What Upwards does

Upwards is a US-based childcare network and care benefits company operating a marketplace platform that connects families with childcare providers including daycares, nannies, and babysitters. The platform exposes web and mobile (iOS/Android) applications with filtering by location, provider type, price, and schedule, and supports automated tuition billing and attendance tracking for providers. Originally founded as WeeCare in 2017 and rebranded to Upwards, the company has expanded from a caregiver marketplace into an integrated benefits platform serving employers, government agencies, and providers in addition to families. Its core products include a daycare/nanny/babysitter finder for consumers, employer childcare benefit programs, government subsidy administration tools (including the Child Care Subsidy Program), and the Boost program that supplies business management, coaching, and marketing support to childcare providers.

Upwards generates revenue through four streams: employer childcare benefits on a subscription/recurring basis, managed-services contracts for government subsidy administration, marketplace commissions and listing fees from the family-provider matching platform, and professional services revenue from provider enablement programs like Boost. The company pursues a hybrid go-to-market motion combining a self-serve consumer marketplace, enterprise field sales into HR and benefits teams, and direct sales to state and municipal government agencies. Named employer partners span food and beverage (Chobani), manufacturing (Panasonic), entertainment and hospitality (Dollywood, Ballys), healthcare (Emory Health), and government (Baltimore Police Department); municipal partners include Palo Alto, Bellevue, San Jose, Miami Beach, Pico Rivera, Daly City, and Mountain View. The company reports serving nearly 3 million families through its provider network.

The business is venture-backed, with approximately $43.3 million in total funding including a $21 million Series B in February 2024 led by Alpha Edison with participation from M13 and Fika Ventures. Earlier funding rounds include a 2022 Series A, 2022 bridge, and seed/Series A rounds dating back to 2017, with investors such as Halogen Ventures, VITALIZE Venture Capital, Equal Ventures, Amplify.LA, and Social Capital. Upwards is recognized as the largest national childcare platform (per investor Halogen Ventures), ranked #292 on the 2024 Inc. 5000, and named to Forbes Next 1000 and Inc. Best Workplaces in 2023. The company reports operational metrics of 3-5x improved employee retention for employer clients, 17% higher earnings for caregivers on the platform, and 5:1 impact per dollar in government programs.

Name

Upwards

Legal name

Upwards Inc.

Website

https://upwards.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Upwards operates the largest US childcare marketplace and benefits platform, connecting nearly 3 million families with daycares, nannies, and babysitters while selling employer childcare benefit programs and administering government childcare subsidy contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Childcare Marketplace and Benefits Platform

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441), Child Care Services (6244)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

General Babysitter/Nanny Placement Agencies (HSAAALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate/Employer-Sponsored Childcare Placement (HSAAALAM), Temporary/On-Demand Babysitter Placement (HSAAALAD)

Keywords

• Childcare marketplace
• Childcare benefits platform
• Employer childcare programs
• Childcare subsidy administration
• Family care services

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Employer Childcare Benefits: Upwards partners with employers to provide childcare benefits as an employee benefit, likely charging the employer a subscription or per-employee fee for access to the childcare network and administrative services.
2. Government Subsidy Administration: Upwards administers childcare subsidy programs for government agencies, processing payments to providers and managing enrollment for subsidized families, generating fees from government contracts.
3. Family-Provider Marketplace Transactions: The platform facilitates connections between families and childcare providers (daycares, nannies, babysitters). Providers pay to list and families can search, filter, and connect through the Upwards platform, suggesting a marketplace or listing fee revenue model.
4. Provider Support Services: Upwards provides business management tools, coaching, and marketing support to childcare providers through programs like Boost, generating revenue by improving provider operations and expanding the network.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Upwards operates a national childcare marketplace that connects families with licensed childcare providers — daycares, nannies, and babysitters — through a web platform and mobile applications with filtering by location, price, schedule, and provider type. The company sells employer-sponsored childcare benefit programs directly to HR and benefits teams, and administers state and municipal childcare subsidy programs for government agencies, including automated tuition billing, attendance tracking, and provider payment processing.

