Flipkart backs parenting social network TinyStep

Parenting social network TinyStep, a platform that connects parents with doctors, child service providers and other parents, has raised an undisclosed amount in its seed round of funding from Flipkart. The startup plans to use this amount to develop the product, enhance user experience and strengthen the team.

The funding will also be utilised to further accelerate the company's growth and its user engagement.

Founded by Suhail Abidi, TinyStep is an app-first social network for parents. The Bangalore-based startup, run by WeHive Technologies Pvt Ltd, claims to have more than 10,000 parents on its platform. TinyStep has a 20-member team comprising mostly engineers. Abidi, an IIT-Kanpur alumnus, also founded SiliconPrime Technologies in 2013.

Elaborating on the funding, Nishant Verman, head of corporate development, Flipkart, said, "This concept has great potential in the existing market, and it is the much needed tech product in the parenting domain. The child care industry holds massive potential and TinyStep being a community driven product is definitely going in the right direction towards dominating it."

Suhail Abidi, founder of TinyStep said, "Flipkart is helping us with the required guidance to continue our excelling growth. "

TinyStep is Flipkart's second investment in a week. On January 14, Red Brick Lane Marketing Solutions Pvt Ltd, which runs media-tech startup ZAPR, raised an undisclosed amount of funding led by Flipkart, with participation from Saavn and Micromax and Mu Sigma co-founders – Dhiraj Rajaram and Ambiga Dhiraj.

In the broader parenting space, a bunch of startups have come up in India. Babycenter, BabyChakra, Parentune, ZenParent, Parentedge, KIDSS (Kid Social Shell) and MyCity4Kids are some of the players in the space.

On January 5, My Child App, which helps parents track learning disorders in children, raised $100,000 (Rs 66 lakh) from Silicon Valley-based early stage VC fund 500 Startups, Singapore Angel Network and a bunch of angel investors.

In June 2015, Infomoko Technology Pvt Ltd, which owns and operates parenting tips child care services portal BabyChakra, raised an undisclosed amount of seed funding led by Mumbai Angels, Patni Family Office and Singapore Angel Network. Prior to that, ZenParent.in secured $500,000 (Rs 3.17 crore) from Bangalore-based i2india Venture Factory.

Last May, digital media startup for parenting tips ZenParent raised $500K from i2india Venture Factory.