In a world where online safety for families is a growing concern, Gryphon Online Safety emerges as a promising hardware and software solution. Founded by John Wu, a concerned parent turned tech entrepreneur, Gryphon is dedicated to empowering families with comprehensive internet protection through advanced parental controls and network security measures. Leveraging his experience with co-founder Arup Bhattacharya and driven by a mission to make the digital world safer for children, Wu discusses Gryphon’s journey, its innovative subscription services, and the company’s forward-thinking approach to online safety.
Funding Round Details
- Company: Gryphon Online Safety
- Security Type: SAFE
- Valuation: $35,000,000
- Min Investment: $100
- Platform: Wefunder
- Deadline: Apr 29, 2024
Can you briefly describe Gryphon Online Safety?
Gryphon Online Safety is a mission-driven online protection platform that empowers families to take back control over their internet safety.
What inspired you to take the leap and start this company?
I founded Gryphon because of an incident with my daughter where she was searching on her iPad, and a bunch of inappropriate content showed up. As parents, we want to keep our kids safe, but the rapid pace of technology has made that difficult. Gryphon is using technology to help parents take back control over technology.
You have raised money from the crowd several times. What has changed since we last saw you raise in 2023? Why do you keep coming back to equity crowdfunding?
We continue to engage in equity crowdfunding because it fosters community and allows our customers to deepen their relationship with Gryphon as an online safety brand. Equity crowding helps us access the capital needed to expand the business and tap into a diverse network of investors who may bring expertise and connections to help the company grow. Also, it aligns with our commitment to accountability and transparency as we continue to build Gryphon to eventually be part of a larger organization or take the company to the public market.
You and your co-founder have worked together in the past. Can you tell us about your past projects and how the experience helped shape the way you lead Gryphon?
Arup and I have worked together for over 15 years and have had the opportunity to collaborate on several projects. Through our experiences of working together, we have learned the value of aligning our visions and setting short-term goals and priorities. Moreover, we’ve cultivated mutual trust and respect, particularly when confronting setbacks and challenges encountered by the company. That has strongly influenced how we lead Gryphon as a mission-driven company.
Can you tell us more about your premium subscription option? What benefits does the subscription include and what is the cost?
The premium protection includes advanced parental controls, homebound remote device management, malware filtering, AI-based network intrusion detection, vulnerability scanning, and password management. It is network-based, so it works for any connected device in your home, including your connected thermostat and remote devices with Homebound. The service is $7.99/month or $89/year.
What is the most important lesson you have learned as an entrepreneur?
Resilience and gratitude, especially for our community with Gryphon.
If we talk again in 12 months, what milestones will you have achieved?
We will launch the software licensing business, and Gryphon protection will be available to millions of customers worldwide but on other manufacturers’ routers.
