Solid Starts
Solid Starts is a Brooklyn-based mobile app platform that helps parents introduce solid foods to babies from six months through toddler years, combining a trademarked database of 400+ foods with allergen guidance, a smart tracker, and toddler feeding courses, backed by a multidisciplinary team of licensed pediatric professionals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersBrooklyn, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Solid Starts does
Solid Starts is a Brooklyn-based private company that helps parents introduce solid foods to babies starting at six months and supports them through toddler feeding challenges. Its core product is a mobile application centered on the trademarked First Foods® Database, which provides age-appropriate preparation tips, photos, videos, nutrition information, choking prevention guidance, and allergy introduction protocols for more than 400 foods, alongside 300+ meal ideas, an allergen step-by-step introduction module (Allergens 101), and a Smart Tracker that logs foods tried, favorites, and reactions and can export data for clinicians and caregivers.
The company monetizes primarily through a recurring app subscription priced at $99.99 per year with a 7-day free trial and monthly billing available, supplemented by one-time purchases including the debut book 'Solid Starts for Babies' (Penguin Random House, 2024, $30) sold through major U.S. retailers and international editions, individual toddler digital guides and virtual courses priced between free and $65, digital gift cards starting at $19.99, and a Solid Starts PRO professional membership for healthcare providers (pediatricians, feeding therapists, dietitians, lactation consultants) offering CEU credits, clinical tools, events, and a provider directory that creates a B2B2C referral pathway to the consumer app.
The go-to-market motion is product-led growth: acquisition runs through organic social (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest), SEO-driven content marketing, PR/earned media (New York Times, Good Morning America, HuffPost, Webby and Shorty Awards, and a Hilary Swank endorsement), and email capture keyed to the baby's birthday. A clinical backbone of licensed pediatric professionals — including IBCLC lactation consultants, occupational therapists, a pediatric gastroenterologist, an allergist/immunologist, and a pediatric dietitian — produces evidence-based content and underwrites credibility. The company claims 17 million-plus families use the app globally. In 2025 founder Jenny Best transitioned operations to a new executive team with Kary Rappaport as Executive Director and Yuliya Lennox as General Manager.
Solid Starts firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Solid Starts
- Legal name
- Solid Starts Inc
- Website
- https://solidstarts.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Solid Starts is a Brooklyn-based mobile app platform that helps parents introduce solid foods to babies from six months through toddler years, combining a trademarked database of 400+ foods with allergen guidance, a smart tracker, and toddler feeding courses, backed by a multidisciplinary team of licensed pediatric professionals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Solid Starts industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Infant Feeding & Nutrition Platform
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (61171)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Infant & Toddler Nutrition Education (Complementary Feeding) (EDACAMAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Baby Purees & Jarred Foods (Fruits, Vegetables, Mixed Meals) (CRADAEAE), Baby Cereals & Grain-Based Foods (CRADAEAD), Baby Nutrition for Special Diets (Gluten-Free, Kosher/Halal, Allergen-Controlled) (CRADAEAO)
Keywords
Where Solid Starts is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brooklyn
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Solid Starts business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- App Subscription: Monthly or annual subscription to the Solid Starts mobile app, providing access to the First Foods® Database, guided solids experience, allergen introduction tools, and smart tracker. Annual subscription at $99.99/year with 7-day free trial.
- Book Sales: Sale of the debut book 'Solid Starts for Babies' priced at $30, available through major retailers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart, and international distributors.
- Digital Guides and Courses: Individual purchase of toddler-focused digital guides and virtual courses ranging from free to $65.00, including topics like Toddler Weaning, Reverse Picky Eating, and Toddler Rescue Guide.
- Gift Cards: App membership gift cards starting at $19.99, sent directly to recipients via email.
- PRO Membership: Professional membership for healthcare providers including CEU courses, exclusive lectures, events, clinical tools, discounts, and directory listing to help parents find aligned professionals.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Annual App Subscription |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly App Subscription |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Cards |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Book - Solid Starts for Babies |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Toddler Digital Guides |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Virtual Courses |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels9 records
Solid Starts product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Solid Starts provides a mobile application and companion content that guide parents through introducing solid foods to babies starting at 6 months. The core offering is the award-winning First Foods® Database covering 400+ foods with preparation tips, photos, videos, choking prevention, allergen guidance, and nutrition information, complemented by a Smart Tracker, personalized meal ideas, and toddler feeding resources.
