Empowering Parents in the Digital Age #

Status: Active - Live platform with growing community

Visit MyDigitAlly → | Subscribe to Newsletter →

The Problem #

Parents today face an impossible challenge - guiding their children through a digital landscape they don’t fully understand themselves. The pace of technological change means even tech-savvy parents struggle to keep up with new platforms, risks, and opportunities.

Most resources are either:

• Too technical for average parents
• Too judgmental about parenting choices
• Too time-consuming for busy schedules

The Solution #

MyDigitAlly converts research-based insights into accessible, 5-minute e-learning tools. We meet parents where they are - not where experts think they should be.

What We Offer:

• Weekly Newsletter: Actionable insights delivered automatically
• Micro-Learning Modules: 5-minute lessons based on 5-Block Framework
• Non-Judgmental Guidance: Research-backed, empathetic approach
• AI Assistant (in development): Personalized advice using RAG + MCP

Technical Architecture #

Stack:

• Frontend: React + Vite (fast iteration, modern DX)
• Backend: Node.js + PostgreSQL (structured curriculum data)
• AI Layer: RAG architecture with Claude API
• Framework: Proprietary 5-Block Micro-learning system based on EdTech research from University of Oxford

The RAG Implementation:

Curriculum content → embeddings in vector DB → user query retrieves relevant sections → Claude API generates safe, grounded response → validated against curriculum guidelines.

Key Design Decisions:

• Grounding AI responses in evidence-based curriculum (not generic advice)
• Balancing response quality vs. API costs at scale
• Keeping auth lightweight to maintain development velocity
• Deployed on Vercel for instant preview and zero-config deployment

Current Metrics #

• Newsletter open rate: 42% (vs. 20-30% industry standard)
• Engagement: 3-4 unsolicited replies per email
• Growth: Parents forwarding to other parents
• Testing: AI coach beta with initial parent cohort

The Insight #

Early signal from user conversations: Parents don’t want to become digital literacy experts. They want just-enough knowledge to have informed conversations with their kids.

They’re asking:

• “My 8-year-old wants Discord - what do I actually need to know?”
• “How do I talk about screen time without it becoming a fight?”
• “What’s actually risky vs. what’s media panic?”

Hypothesis: The AI coach (contextual, just-in-time answers) might be more valuable than the structured curriculum itself. Testing this now.

The Vision #

Every parent should feel confident co-piloting with their kids through the digital world. Not as experts, but as informed, engaged guides who understand the landscape well enough to have meaningful conversations.

What I’m Learning #

Building MyDigitAlly is teaching me:

• Product-market fit discovery with limited time and resources
• AI safety in educational contexts
• Technical trade-offs (when to over-engineer vs. ship fast)
• The founder psychology of building alongside full-time work

I write about these learnings in my Notes section.

Recognition #

Launched August 2024. Featured in my LinkedIn post that received strong engagement from the edtech and product management community.

Get Involved #

Are you a parent?
Subscribe to the newsletter →

Building in edtech or AI?
Let’s connect: kanchanepally@gmail.com

Want to beta test the AI coach?
Reach out - we’re looking for engaged parents to help shape the product.

← Back to all ventures | Read my notes on building MyDigitAlly →