AARP Innovation Labs Selects Artifcts for Accelerator Program

As a newcomer to the annual "best of" list from Family Tree, premiering in the category of "genealogy tech tools," the publisher said Artifcts is "worthy of royal recognition" among the “crown jewels” of online family history. We'll take it! 

For those of you who may also be new to the world of genealogy, this honor is a surprise for the recipients. Family Tree's team undertakes its own, super-secret research before launching the news.

"These are the delightful surprises that mean so much to a startup. We are very deeply honored by this recognition," said co-founder and CEO Heather Nickerson. "We want to ensure it's as easy and fun as possible to take a look a fresh look at all the 'stuff,' from family heirlooms to genealogy gems, and capture the family histories and moments in a way that will engage the whole family across generations."

"What she said! We congratulate all of the honorees and look forward to getting to know more of them. Please go and explore them all. There's something for everyone," said co-founder and CSO Ellen Goodwin.

Family Tree's 101 Best Genealogy websites are organized into the following categories. Dive in!

• • Best "Big" Genealogy Websites
  • Best Family Tree and Sharing Websites
  • Best US and Canadian Genealogy Websites
  • Best Genealogy News Websites and Blogs
  • Best Genealogy Tech Tools (including Artifcts!)
  • Best Genetic Genealogy Websites
  • Best Cemetery Websites
  • Best African American Genealogy Websites
  • Best Geography and Historical Map Websites
  • Best Military Records Websites
  • Best Historical Newspaper Websites
  • Best Genealogy Websites for Asia and the Pacific
  • Best European Genealogy Websites
  • Best UK and Irish Websites

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© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

In the post-COVID pandemic era, we all tend to look at what it means to be and stay connected from a whole new lens. Today we're proud to announce that the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) has recognized Artifcts with an award for "helping promote social engagement to improve individual's health and sense of well-being."

"We are honored by this recognition from HHSC and delighted to see other friends from the AgeTech space among the award recipients. We're grateful, too, to learn of other award recipients who we have not yet crossed paths with. Time to cross paths!" said Austin-based co-founder of Artifcts Ellen Goodwin. 

The {Name}Tech space that intersects with the desires and needs of the oldest among us is expanding at an astonishing clip. News coverage, accelerators, and even investors covering AgeTech and LongeviTech are becoming much more common. And what's still more interesting are the crossovers of those areas into InsurTech, FinTech, and PropTech, to name a few. Hubs of innovation are being spurred and supported from AARP AgeTech Collaborative (based in DC), Fintech for Longevity (based in Israel), Aging 2.0 (globally), AgeTech Atlanta, and more. Harmonizing it all are the entrepreneurs and their collective interest in building something better than what we're facing now as seniors, as caregivers, and even the youngest among us.

"While we did not launch Artifcts when we did because of the pandemic, it certainly shifted how we launched Artifcts. It sharpened our focus and our realism - we knew that to build a product that would truly change our relationships with stuff and the joys, value, and burden stuff can carry with it, we had to do it with people of all age in mind, but especially the oldest among us. Time is never our friend. How do we make it easier to connect and share with peers and across generations, while keeping privacy at the forefront? That's at the heart of Artifcts." said Artifcts co-founder Heather Nickerson.

And should you be tempted to dismiss the power of connection, don't do it. As highlighted by Dr. Vivek Murthy, US Surgeon General, in his advisory report issued earlier this month, loneliness and isolation put us at greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death. Dr. Murthy calls on everyone to tackle this epidemic of loneliness and isolation: "Start now, in our own lives, strengthening our connections and relationships."

Look for Artifcts to continue efforts to expand its footprint in Texas communities as well as other local ecosystems, including through its participation in the MeHI Healthy Aging Challenge.

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© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Artifcts has expanded its strategic advisory board to welcome Ora Solomon, Vice President of International Product with 1stDibs. Ora's years of experience managing product in spaces directly adjacent to the 'stuff' focus on Artifcts is the perfect addition to round out the vast expertise of the current Board.

It's the unique and powerful combined team and mission that brought Ora to Artifcts. "As a fan of storytelling and a compulsive declutterer, I found Heather's and Ellen's vision and mission for Artifcts incredibly inspiring. I am honored to join the Advisory Board and help shape the company's future!" 

As Artifcts gains momentum in the direct to consumer market and prepares to launch several new partnerships this year, Ora will provide invaluable guidance in concert with the other Artifcts advisory board members. 

"Ora's been innovating for years in the spaces of storytelling and stuff both through her work with Shutterstock and now 1stDibs. Artifcts is young, innovative, and agile, and her experience will help us sharpen our strategic product roadmap and streamline tactical product decisions," said Ellen Goodwin, Co-founder and Chief Solutions Officer at Artifcts.

The Artifcts Strategic Advisory Board also includes:

• • Aravinda Gollapudi, Technology Executive, Sage
  • Georgia Mavrookas, HR & Marketing, Indeed
  • Richard E. Miller (Dutch), Wealth Advisor and Relationship Manager, (retired) Glenmede
  • Matt Paxton, Downsizing, Cleaning, and Organizing, Legacy List with Matt Paxton on PBS

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© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.