Remind – Brett and David Kopf

By Maureen Glynn on September 29, 2015

Brett (CEO)  and David Kopf (VP of Growth) – Co-Founders – Remind

Kopf Brothers

Photo Source: School Communicators Network

Venture: Remind (formerly Remind101)- Founded in 2011 – has raised $59 million and counts 25 million users (LaPorte, 2015)

Primary Products/Services: Remind is a private mobile messaging platform that enables teachers to send reminders to students and parents through text or email. It works across a range of devices and teachers can initiate messages from the Remind website, iPhone or Android app. Messages can include attachments and media such as photos or videos and activities such a surveys.

Original Value Proposition:  Unlike many platforms that are designed to connect parents and teachers, students and parents using Remind do not have to visit the website to register/participate. They sign up from their phone by sending a text message or email. This accommodates a wide range of possible users, including those without internet access/data. Additionally, the service is free to use, and because it is a private platform, student and parent cell phone data is not compromised.

When starting up their venture, the founders believed passionately that increased communication between teachers, students and parents would lead directly to better learning outcomes. They felt that there was gap in the market for effective tools to support this type of communication. In the words of Brett Kopf, “We live in an age where you can have an Uber cab show up in two minutes, …..But if your kid is failing school, you probably don’t know for three months” (LaPorte, 2015).

Bio(s)

Brett and David  (28 years old and 30 years old) grew up in Skokie, Illinois. Brett was diagnosed with ADD and dyslexia in 5th grade. He experienced chronic issues with organization throughout his youth and his graduation from high school was facilitated greatly by exceptional support from one teacher in particular, along with his parents.

In college, as Brett continued to struggle with managing his study-related tasks, he shared with his brother David the idea that a reliable system of assignment reminders would help him with his work.  David evolved this idea into a simple SMS notification program that would send text messages before an exam or an assignment was due.

While Brett and David grew their early version of the messaging system to a few thousand users, they felt that it wasn’t going places and decided to shut this version down.  However, following graduation, Brett realized that a similar system might have great potential in the elementary and high school sector. In pursuit of this idea, Brett and David joined start-up incubator called ImagineK12 – out of which Remind grew.

In the early days of Remind, David would focus on coding, while Brett spent hours in person and online, learning from teachers about how they were communicating with students and parents and the tools/strategies that they were using to do so.  This two-pronged approach of ongoing development and user consultation helped the Kopf brothers to refine their offering to effectively match their product to the genuine needs of teachers, students and parents.

As Remind has grown, it has attracted a great deal of attention and an interesting range of advisers. Teachers and educational administrators are encouraged to become “Remind Connected Educators or RCEs ”. These RCEs are in turn invited to participate in the Remind Advisory Board. Meanwhile, Remind has drawn the attention of prominent venture capitalists, such as Chamath Palihapitiya  and John Doerr , who both sit on Remind’s Board of Directors.

The motivation of Remind’s founders seems to emerge partially from impactful personal experiences, along with genuine concern for the greater good, and has resonated with both users and investors alike. In many ways, the Kopf brothers, as a pair, brought to the table the best qualities of other successful, solo entrepreneurs. Brett had a deep personal desire to create change, which, when matched with his brother’s technical skills resulted in value for many.

References:

Forbes. (2012) 30 Under 30 –Education. Retrieved from:  http://www.forbes.com/special-report/2012/30-under-30/30-under-30_education.html

Kim, Eugene. (2014). This 27-Year-Old CEO Struggled Through School — Now He’s Raised $59 Million To Change Education. Business Insider.  Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/remind-founder-brett-kopf-profile-2014-12

LaPorte, Nicole. (2015) Most Creative People 2015 – 98, 99 Brett Kopf and David Kopf – For Keeping Parents in the Know.  Fast Company. Retrieved from http://www.fastcompany.com/3043981/most-creative-people-2015/brett-kopf-and-david-kopf

Reinstadler, Kym. (2015) Teachers don’t need a “Remind-er” about their favorite messaging app. School Communications Network. Retrieved from http://scnforyou.com/educators-need-remind-er-favorite-messaging-app/

Remind Website. (2015) Retrieved from https://www.remind.com/

 

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4 Oct Posted on Remind – Brett and David Kopf

Brett and David Kopt deserve credit for recognizing a deficiency in teacher, student and parent communication; however Remind has limited capacity to grow and the motivation of Brett in particular appears emotionally driven. I would worry that their success is not repeatable. In an era when direct communication between students and teachers outside of school of personal devices is increasingly discouraged, it seems likely that Remind will be replaced over time, despite the Kopf’s authentic motivation and altruistic intentions. They do not appear to have any more to offer than a singlular ideas based on existing SMS technology, and a commitment to facilitating communication between home and school. Their experience in the ImagineK12 incubator provides some credibility and evidence of perseverance on a concept, but it common to many other startups. I would expect to see more on offer from a skill set, motivation and experience perspective before I invested in these founding brothers.

