Parents searched licensed childcare centers, preschools, and in-home programs near them, compared provider profiles, and arranged visits, while program operators maintained listings and used business tools to respond to family inquiries. The company assembled its provider database largely from state licensing records and paired that data with parent-to-parent referrals as its central trust mechanism.
The business was started in Cincinnati in 2010 by Chaz Giles, who had worked in brand management at Procter & Gamble, and Angela Conley, who came from a behavioral-science background and led product. It moved to the San Francisco Peninsula the following year and reported a Palo Alto address. In June 2012 it announced a seed round of just over $1 million led by Blumberg Capital, with 500 Startups, Birchmere Labs, and angels participating; the following year it described listings available nationwide and signed the Childcare Network center chain as a partner.
