Incredible Montessori-Inspired Childcare At Home

Higher Ground Education, Inc., the leading network of schools dedicated to modernizing and mainstreaming Montessori worldwide, has announced the acquisition of CozyKin, the childcare pioneer in Montessori-inspired nanny sharing at home. Founded in 2016, Higher Ground operates multiple education brands, including Guidepost Montessori, the Academy of Thought and Industry, and the Prepared Montessorian Teacher Training Institute. These together fuel a rapidly growing school system across the U.S., as well as a burgeoning international network.

CozyKin’s nanny sharing platform matches local families with Montessori-trained nannies and offers a range of backend support services to provide parents a seamless, pedagogically-informed childcare experience. CozyKin won both the coveted MassChallenge and Harvard Business School New Venture Competition and received funding from Bessemer Venture Partners, NextView Ventures, and Primary Venture Partners.

“CozyKin was founded three years ago to offer families high-quality, Montessori-informed childcare utilizing a sharing economy approach,” says Jeremy Au, CEO and co-founder of CozyKin. “We have long admired Higher Ground’s global leadership in Montessori education, and we are delighted by how aligned our teams are in mission and value.”

As part of the Higher Ground Education network, CozyKin’s platform will enable Higher Ground to better serve its growing waitlists of families seeking early education for their infants and toddlers. The platform, to be rebranded as Guidepost at Home, will be offered across markets where Higher Ground operates Montessori schools.

“Integrating CozyKin with Higher Ground Education is a win-win for everyone,” says Matt Graham, former Head of Services at CozyKin and new Director of Operations for Guidepost at Home. “Higher Ground recognizes the vast market need for quality early education and understands how CozyKin’s unique model and infrastructure solves it for underserved neighborhoods and parents.”

Ray Girn, founder and CEO of Higher Ground Education, says Guidepost at Home will expand the value of Higher Ground’s schools as hubs for home-care services.

“A huge part of what Maria Montessori offers the world is the obliteration of the artificial distinction between education and childcare,” Girn says. “There is just one process of growing up — a process that starts at birth and benefits from learning science throughout. Our goal is to help elevate the profoundly important work done by early educators, and that includes nannies at home. By partnering with CozyKin and utilizing its exceptional platform, we can together extend to more families the value of a developmentally serious approach to early childhood education. Guidepost at Home will be a parallel pedagogical path to our Montessori school offerings.”

Au, who will now serve as Executive Director for Guidepost at Home, agrees. “We are excited to leverage our technology, network IP, and operations to further scale across the United States and beyond with Higher Ground’s resources, reach, and school brands,” he says. “We are only just getting started in advancing our mission to increase access for more families, children, and educators.”

Higher Ground Education, Inc., a network of schools dedicated to modernizing and mainstreaming Montessori worldwide, acquired CozyKin, a childcare company leadier in Montessori-inspired nanny sharing at home.

Led by Jeremy Au, CEO and co-founder, CozyKin provides a nanny sharing platform that matches local families with Montessori-trained nannies and offers a range of backend support services to provide parents a pedagogically-informed childcare experience. CozyKin won both the MassChallenge and Harvard Business School New Venture Competition and received funding from Bessemer Venture Partners, NextView Ventures, and Primary Venture Partners.

Higher Ground Education, Inc., the leading network of schools dedicated to modernizing and mainstreaming Montessori worldwide, has announced the acquisition of CozyKin, the childcare pioneer in Montessori-inspired nanny sharing at home. Founded in 2016, Higher Ground operates multiple education brands, including Guidepost Montessori, the Academy of Thought and Industry, and the Prepared Montessorian Teacher Training Institute. These together fuel a rapidly growing school system across the U.S., as well as a burgeoning international network.

CozyKin’s nanny sharing platform matches local families with Montessori-trained nannies and offers a range of backend support services to provide parents a seamless, pedagogically-informed childcare experience. CozyKin won both the coveted MassChallenge and Harvard Business School New Venture Competition and received funding from Bessemer Venture Partners, NextView Ventures, and Primary Venture Partners.

“CozyKin was founded three years ago to offer families high-quality, Montessori-informed childcare utilizing a sharing economy approach,” says Jeremy Au, CEO and co-founder of CozyKin. “We have long admired Higher Ground’s global leadership in Montessori education, and we are delighted by how aligned our teams are in mission and value.”

As part of the Higher Ground Education network, CozyKin’s platform will enable Higher Ground to better serve its growing waitlists of families seeking early education for their infants and toddlers. The platform, to be rebranded as Guidepost at Home, will be offered across markets where Higher Ground operates Montessori schools.