Product overview
Solid Starts offers a multi-product platform centered around its mobile app with the award-winning First Foods Database (400+ foods) as the core offering, complemented by the Solid Starts for Babies book published by Penguin Random House, toddler-specific guides and virtual courses (Toddler Weaning, Reverse Picky Eating, Picky Eaters courses), the Solid Starts PRO professional membership for healthcare providers (with CEU courses and directory), gift cards for app memberships, and free resources like the Infant Rescue Guide and Baby Feeding Schedules.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 17+ million families use the app
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Solid Starts
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Solid Starts technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Solid Starts partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Solid Starts competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Huckleberry: Subscription baby/parenting app focused on sleep and feeding guidance, similar product-led growth and free-trial-to-paid model — directly comparable to Solid Starts as a pediatric-content subscription app for parents.
- BabyCenter: Iconic pregnancy and parenting app with content, trackers, and expert guidance across baby development including feeding — competes for the same parent time and trust wallet as Solid Starts.
- What to Expect: Long-standing pregnancy-to-toddler content brand with mobile app and editorial coverage of feeding milestones, sleep, and baby development — directly overlaps Solid Starts' evidence-based parenting content niche.
- The Bump: Pregnancy and parenting app and content site by The Knot Worldwide, covering baby care and feeding — overlaps with Solid Starts on parent-facing baby education and tools.
- Wonder Weeks: Subscription baby development app focused on leaps and milestones — comparable direct-to-parent subscription model with similar pediatric-content positioning to Solid Starts.
- Happiest Baby: SNOO maker that has expanded into sleep and feeding content, classes, and bundles for new parents — comparable hybrid product-plus-content strategy targeting the same infant-parent demographic.
- Ovia Health: Parenting and women's health app with trackers and personalized guidance, including infant care — direct competitor in the mobile-first clinical-grade parenting guidance category.
Broad incumbents
- Gerber (Nestlé Nutrition): Largest baby food brand with extensive parent-education content, pediatrician relationships, and product cross-sell — overlaps with Solid Starts on baby feeding guidance but from a CPG-led platform with vastly larger resources.
- Plum Organics (Campbell's): Organic baby food brand with stage-based feeding resources, recipes, and parent content — broad incumbent competing for the same parental mindshare around how and when to introduce foods.
- Frida (Frida Mom): Broader baby and postpartum care brand with growing education and parenting content — adjacent incumbent that could bundle feeding guidance into its direct-to-consumer baby care ecosystem.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Solid Starts social profiles
Digital presenceSolid Starts financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Solid Starts leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Solid Starts funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Solid Starts M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Solid Starts
What does Solid Starts do?
Solid Starts provides a mobile application and companion content that guide parents through introducing solid foods to babies starting at 6 months. The core offering is the award-winning First Foods® Database covering 400+ foods with preparation tips, photos, videos, choking prevention, allergen guidance, and nutrition information, complemented by a Smart Tracker, personalized meal ideas, and toddler feeding resources.
Is Solid Starts a public or private company?
Solid Starts is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Solid Starts founded?
Solid Starts was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Solid Starts based?
Solid Starts is headquartered in Brooklyn, United States, in the North America region.
How does Solid Starts make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. App Subscription is the primary driver. The others are book Sales, digital Guides and Courses, gift Cards and PRO Membership.
Who are Solid Starts's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Huckleberry, BabyCenter, What to Expect, The Bump, Wonder Weeks, Happiest Baby and Ovia Health. Broad incumbents are Gerber (Nestlé Nutrition), Plum Organics (Campbell's) and Frida (Frida Mom).
Does Solid Starts have an API?
No public API is recorded for Solid Starts.
What industry is Solid Starts in?
Solid Starts's product category is Infant Feeding & Nutrition Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDACAMAC, Infant & Toddler Nutrition Education (Complementary Feeding), with a secondary code of CRADAEAE, Baby Purees & Jarred Foods (Fruits, Vegetables, Mixed Meals). Its NAICS code is 61171.