Why Granate?
Our name is a play on “granite,” the rock most often carved into headstones, and a reference to the pomegranate. In Greek mythology, pomegranates play a significant role in the story of Persephone’s journey in the Underworld, representing the cycle of life and death.
Bootstrapped by a women-led team of engineers and designers, Granate is a mobile app that helps survivors in end-of-life planning and the aftermath of a loved one’s death. We know firsthand how awful this experience can be — and we’re committed to making it better.
Our Team
Kristen Clark
Founder & CEO
Kristen has over 15 years of experience as an executive at social impact start-ups. Previously Chief Growth Officer for TPG-backed Dharma Platform and Practice Lead of an $80M Research & Analytics unit at Sprinklr, she's led sales, strategy, marketing, customer success, and product organizations in multiple phases of growth. As the founder of Prajna Strategy, a consulting company that helps small to mid-size tech companies get to market faster, she's bootstrapped the creation of Granate with clients like Threshold.World, Impart Wealth, and Youreka.
The Importance of Planning
Planning for the inevitable is not something we always like to think about—but it’s something we had to address.
8%
of an individual’s estate may go to the probate court if they don’t leave a will behind.
3.384 million
people in the United States die annually, and each leave an average of five loved ones behind.
40%
of those grieving meet the criteria for major depression one month after the loss—emphasizing the importance of self-care.
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Deborah Hellen
Lead Engineer
Full-stack software engineer with strong React, Python, and AWS experience. Previously led software teams at Dharma Platform and MasterCard that designed, built, and maintained mobile and web apps used by large organizations.
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Cheryl Heller
Chief Financial Officer
25+ years in financial services. Previously CFO for Capital One’s Retail Bank and Managing Principal of Pillar One Consulting. Serves as Advisor and Senior Finance Executive to start-ups in tech and micro-mobility.
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Jenni Brown
Head of Operations
10+ years of experience in software and system design and development. Deeply committed to delivering solutions that exceed customer expectations and building internal processes to support teams in doing the same.
Kathryn Clark
Advisor
Administrative Director at Columbia University’s Student Health Services Medical Center. Founding team member of healthtech start-up FairChoice. After losing her father, husband, mother, and only brother, she conceived of Granate with her daughter Kristen.
Jamie Houghton
Head of Partnerships
Partnerships and marketing strategy consultant for small to midsize startup companies. Vast background in client relations, web management, communications, video production, and social media.