Kid Lid Completes Successful iPhone Case Kickstarter
Sag Harbor entrepreneur, inventor and devoted dad Matthew Mogol has just reached his Kickstarter goal to begin producing his child friendly product, the Kid Lid case for the iPhone 6 and 6s. This is his second successful Kid Lid Kickstarter—the first being a keyboard cover for laptop computers.
Simple yet innovative, Kid Lid consists of a plastic barrier that fits perfectly over laptop keyboards or the iPhone home button to prevent children from pressing buttons he or she should not, exiting a program or damaging the product’s technology, while also allowing the child to safely and positively interact with it.
Mogol’s latest Kickstarter was launched January 27 and closed March 4 after slightly exceeding its $12,500 goal with $12,537 from 106 backers.
“It doesn’t act as a babysitter,” Mogol explains, “but if you’re going to allow your child to use your phone or computer, you don’t want to hover over them saying, ‘No, don’t touch that.’ It confuses the child.”
The new Kid Lid acts as a regular protective smartphone case, withstanding drops up to 4 feet, but it can also be set to cover the home button so children can only access the app parents are allowing them to use. Mogol describes the Kid Lid as putting a computer or smartphone into “kid mode,” a positive and fun setting that gives children some form of ownership over the gadget.
“It’s her mode,” explains Mogol, referring to his daughter, muse and business partner, Penelope. He even brings her along to business meetings, allowing her to eagerly explain to investors and business owners how the product functions.
“I want to teach her about business and how she can introduce products and ideas to the world,” Mogol adds.
The Kid Lid is far from Mogol’s debut product. He ran his first company at the age of 25, making therapeutic candles under the name Aroma Pharmacy. Mogol eventually began producing shower products and getting commissions to make soaps and shampoos for various hotels. He moved to Sag Harbor from Los Angeles just four years ago, but aside from moving east, at the time Mogol was unsure what would be the next chapter of his life. A short time later, he conceived the idea for the Kid Lid.
Mogol attributes some of his success to his environment. The local shops in East Hampton have been enthusiastic about his product and supporting the growth of his company, Mogolo. Ultimately, Mogol has always been an entrepreneur at heart.
“I always liked solving problems. I’ve always been in that world,” he explains.
So, with his recent success, what’s next from Mogol? He has yet to announce anything official about what the future holds for his company, but he’s happy to share some of his prospective ideas.
“We’ll always focus on kids and how they can interact with technology better,” Mogol says with enthusiasm.
One idea floating in his head is a kid-friendly keyboard with large characters that could plug into a laptop and rest above the actual keyboard.
“We could also make one for senior citizens, making it easier for them to type and read the keys,” he adds.
In the meantime, Mogol is trying to expand the Kid Lid to fit other styles of smartphones, such as Androids.
The Kid Lid can be purchased online at kidlid.com, as well as GeekHampton and Lullanest in East Hampton.