“Integrating CozyKin with Higher Ground Education is a win-win for everyone,” says Matt Graham, former Head of Services at CozyKin and new Director of Operations for Guidepost at Home. “Higher Ground recognizes the vast market need for quality early education and understands how CozyKin’s unique model and infrastructure solves it for underserved neighborhoods and parents.”

Ray Girn, founder and CEO of Higher Ground Education, says Guidepost at Home will expand the value of Higher Ground’s schools as hubs for home-care services.

“A huge part of what Maria Montessori offers the world is the obliteration of the artificial distinction between education and childcare,” Girn says. “There is just one process of growing up — a process that starts at birth and benefits from learning science throughout. Our goal is to help elevate the profoundly important work done by early educators, and that includes nannies at home. By partnering with CozyKin and utilizing its exceptional platform, we can together extend to more families the value of a developmentally serious approach to early childhood education. Guidepost at Home will be a parallel pedagogical path to our Montessori school offerings.”

Au, who will now serve as Executive Director for Guidepost at Home, agrees. “We are excited to leverage our technology, network IP, and operations to further scale across the United States and beyond with Higher Ground’s resources, reach, and school brands,” he says. “We are only just getting started in advancing our mission to increase access for more families, children, and educators.”

Montessori is an approach to education based on the principle that children should drive the learning process. “Even as infants and toddlers, little ones can begin to learn through creativity and hands-on activities that allow the child to explore what interests them,” says Brenda Guevara of CozyKin, a nanny-share startup that matches families with caregivers who are trained to teach the Montessori curriculum.

CozyKin uses the Montessori techniques because they encourage children to play a role in their own learning process (think collaborative play and hands-on activities to help a child foster her own innate talents and interests). But how can parents use Montessori-inspired learning on their own? “Toys can be a great way to allow children to explore at their own rate and pace,” says Guevara. Here are their recommendations for toddlers.

As moms, we don’t need reminding that there’s a child-care crisis in this country. It’s estimated that 80% of the gender pay gap is due to the “Motherhood Penalty”, where a woman’s earning potential suffers for having had children. All working moms have experienced the fear of a flooded daycare, a random snow day, or a sick child (or nanny! or grandparent!) being the cause of her needing to take a day off work, or at least leave early from work. Absences to plug gaps in childcare can lead to an employer or colleagues making judgments about a working mother’s motivation or commitment levels. The burden of planning for, and covering for such eventualities does usually (though not always!) fall on the mom, causing stress and distraction at work, especially if you don’t feel like the set-up of your childcare is optimal for your child’s development. Enter CozyKin, a nanny-sharing startup which has experienced enormous success in its hometown of Boston, and which has now opened enrollment for Manhattan families.

Nannies are truly the backbone of our society. Think about it—their job lets parents do their jobs, which really keeps the economy turning. As a parent, you are asking your nanny to care for one of the most precious people in your life. Do you want your little one to be cared for by a contractor, a freelancer… someone you need from time to time? No, you’re looking for an addition to your parenting team and your family.

Nannies who feel supported and valued by their employer are happier and better at what they do. And that is what ensures your little one thrives in their care. So, how can you best support your nanny? Here are three ways to be a fair nanny employer.

When my older child was 2, he made his first friend at the child care center he attended. They got along so well that when June rolled around, my spouse and I decided to share a nanny with his friend’s family during the gaps in the center’s summer schedule. We were uncommonly lucky; the other family had already lined up the nanny, and she was happy to add our son to the mix as a second charge (with a pay bump). Though the setup lasted only a few months, it was a fantastic experience. Agencies even specialize in shared nannies: CozyKin, based in Boston and also offering services in New York, matches families with each other first and then with a nanny.

We met the CozyKin founders: Jeremy Au and Tatyana Gubin. Not only were we impressed by their entrepreneurial and education track record, but we were blown away by how they were thinking about democratizing access to high-quality childcare in such a convenient and affordable manner. This nimble duo started out with more than a hundred thoughtful interviews with families and childcare providers to understand the issues and the pain points. They learned that families sharing a nanny overwhelming loved this form of childcare, but many families were unaware of this childcare arrangement, unable to find their own partner families, or could not secure a great nanny on their own.

