Arthur Sousa views Littl as a love letter to his parents and all parents out there working hard to raise their children. His experience as an immigrant in Canada creating software to connect parents with childcare centers, combined with observing the impact of early childhood in his family’s life and today’s world, inspired him to bridge the gap in parental support through Littl.

Patricia Autran sees the child she once was whenever she looks within — a "littl" version of herself filled with dreams and a desire to build a better world. Growing up in a close-knit family with young parents and two siblings shaped her perspective. The births of her nephew, Bernardo, and her best friend’s daughter, Naomi, inspired her to create Littl to support the growth of families.

Sousa and Autran have known each other for over 10 years, previously built a successful business together, and have partnered up again to make a generational impact through Littl (Techstars 2023).

What does your company do, and why is it important?

Early childhood is crucial in shaping our identity, relationships, and worldview. With 90% of brain development occurring in the first five years, parents and child raisers play a pivotal role as the first educators in our lives.

Littl empowers parents and child raisers with the skills needed to support their children’s growth, reduce stress, and build confidence in their parenting journey.

Our certified experts, who are former educators or psychologists, offer personalized one-on-one online coaching in a safe, non-judgmental environment, addressing everything from common challenges like tantrums to specific neurodivergence needs such as ADHD.

We support parents of children aged 0-18, helping them see the world through their child’s eyes and guiding them to engage in age-appropriate ways, while fostering stronger parent-child connections and ensuring accountability throughout the journey.

How is what you are building disrupting your industry?

Despite the wealth of knowledge available about child development, children are often misunderstood and lack the support they need at home for the best outcomes.

Meanwhile, parents and child raisers struggle to meet their children where they are due to a lack of proper support and information, often feeling guilty, stressed, overwhelmed, and isolated.

Personalized parental guidance is rarely accessible, and navigating the overwhelming abundance of resources to find relevant solutions can be frustrating and ineffective, further adding to their burden. There are over 40,000 parenting books on Goodreads alone!

At Littl, we’re redefining the traditional approach to parenting by offering a more reliable, efficient, and humanized solution — one that considers each family's unique situation, is rooted in psychoeducation, provides encouragement at all times, and supports them in breaking generational cycles while creating new, positive ones for themselves and their children.

Are there any lessons you've learned along the way that you wish someone had shared with you when you started?

• Resilience is everything. The entrepreneurial journey is often romanticized with the idea of quick success. In reality, it's a path filled with rejection and the need for constant revamping, sometimes daily. True innovation and change take time, demanding deep belief in yourself.

• Marry yourself to the problem, not the solution. Be willing to adapt quickly. It's easy to become attached to what you've built after investing so much, but if it’s not delivering the value it should, iterate! Your team is your greatest asset, so use your time wisely by focusing on building the right things.

• Treat your community and mentors as extensions of your team. Involve them early, seek feedback, and stay open to change. Their insights can be invaluable as you navigate challenges and grow your business. Testing ideas quickly and iterating based on their valuable input allowed us to stay agile and responsive to the needs of our parent community.

What has been your proudest moment or biggest triumph in your entrepreneurial journey?

Even though we built a successful business that became a major player in its market in Latin America, our journey with Littl — from pivots to joining Techstars (once unimaginable given where we come from) to witnessing the real impact it’s having on families — has been our proudest accomplishment.

The positive impact Littl has made in the parent community has been incredibly rewarding. Hearing from parents who have found confidence, connection, and calm through our platform keeps us motivated and excited for the road ahead.

What was your biggest takeaway from your time spent in program with Techstars?

The “Give First” approach. We are incredibly grateful for the support we've received from the entire Techstars community, which welcomed us from day one. The mentorship and guidance from Neal, Lilliana, and the Techstars San Francisco team have been invaluable. The insights and encouragement from mentors like Dan C., Alison T., Leniece F., and our fellow cohort members, have been essential to Littl’s growth. We've since embraced the “Give First” philosophy within Littl to create a culture where generosity and support are at the heart of everything we do.

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