of certain sites or apps, she said.
Young Minds is available on Android. The iOS version will launch next week, but Dvalidze admits that because of iOS’s restrictions on what data apps can access from other apps, the version from Apple devices is a little different, albeit with “workarounds.”
“We store some information with parent consent and analyze it,” she said, referring to a workaround they use on iOS.
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In terms of controlling screen time, Young Minds can be set up to turn on certain routines, as well as specific modes like “study mode,” which only allows education apps like Duolingo, or “wind down mode,” which restricts apps and usage that could interfere with their sleep. Parents can customize these modes depending on their and their children’s needs.
If you want to learn more about Young Minds from Dvalidze and the company itself — while also checking out dozens of others, hearing their pitches, and listening to guest speakers on four different stages — join us at Disrupt, October 27 to 29, in San Francisco. Learn more here.