This past July, Blank Slate wrapped up the AgeTech Collaborative™ from AARP, an 8-week accelerator program built to help startups create technology that helps makes life easier for older adults.
It was a big milestone for us. We were invited to join the accelerator program after a competitive pitch process and got to share and work on Braintrust, our memory-support app that helps people worried about memory loss hold onto the stories and moments that matter most to them.
Blank Slate’s CEO, Matt Trevithick, on stage at the program’s pitch event.
The program pushed us in ways we didn’t expect. On the product side, we ran surveys, A/B tests, and interviews with older adults, caregivers, and leaders in aging services. That feedback showed us what was working, what wasn’t, and where we needed to simplify. We’re now making improvements like easier onboarding, better memory tagging and recall, and a more accessible interface for users with mild cognitive impairment and their caregivers.
However, our biggest lesson wasn’t about the product itself, it was about how to scale it as a small startup. The program helped us see where we were going wrong with social media and other go-to-market strategies. It also showed us more creative, budget-friendly ways to grow and actually reach the people who need Braintrust most. That perspective has already changed how we’re approaching the next phase.
One of the highlights was traveling to Washington, D.C. for the in-person summit. Meeting other innovators working in aging and brain health gave us new ideas, new energy, and some much-needed perspective on the bigger picture we’re part of.
Thank you note to the program coordinators from Blank Slate’s Matt Trevithick (CEO) and Aparna Krishnakumar (Product Lead).
Since then, Blank Slate was featured in an AgeTech Collaborative™ from AARP blog highlighting brain health innovators, and Braintrust is now listed in the AgeTech Collaborative™ from AARP directory, which makes it easier for partners and users to find us.
We’re still early in the journey, but the path forward feels clearer than ever. If you’d like to see what we’re building, you can try Braintrust here: trybraintrust.com.
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Aparna Krishnakumar, MBA
Product Lead, Blank Slate Technologies
