Remind

# Remind: High-Level Overview

Remind is a mobile-first communication platform that connects teachers, parents, and students in K–12 schools.[2] Founded in 2011, the company has grown to serve nearly 30 million users across 80% of US public schools, with over 2 million teachers actively using the platform.[3] Remind solves a fundamental problem in education: the lack of reliable, secure communication channels between educators and families. By enabling two-way messaging in 90+ languages without requiring the exchange of personal phone numbers, Remind has become an essential tool for improving parental involvement and student outcomes.[3] The platform operates on a freemium model, offering free messaging for individual teachers while generating revenue from schools and districts through premium features like school-wide messaging, software integrations, and advanced reporting.[1]

# Origin Story

Remind was founded in 2011 by brothers Brett Kopf and David Kopf, whose personal experience with education shaped the company's mission.[2] Brett was diagnosed with dyslexia and attention deficit disorder as a child and struggled in school until a teacher built a strong relationship with him, transforming his approach to learning.[2] David created a prototype messaging system to help Brett track tests while attending Michigan State University, and the brothers recognized the broader potential of this tool for educational communication.[5] They launched Remind Chat as a solution to a widespread problem: teachers were relying on printouts, phone calls, and emails to connect with families, despite texting becoming ubiquitous.[2]

The company gained early traction and became part of the first class at the Imagine K12 incubator in Palo Alto, California.[5] By 2014, Remind had raised $59 million in funding and accumulated over 20 million monthly active users.[5] That same year, venture capitalist John Doerr from Kleiner Perkins joined the board, signaling strong institutional backing.[5] The company rebranded from Remind101 to Remind in June 2014, and by September 2016, the platform was being used in more than 50% of US public schools.[5]

# Core Differentiators

• Two-way messaging architecture: Unlike one-directional communication tools, Remind enables students and families to reply to teachers and ask questions, creating genuine dialogue rather than broadcast announcements.[2]

• Language accessibility: Support for 90+ languages with automatic translation makes the platform accessible to diverse communities and removes barriers for non-English-speaking families.[3]

• Privacy-first design: Teachers can communicate with entire classes without sharing personal phone numbers, protecting educator privacy while maintaining secure records of all communications.[2]

• Scalability across school structures: The platform serves individual teachers (free tier), schools and non-district organizations (Remind for Schools), and entire K–12 districts (Remind Hub with administrative features).[3]

• Mobile-first approach: Built for smartphones and tablets, Remind meets families where they already communicate, rather than requiring adoption of new platforms or devices.[2]

• Integrated ecosystem: Features like school-wide messaging, software integrations, and advanced reporting help districts streamline operations beyond classroom-level communication.[2]

# Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Remind operates at the intersection of several powerful trends reshaping education. The shift toward remote and hybrid learning models has accelerated demand for reliable digital communication tools that bridge the gap between home and school. Simultaneously, growing recognition of parental engagement as a driver of student success has made platforms like Remind increasingly critical to district operations.

The company also benefits from the broader EdTech expansion, which has seen increased investment and adoption following pandemic-driven digital transformation in schools. Remind's position in 80% of US public schools gives it significant network effects—as more educators and families use the platform, its value increases for all participants. The acquisition by ParentSquare in November 2023 reflects consolidation in the education communication space, positioning Remind within a larger ecosystem of engagement tools.[5]

Remind's emphasis on accessibility—particularly through multilingual support and mobile-first design—aligns with growing focus on equity in education technology. By removing barriers to family engagement, the platform influences how schools think about inclusive communication infrastructure.

# Quick Take & Future Outlook

Remind has established itself as a foundational layer in K–12 digital infrastructure, with near-ubiquitous adoption among US public schools. The company's integration into ParentSquare signals a shift toward consolidated engagement platforms that combine messaging, community building, and administrative tools rather than point solutions.

Looking ahead, Remind's growth will likely depend on deepening its feature set within the ParentSquare ecosystem while maintaining the simplicity that made it successful. Key trends to watch include the expansion of AI-powered communication tools (automated translations, smart scheduling), integration with learning management systems, and the potential for Remind to serve as a hub for broader school-community engagement beyond basic messaging.

The company's trajectory reflects a fundamental truth about EdTech: the most successful platforms solve problems that educators and families face daily, with minimal friction. Remind's continued dominance suggests that as schools increasingly prioritize family engagement and multilingual communication, platforms that make these practices effortless will remain indispensable.