4 Oct
0 Thumbs Up!
cbrumwell @cbrumwell

Brett and David Kopt deserve credit for recognizing a deficiency in teacher, student and parent communication; however Remind has limited capacity to grow and the motivation of Brett in particular appears emotionally driven. I would worry that their success is not repeatable. In an era when direct communication between students and teachers outside of school of personal devices is increasingly discouraged, it seems likely that Remind will be replaced over time, despite the Kopf’s authentic motivation and altruistic intentions. They do not appear to have any more to offer than a singlular ideas based on existing SMS technology, and a commitment to facilitating communication between home and school. Their experience in the ImagineK12 incubator provides some credibility and evidence of perseverance on a concept, but it common to many other startups. I would expect to see more on offer from a skill set, motivation and experience perspective before I invested in these founding brothers.

4 Oct Posted on Remind – Brett and David Kopf

I love the idea of this venture and think that the creators behind it are passionate and committed entrepreneurs. Brett has a personal interest in this product as he struggled with organization and planning throughout his entire schooling. Their two-pronged approach to understanding the market and understanding computer language shows that they are able to work collaboratively. Both partners are able to bring valuable experience and knowledge to the table. I agree with Natalie Shearer when she says they demonstrate adaptability and resilience. I recently watched a video clip of Jane McGonigal being interviewed before her presentation at the 2011 Microsoft Innovative Education Forum. Interestingly enough, the interviewer explained that if someone fails at the job and is fired, one would generally remove the job from their resume. However, when someone fails in business, they are more likely to be hired, as they will have learned valuable lessons from their experiences.

4 Oct
0 Thumbs Up!
brittany reid @breid84

I love the idea of this venture and think that the creators behind it are passionate and committed entrepreneurs. Brett has a personal interest in this product as he struggled with organization and planning throughout his entire schooling. Their two-pronged approach to understanding the market and understanding computer language shows that they are able to work collaboratively. Both partners are able to bring valuable experience and knowledge to the table. I agree with Natalie Shearer when she says they demonstrate adaptability and resilience. I recently watched a video clip of Jane McGonigal being interviewed before her presentation at the 2011 Microsoft Innovative Education Forum. Interestingly enough, the interviewer explained that if someone fails at the job and is fired, one would generally remove the job from their resume. However, when someone fails in business, they are more likely to be hired, as they will have learned valuable lessons from their experiences.

3 Oct Posted on Remind – Brett and David Kopf

The thing that stands out for me about the Kopf brothers, is their demonstration of resilience and adaptability upon realizing their original SMS notification system wasn’t thriving in the post-secondary market. Their decision to implement a similar program in the K-12 sector ultimately led to the development of a successful venture - Remind. Not only did they have to foresight to adapt their product for a different audience, yet they also took a divide-and-conquer approach, through which they were able to utilize their individual skills in order to get the venture up and running. I think they form a pretty dynamic duo, whose personal experiences have instilled in them a passion for helping others. They recognized an area where organization and communication could be streamlined, and persevered in finding a solution. These guys certainly display attributes of a passionate, ambitious, and well-rounded entrepreneurial pair.

3 Oct
2 Thumbs Up!
Natalie Shearer @nshearer

The thing that stands out for me about the Kopf brothers, is their demonstration of resilience and adaptability upon realizing their original SMS notification system wasn’t thriving in the post-secondary market. Their decision to implement a similar program in the K-12 sector ultimately led to the development of a successful venture - Remind. Not only did they have to foresight to adapt their product for a different audience, yet they also took a divide-and-conquer approach, through which they were able to utilize their individual skills in order to get the venture up and running. I think they form a pretty dynamic duo, whose personal experiences have instilled in them a passion for helping others. They recognized an area where organization and communication could be streamlined, and persevered in finding a solution. These guys certainly display attributes of a passionate, ambitious, and well-rounded entrepreneurial pair.

2 Oct Posted on Remind – Brett and David Kopf

Although I have not personally used this service, I know that it has a foothold in the secondary schools in my school district. I have found that teaching at the elementary level, parents are very hesitant to receive communications in this manner. I do appreciate the story behind this company. These brothers have each identified a niche where both skills sets can be used. I think it is remarkable that the individual who struggled in school being labeld ADD, is now meeting with teachers to help them organize their communication methods.

2 Oct
0 Thumbs Up!
lanehardy @lanehardy

Although I have not personally used this service, I know that it has a foothold in the secondary schools in my school district. I have found that teaching at the elementary level, parents are very hesitant to receive communications in this manner. I do appreciate the story behind this company. These brothers have each identified a niche where both skills sets can be used. I think it is remarkable that the individual who struggled in school being labeld ADD, is now meeting with teachers to help them organize their communication methods.

2 Oct Posted on Remind – Brett and David Kopf

This is an amazing story. I love how these brothers were able to turn the tables, transforming a significant personal challenge into a market insight and an advantage. That said, I can't imagine what it would have been like to work on this startup team. Their business success must be a testament to the successful functioning of their product. A simple tech solution to a pain point they were themselves feeling. Props.

2 Oct
0 Thumbs Up!
meril rasmussen @meril

This is an amazing story. I love how these brothers were able to turn the tables, transforming a significant personal challenge into a market insight and an advantage. That said, I can't imagine what it would have been like to work on this startup team. Their business success must be a testament to the successful functioning of their product. A simple tech solution to a pain point they were themselves feeling. Props.

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