Product overview

Upwards is a childcare network and care benefits company operating a marketplace platform that connects families with childcare providers (daycares, nannies, and babysitters). The platform serves three main segments: families seeking childcare, employers offering childcare benefits to attract/retain employees, and government agencies administering childcare subsidies. Key products include the core marketplace for finding providers, the Boost Program providing business tools to childcare providers, the Child Care Subsidy Program for government clients, and employer benefit programs. The company reports supporting over 3 million families through its network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Daycare Finder A search and matching platform enabling families to find and connect with licensed daycare providers in their local area, with filtering by location, provider type, price, age, and schedule preferences.
• Nanny Matching A service connecting families with qualified local nannies, with search by location and specific family needs (rates typically $18-$30/hour).
• Babysitter Finder A marketplace for families to find and hire babysitters in their local area, with options to filter by availability, experience, and other preferences.
• Child Care Benefit Programs for Employers An employer-sponsored childcare benefit solution that helps companies attract and retain employees by providing childcare subsidies or access to the Upwards network of providers; employees using the benefit are reported to be 3-5x less likely to leave their company.
• Child Care Benefit Programs for Governments Government-focused programs that support community families and childcare providers, including subsidy management and administrative tools for government agencies; the company claims a 5-to-1 impact per dollar invested.
• Boost Program A program providing childcare providers with essential business management tools, coaching, and marketing support designed to help providers improve operations, increase enrollment, and create jobs.
• Child Care Subsidy Program A program that helps states manage childcare subsidies, expanding access for families, expediting provider payments, and lowering administrative costs.
• Caregiver Network A network of childcare providers (daycares, nannies, babysitters) that caregivers can join to receive administrative support, marketing assistance, and access to more families, with caregivers reportedly boosting earnings by 17%.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3-5x improvement in employee retention for employers offering Upwards childcare benefits
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Daly CityminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 2 September 2025Daly City is one of several Bay Area municipalities where Upwards is expanding its Boost program to provide childcare providers with business management tools and coaching.
• Mountain ViewminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 2 September 2025Mountain View is one of several Bay Area municipalities where Upwards is expanding its Boost program to grow childcare supply with business support tools.
• Pico RiveracoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 31 March 2025Pico Rivera partnered with Upwards to provide childcare providers with tools to automate tuition and attendance processes, addressing sector challenges exacerbated by labor shortages and funding issues.
• Miami BeachcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 December 2024The City of Miami Beach collaborates with Upwards to enhance local childcare services through the Boost program, providing free business and technical support to childcare providers.
• ChobanicoreGTM or Marketing PartnerChobani partners with Upwards to expand child care and elder care benefits for employees, demonstrating how food and consumer goods companies use childcare benefits to attract and retain talent.
• PanasoniccoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPanasonic provides childcare benefits to employees through Upwards, using the platform as part of their employee benefits package.
• DollywoodcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDollywood partnered with Upwards to increase employee childcare benefits, hoping other businesses will follow suit.
• Emory HealthcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEmory Health offers childcare benefits to its workforce through the Upwards platform, supporting healthcare workers with childcare access.
• Baltimore Police DepartmentcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBaltimore Police Department provides childcare benefits to police officers and employees through Upwards.
• City of Palo AltocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCity of Palo Alto partners with Upwards to support childcare access for community families through government benefit programs.
• City of BellevuecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCity of Bellevue partners with Upwards to provide childcare support and resources to community families.
• City of San JosecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCity of San Jose partners with Upwards to support childcare access for residents through municipal programs.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Care.com: Care.com is the largest online marketplace connecting families with caregivers, including nannies, babysitters, and senior care providers. It is the most direct competitor to Upwards' consumer marketplace offering, with broader service categories and an established brand.
• Helpr: Helpr is an employer-sponsored childcare benefit platform that provides backup childcare, nannies, and elder care to employees. It directly competes with Upwards' employer B2B childcare benefits offering and serves a similar HR buyer.
• Vivvi: Vivvi provides employer-sponsored childcare benefits and early childhood education programs. It is a direct competitor in the employer childcare benefits segment with a similar business model of selling to HR teams at mid-market and enterprise companies.
• Winnie: Winnie is a marketplace platform for parents to find daycare and preschool providers, with detailed provider information, availability, and pricing. It directly competes with Upwards' daycare finder product for the same family customer base.
• UrbanSitter: UrbanSitter is an online marketplace for connecting families with babysitters and nannies, leveraging social network connections for referrals. It competes directly with Upwards' nanny and babysitter matching products.
• Sittercity: Sittercity is one of the original online platforms for finding babysitters, nannies, and other caregivers, with a subscription-based model. It is a direct competitor in the babysitter/nanny placement space.

Broad incumbents

• Bright Horizons Family Solutions: Bright Horizons is the largest provider of employer-sponsored childcare, operating physical daycare centers and back-up care programs for hundreds of Fortune 500 clients. It is a broad incumbent in the same employer childcare benefits space where Upwards competes.

Emerging players

• Kinside: Kinside provides employer-sponsored childcare benefits and a daycare search platform with real-time availability. It overlaps with Upwards' employer benefits offering and daycare marketplace, though at an earlier stage of traction.
• Papa: Papa connects older adults and families with 'Papa Pals' for companionship and assistance, sold primarily as an employee benefit. While primarily elder care, it competes in the same employer-sponsored family care benefits category where Upwards is expanding.

Others

• Trusted Inc. Trusted is a background check and caregiver screening platform serving nanny agencies and families. It is an ecosystem participant that supports the childcare provider infrastructure and complements rather than directly competes with Upwards' marketplace.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Upwardsdotcom
• Facebookfacebook.com/UpwardsInc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/upwardsco

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds7 records

Investors13 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Upwards