Kudos began in 2014 as the photo-sharing app Kuddle and has evolved into a full social network designed specifically for children aged eight to thirteen. The app combines 24-hour human moderation with text and image monitoring software, limiting reactions to three positive emojis and banning one-on-one chat to curb bullying and inappropriate content. Users receive continual prompts to keep comments kind, and the company appoints in-app ambassadors who model constructive behavior. Active engagement is strongest among nine- to eleven-year-olds, and parents receive notifications about their children’s activities. The platform plans to expand features that maintain engagement, potentially including curated celebrity content for younger fans, while intentionally avoiding advertising as it develops a monetization model. After starting in Oslo, Norway, the company relocated its headquarters to Palo Alto, California, and hired talent from Disney, DreamWorks, Pixar, and Instagram. To date, Kudos has raised $5.7 million in seed funding from individual investors.

Total raised

$6M

Funding rounds

1

Latest round

Seed

Latest activity

Oct 2017