Recess secures $1.75M to simplify activity bookings for parents
Edtech startup Recess has raised $1.75 million in pre-seed funding to streamline how families find and book enrichment programs for their children.
Elena Whitmore 
A digital platform built for busy families
Recess, a U.S.-based edtech startup, has announced a $1.75 million pre-seed investment round, led by Baukunst, with participation from additional investors. The funding will support the development of a digital marketplace where parents can search, compare, and eventually book after-school care, enrichment classes, and seasonal camps for their children.
The platform’s search function is already available, with full booking capabilities expected to launch this summer in Austin. A broader rollout across the United States is planned following the initial launch.
Positioning itself as a modern solution to a longstanding parental challenge, Recess intends to digitize the way families manage extracurricular scheduling. Its model draws parallels to the transformations seen in other service industries, such as Airbnb for travel and OpenTable for restaurants.
Founders bring industry experience — and personal insight
Founded by Amy Kiska and Molly Morse, the company is led by two entrepreneurs who also happen to be mothers. With a combined 25 years in venture-backed startups, they’ve brought both professional and personal perspectives to the product’s development.
Amy Kiska, who serves as CEO, built the foundation of Recess while in her third trimester of pregnancy. She finalized the funding round shortly after giving birth. Her background lies in international business development and strategic growth.
Molly Morse, COO, has deep experience in building and scaling online marketplaces. Speaking about the motivation behind Recess, she noted, “As parents ourselves, we understand the challenges families face in managing their children's activities.”
The team believes their lived experience gives them a more accurate view of what parents need when organizing their children’s schedules.
Marketplace potential for both families and providers
While designed with parents in mind, the platform also aims to offer value to local service providers. By centralizing visibility and simplifying the booking process, Recess hopes to support the operational growth of businesses that offer classes, camps, and other activities for children.
Amy Kiska emphasized this dual approach, stating, “We're thrilled to deliver a platform that not only eases the mental load for parents but also drives business growth for activity providers.”
With the pre-seed funding in place, Recess is preparing for its initial product rollout in Austin, after which it will focus on expanding to other cities and scaling both its user base and provider network.