With this beloved nanny share community model, Jeremy and Tatyana brought together great user experience work, high customer empathy and smartly applied technology to bring CozyKin’s Montessori-inspired childcare to life. Since starting in 2016, they’ve become the top infant care provider in Boston, and have recently raised capital to expand into other markets. Here’s what you should know about CozyKin…

She and her co-founder, Jeremy Au, had conversations with more than 100 new moms and dads about their first year of parenthood. “It was a huge root cause of stress for pretty much everyone that we interviewed, especially when it came to the tradition of going back to work and having to make compromises between the quality of care for your child and transitioning back into a career. That’s where the childcare status quo is really broken.”

CozyKin, a Cambridge, Mass.-based nanny matchmaking service, has raised $6 million in a Series A round from Bessemer Venture Partners, NextView Ventures and Primary Venture Partners. The company will use the money to expand into new markets like New York and support efforts with hiring, partnerships and product development, according to a statement Monday. Bessemer’s previous education investments include Brightwheel, Flat World and BrightBytes. NextView has invested in Strive Talent and Boundless Learning.

CozyKin, the childcare leader in Montessori-inspired nanny sharing and the largest infant childcare service in Massachusetts, has completed a $6 million Series A. Bessemer, known for being the first investor in Bright Horizons and investors in Pinterest and Blue Apron, is joined by NextView Ventures and Primary Venture Partners in the investment.

The total investment will be leveraged by Boston-based CozyKin to expand to additional markets, hire key staff, and develop strategic corporate partnerships. CozyKin is set to expand to New York City this spring.

“We are creating the leading childcare choice for our generation of modern parents,” said Jeremy Au, CozyKin co-founder. “As an expectant or new parent, you are faced with important decisions every day for your little one, and parents deserve a better childcare experience.”

CozyKin matches two compatible, local families with a rigorously vetted and trained nanny. The company handles all the logistics from finances and nanny management to backup care, giving parents a stress-free and seamless experience. Furthermore, the two families’ children in the nanny share gain the cognitive benefits of socialization with their first best friend.

“CozyKin is a slam-dunk option for new parents. The service combines the personal touch and flexibility of a nanny with the socialization and affordability of daycare,” says Kent Bennett, Partner, Bessemer Venture Partners. “We’re thrilled to join and support this dedicated team as they bring their incredible service to more families.”

Winner of the coveted Mass Challenge grand prize in 2017, CozyKin empowers working women and dual income families, as well as helps employers offer a viable childcare option for employees.

“We were inspired to start CozyKin while researching postpartum depression and came across dozens of parents who shared their need for quality and reliable childcare,” said Tatyana Gubin, CozyKin co-founder. “For families to thrive, parents must be able to transition back to work knowing that their child is being well cared for by a qualified adult and are continuing to reach their developmental milestones.”

According to NPR, parents often spend upwards of $1,000 on nonrefundable daycare waitlist fees that don’t guarantee a spot. With CozyKin, there is a no-waitlist guarantee, so parents aren’t left paying unnecessary expenses on top of the already hefty cost of raising a child. Parents receive guaranteed care and can reserve childcare months in advance or in as little as four weeks. This allows parents to enjoy their parental leave bonding with their little one, instead of scouring daycare waitlists and nanny directories.

“At NextView, we invest in companies that redesign the everyday, and as parents ourselves, we understand the struggle and uncertainty of trying to find quality child care. We firmly believe in the CozyKin mission which is to help children flourish, support new parents in their return to work and provide competitive living wages and benefits to nannies,” says Rob Go, Co-Founder and Partner at NextView Ventures.

To further support families, CozyKin provides a dedicated care concierge to manage daily care. The company also employs all of their nannies and empowers them with the security of W-2 employment, including competitive wages, paid time off including parental leave, health benefits, workers compensation and ongoing professional development in early childhood education. Only the top five percent of applicants are hired.

"CozyKin's thoughtful, holistic approach to childcare means a superior experience for both parents and caregivers during what can be a tremendously challenging time," says Benjamin Sun, Co-Founder and General Partner, Primary Venture Partners. "As an NYC-focused fund, we're thrilled to leverage our area expertise and resources to support these standout entrepreneurs as they bring this much-needed service to New York and beyond."

"As a parent to two kids and husband to a woman with a highly intense professional career, I’ve seen first hand the kind of mountains that need to be overcome to enable professional success while caring for babies and infants. This is why we were so excited about companies like CozyKin, which enables the best child-care solution available for young children."

CozyKin CEO, Jeremy Au, and Head of Growth, Matt Handy, served on panels at SPARK Boston's The Future of Childcare Challenge. In partnership with Mayor Walsh's SPARK Council and Office for Women’s Advancement, The Future of Childcare Challenge brings together individuals from a variety of sectors to discuss the crisis around the high cost of childcare.

