Startup Spotlight: Tin Can
The Landline Reinvented, For Kids!
This month I interviewed with Chet Kittleson to discuss his early-stage startup, Tin Can. Beyond being a talented entrepreneur, Chet is a friend of Audrey and mine, so we’ve had front row seats as he’s launched the company, from the first time he shared his idea at soccer practice, to watching our kids beta test early prototypes. The mission of the company is simple but ambitious. It is said that the day you want your kid’s childhood to end, give them a smartphone. Tin Can wants to extend childhood and empower kids to connect in a simple, straightforward way.
“We don’t think every kid should avoid smartphones forever. But we do believe kids deserve a middle ground before jumping into a device designed for adults. If giving kids a way to talk to their friends without getting sucked into TikTok makes us “luddites,” we’re okay with it.”
Background
Can you describe what the Tin Can is and who is behind it?
Tin Can is a modern take on the classic landline—designed specifically for kids. It’s a Wi-Fi-enabled device that allows children to call their friends and family easily, without the distractions, risks, or complexities of smartphones. The idea is to bring back the simplicity and magic of calling a friend, without all the baggage that comes with today’s tech.
Behind Tin Can is a small but passionate team that believes deeply in creating better ways for kids to connect. I (Chet Kittleson) started this journey after seeing first-hand how limited the options are for parents who want their kids to have real independence without handing them a smartphone.
Ultimately, who is your customer? Parents or kids?
Both. Kids are the end users—Tin Can is designed to be fun, simple, and something they actually want to use. But parents are the ones making the purchasing decision. They’re looking for a way to give their kids the ability to call friends and family without exposing them to social media, group texts, or the constant pull of screens.
You went from idea to prototype very quickly. Tell me about that process and why the idea ignited passion in you and your team from day one?
From the moment we landed on the idea, we felt a sense of urgency. This wasn’t just a "cool concept"—it was solving a very real problem that parents (including me) face every day.
The speed was possible because we kept things simple. Instead of over-engineering or over-planning, we built a quick prototype, got it into families’ hands, and learned fast. Seeing kids light up when they used it for the first time—and parents immediately getting it—confirmed we were onto something. That real-world validation fueled our momentum.
What has been the biggest hurdle or what have you spent the most time trouble-shooting so far?
Scaling the network while keeping it simple. Unlike a smartphone, which can call any number instantly, Tin Can works within a controlled network of friends and family. That’s what makes it safe and special, but it also means we need to carefully design how users onboard, connect, and expand their networks without introducing friction.
We’ve also been working through the balance of hardware and software—ensuring the device is intuitive while keeping backend infrastructure strong and scalable.
You've been interacting directly with your beta users, literally going into homes, meeting families, and configuring their Tin Cans. Have there been any cool moments so far that have strengthened your confidence that this idea has big potential?
One moment that stands out is when we set up a Tin Can for a family, and when I made the first test call to their Tin Can the mom started crying when she heard the old school ring. We’re all just so eager to be reminded of simpler times, and something about analog phones hit.
Another, in my own home, was the first time my daughter planned her own playdate with zero parental intervention. We hear this from Tin Can families all the time, and seeing it firsthand was special. Not only do my kids have more playdates now than they did before, I genuinely believe the independence has created more confidence in them.
Philosophy
What is special about the landline experience?
Landlines created intentional, meaningful conversations. When you called someone, you were present. You didn’t scroll, get distracted by notifications, or multitask—you just talked.
For kids, landlines also meant a level of independence. You didn’t need permission or a pre-scheduled FaceTime call on your parent’s phone—you could just pick up the phone and call a friend. That spontaneous connection is something we’ve lost with modern tech, and Tin Can brings that back.
To the kids using Tin Cans, this is novel technology. Is it resonating with them? Has their usage surprised you in any way?
Yes! Kids love it because it’s theirs. Unlike a phone, which feels like something they borrow from a parent, Tin Can is their device.
One surprising thing is how quickly kids adapt to having their own communication style with it. We’ve seen them create their own call etiquette—like calling once, hanging up, and calling again as a way of saying “it’s urgent” (old-school house phone trick). It’s fascinating to see a new generation develop their own habits around a tech experience we remember from childhood.
Some critics might say you’re nostalgia mining or being a luddite clinging to a bygone era. What will your response be?
This isn’t about nostalgia—it’s about fixing something that got lost in the race for more tech, more screens, more connectivity. Tin Can isn’t anti-technology—it’s pro-better technology.
We don’t think every kid should avoid smartphones forever. But we do believe kids deserve a middle ground before jumping into a device designed for adults. If giving kids a way to talk to their friends without getting sucked into TikTok makes us “luddites,” we’re okay with it.
“Kids love it because it’s theirs. Unlike a phone, which feels like something they borrow from a parent, Tin Can is their device.”
Looking Ahead
How many Tin Can users do you now have and what are your short and medium-term goals?
We’re in beta right now, with our first wave of a couple hundred families across ~15 states using Tin Can daily. Our short-term goal is to refine the experience based on real-world feedback and get the hardware to a place where we can scale production.
Medium-term, we want to launch publicly in April 2025 and expand into more communities.
How do you plan to scale the network both technically and strategically?
We’re seeing natural network effects—kids want to call their friends, which creates organic demand. We’ll continue expanding by following these natural “trees” of connections and making it easier and easier for kids to share with kids and parents to share with parents. To accelerate growth, we’re also in talks with quite a few influencers (brands and individuals) that have amassed audiences that resonate with living a more analog life. No doubt this will be a part of our growth story as well.
From a more technical perspective, we’ve spent the last 3-4 months building out systems to ensure we can scale as fast as we can grow. We’ve still got a couple of months to go, but by the end of April we’ll have a full featured mobile app (iOS and Android) that will give parents full control over their Tin Can. We’ll have a fully custom database driven telephony system that is being built to scale up with the business. As of a little over a week ago, we’ve partnered with Saltbox, a cool shared warehousing co-working model, and they’re now handling fulfillment for us (which is absurdly helpful).
Is Tin Can 100% bootstrapped? Do you anticipate needing venture funding, or is there an alternative path to growth?
Right now, we’re funded through some strategic investment from the wind-down of our last company and a small friends and family round we’re just closing. We’re not opposed to venture funding, but we want to be thoughtful about it.
What challenges do you anticipate needing to overcome in the next year?
Manufacturing & Supply Chain – Moving from small-batch production to larger-scale manufacturing while maintaining quality.
Distribution & Onboarding – Making sure that as we grow, setting up and using Tin Can remains seamless for parents and kids.
Scaling the Network – Ensuring our infrastructure supports thousands (then millions) of users while keeping the experience fast and intuitive.
5. Imagine the company five years from now. What does success look like with Tin Can?
Success means Tin Can is the go-to way for kids to connect before they get a smartphone.
In five years, we’d love to see Tin Can in millions of homes, helping kids stay in touch with their friends, giving parents peace of mind, and reshaping the way families think about communication. If we can make even a small dent in reducing unnecessary screen time for kids while preserving real connection, we’ll consider that a huge win.
Interested in getting a Tin Can for your little one? You can sign up here
