Tin Can
Facts
- HQ
- Seattle, Washington, U.S.
- Sectors
- Hardware, Consumer Electronics, Connectivity, Children's Products
- Founded
- 2025 Seattle business license
- Type
- Corporation Seattle business license
- Registered name
- Tin Can Untechnologies Inc Seattle business license
- Stage
- startup
GeekWire and Greater Seattle Partners call for nominations for 2026 Uncommon Thinkers; deadline Sept. 18, winners honored Dec. 10
Nominations for GeekWire’s 2026 Uncommon Thinkers Awards — honoring Seattle-area inventors, scientists, technologists and entrepreneurs — close Friday, Sept. 18 at 11 a.m. PT; winners will be chosen by a judges panel and celebrated at the GeekWire Gala on Dec. 10. The fourth annual program, run with Greater Seattle Partners, seeks nominees who demonstrate innovation, leadership and measurable impact.
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Seattle investor Nikesh Parekh argues venture capital has bifurcated: outsized AI-focused winners capture record funding while most founders face tougher fundraising. He recommends founders consider alternatives — angel rounds, venture debt, revenue-based financing, and bootstrapping — to reach profitability.
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The latest GeekWire 200 highlights a shift in the Pacific Northwest startup scene toward physical products like rockets, fusion reactors, and space-based data centers, with Starcloud becoming the fastest Y Combinator unicorn valued at $1.1 billion. Helion maintains the top spot with a $15.5 billion valuation, while notable companies like Stoke Space, Overland AI, and new unicorn XBOW also make significant moves.
Tin Can CEO Chet Kittleson and Founders Share Key Startup Lessons at Seattle Flow Day on May 15
At Seattle Flow Startup Day, experienced founders including Tin Can CEO Chet Kittleson shared lessons from their hardships, emphasizing building passionate companies, maintaining emotional stability, hiring capable people, disciplined fundraising, questioning the need for venture capital, and considering acquisition early. Kittleson recounted surviving a disastrous network outage that nearly ended his startup, highlighting resilience and customer-driven growth.
Seattle Startup Tin Can Launches Tin Can Communities Program for Bulk Adoption of Kids’ Screenless Phones
Seattle startup Tin Can launched Tin Can Communities, a program allowing schools and neighborhoods to adopt their $100 screenless Wi-Fi-enabled kids' phone in bulk. The company, founded in 2024 and having raised $15.5 million, aims to delay smartphone adoption by enabling collective group use, supported by bulk pricing and onboarding.
Seattle Startup Tin Can's Screenless Kids Phone Cited by Jimmy Kimmel After NYT Wirecutter Praise
Seattle startup Tin Can's screenless phone for kids gained mainstream recognition after Jimmy Kimmel mentioned it during his show, following a positive New York Times Wirecutter review. The company has grown to 30 employees and sold hundreds of thousands of units.
Seattle Startup Littlebird Launches Screen-Free Wearable Kid Tracker with Amazon and Walmart Partnerships
Littlebird, a Seattle startup led by founder Monica Plath, has launched a screen-free wearable kid tracker designed as a real-time alternative to smartphones and AirTags. The device, which operates on a multi-layered mesh network, shipped nearly 1,000 units with $200,000 in sales on its first release day and has attracted partnerships with Amazon and Walmart.
Seattle Startup Tin Can Raises $12M Seed Funding Led by Greylock to Scale Kid-Friendly Wi-Fi Landline Phones
Seattle startup Tin Can raised $12 million in a seed round led by Greylock Partners to meet high demand for its Wi-Fi landline-style phones for kids, which have sold out two production runs and built a near-six-figure waitlist. The company aims to provide a safer communication device for kids without screen distractions, attracting investors who are also parents and industry experts.
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GeekWire's third annual 'Uncommon Thinkers' honors six innovators including Anindya Roy, Kiana Ehsani, and Jeff Thornburg, who are leading startups transforming industries with breakthrough technologies in biotech, social media, and space propulsion. These leaders will be celebrated at the GeekWire Gala in Seattle for their creative and mission-driven approaches to solving significant challenges.
Seattle Startup Tin Can Raises $3.5M, Gains Viral Success with Kid-Friendly WiFi Landline Phones
Chet Kittleson’s Seattle startup Tin Can has gained viral success with its WiFi-enabled landline phones designed to help kids avoid screens and foster real connections, raising $3.5 million and distributing products nationwide. The device's simplicity and analog nature have resonated with parents seeking alternatives to social media and texting for their children.
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The GeekWire 200 ranking highlights the fastest-growing private tech startups in the Pacific Northwest, emphasizing innovators in AI, robotics, energy, and more for Q2 2025. This quarterly list, sponsored by JPMorgan Chase, tracks regional tech development and emerging companies.
Seattle Startup Tin Can Raises $3.5M to Scale Screen-Free WiFi Landline Phones for Kids
Seattle startup Tin Can has raised $3.5 million from venture investors to scale its WiFi-enabled landline phones for kids, designed to limit screen exposure. The $75 phones connect children through approved contacts only, addressing parental concerns about smartphone and social media impacts on children's mental health and social development.
GeekWire Week in Review: Bill Gates Pledges $200B, Statsig Hits $1.1B Valuation, Seattle Startups Raise Millions in May 2025
This GeekWire Week in Review highlights top tech stories including Bill Gates' $200 billion philanthropy pledge, Seattle startups raising significant capital, and the emergence of new AI-driven unicorn Statsig valued at $1.1 billion. It also covers local news like a controversial Washington EV tax and cultural moments involving Seattle figures.
Seattle Startups Like Tin Can Launch WiFi-Enabled Landlines and Dumb Phones to Limit Kids’ Screen Time
Three Seattle startups, including Tin Can, are creating smartphone alternatives for kids to reduce screen time and social media pressure by offering WiFi-enabled landlines and ‘dumb phones’ with limited functionality. Tin Can’s colorful WiFi-enabled landlines aim to simplify communication and avoid screen addiction.
People
See all 6-
Chet Kittleson Founder, Co-Founder / CEO
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Max Blumen Founder, Co-founder
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Evan Jacobs Head of Engineering