Here's your look at the latest hires and promotions across the Boston tech community at CozyKin, Chewy, ezCater, Vecna Robotics, OM1, ProfitWell, Starry, Mendix, EF Education First, Applause, Cygilant, Starry, and Glasswing Ventures.

Here's your look at the latest hires and promotions across the Boston tech community at CozyKin, Celect, SimpliSafe, Akumina, Carbon Black, Lola.com, Starry, BlueConic, Building Ventures, and Optimus Ride.

Here's your look at the latest hires and promotions across the Boston tech community at Drift, Yesware, Devoted Health, LogMeIn, Cantina, Cybereason, Wayfair, Brightcove, Promoboxx, Piaggio Fast Forward, Zaius, CozyKin, and Devo Technologies.

CozyKin CEO, Jeremy Au, spoke with Groundbreakers about the origin of the company and the importance of mission-driven organizations.

"On November 2, MassChallenge held the 2017 MassChallenge Boston Awards at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. In addition to using their eighth-annual event as a means to celebrate the accelerator's success this year, MassChallenge Boston also handed out $1M in equity-free prizes to winners of its Top 26 startups (of 128 total). "

"The startup accelerator’s top four winners — CozyKin, Off Grid Box, Pykus Therapeutics and Vence — each won $100,000 while 12 other startups each received $50,000. One of the $50,000 winners, Guardion, and two other startups won a share of $500,000 from CASIS-Boeing for research projects on the International Space Station. The eighteen startups were chosen out of MassChallenge’s 26 finalists, which came from a pool of 128 startups that participated in this year’s accelerator."

"During the ceremony, MassChallenge awarded $100,000 prizes to each of four of the "highest-impact" companies from its 2017 class. Those companies, which lead a pack of 128 startups that entered the accelerator in June, are: CozyKin Massachusetts | High Tech | Creates the sharing economy for childcare by matching local families together and placing them with Montessori-trained nannies in in-home nanny shares.

"Pykus Therapeutics, which makes a device to improve retina surgery, and CozyKin, a company that connects families with trained nannies, also each received $100,000...“It’s never been more clear that ideas — even at the earliest stage — have the power to change the world,” Kiki Mills Johnston, managing director of MassChallenge Boston, said in a statement. “With support from the community, these ideas have since grown into capable, profitable, and sustainable ventures.”

"CozyKin has tapped into the sharing economy for childcare by matching local families together and placing them with Montessori-trained nannies that they share. To date, more than 600 families have signed up across Boston, Cambridge and Somerville."

"CozyKin, a network connecting families with trained nannies is,,, among more than two dozen finalists in this year’s MassChallenge startup accelerator... “It’s amazing to see just how far these companies have progressed in such a short amount of time,” Kiki Mills Johnston, managing director of MassChallenge in Boston, said."

"We got them all. Across the i-lab, Launch Lab and Life Lab, there’s a total of 145 teams in the fall cohort of the Harvard Innovation Labs. We’re already familiar with some of them... Here’s the full list of the 145 ventures, a fascinating catalog of ideas and goals. CozyKin is Airbnb plus childcare: families sharing great nannies."

"The sharing economy isn’t just for your home or your car rides anymore. The Massachusetts startup CozyKin brings the sharing economy to your child care by matching local families to nannies and then partnering with other families in need of care. “When you join a CozyKin nanny share, you get more than incredible nannies supported by leading baby Montessori experts,” the website says. “Your child experiences the joy of growing up with another child — their new best friend.”

"At the event and afterward, I talked with a few of the investors who were there, off the record, asking them which companies they liked. Here's what I gleaned ... CozyKin is like Uber for nanny shares. That's when a couple families get together to share nannies for small kids. With daycare centers costing roughly the equivalent of a mortgage on a house on the Cape, it's a sought-after arrangement."

"MassChallenge is a four-month startup accelerator that takes zero equity in participating startups, which have a chance to win their share of more than $1.5 million at the program’s awards gala on Nov. 2. The 2017 cohort comes from an application pool of over 1,500, which were judged by 850 serial entrepreneurs, corporate executives, investors, academics and other community members — many of whom will remain with the program as mentors, speakers and potential partners."

"At the event and afterward, I talked with a few of the investors who were there, off the record, asking them which companies they liked. Here's what I gleaned ... CozyKin is like Uber for nanny shares. That's when a couple families get together to share nannies for small kids. With daycare centers costing roughly the equivalent of a mortgage on a house on the Cape, it's a sought-after arrangement."