Hello, I’m Meral, Co-Founder and CEO of Hello Nova. I wanted to take this opportunity to give you my personal story behind the creation of Hello Nova. For me, it began when we collectively decided that we needed to create something that offered a sense of magic to people, something familiar and worthwhile.

Our journey started when we began speaking to people within assisted living homes, with an idea to make something truly magical that could be used no matter your age. We figured that if we could make an app that could be easy to use even for those with sometimes limited tech ability, then others with more proficient skills would be fine too. I sat down with those I met and found myself quickly captivated by their willingness to share their life stories. No details were spared when they spoke fondly about their lives and their families, whom they loved so very dearly. I adored every minute of getting to know them; people who were once strangers to me felt within hours more familiar. These people were around the age my grandmother would have been had she been alive now. Since she died, I have always sought the warmth that comes from conversations with those in their golden years even as a child, but it struck me that in my mid-30s, I would now give anything to sit down with my grandmother and learn about her life in her own words and from her own voice. Unfortunately, she died when I was about 11, and I have barely any true recollection of her. I certainly don’t have any memory of her voice, her laugh, her tone, or her character. We had one recording of us singing songs such as “We’ll Meet Again” and “It's a Long Way to Tipperary,” but somehow the tape got lost, and I am left with nothing. I don’t know anything about her, nothing personal or intimate. I, of course, have stories from my mother, but their relationship was different from how I remember mine being with my grandmother. Now I am older and have the ability to comprehend the fact that she wasn’t just “Nanny” but rather a woman who lived a full life. I am saddened by the thought that I’ll never be able to hear her speak of her life and tell me all the things I know she would have wanted me to know now. I even hope she would have been a little more open and candid in her descriptions of her life, knowing that I would be naturally anticipating so much from her.

I live with my mother now. She is in her mid-60s, and we have a close, open, and loving relationship. She speaks to me often, telling me all the things she wants me to learn about her and the things she knows about the rest of our family. Regardless of this, I know that without Nova, one day I might simply not remember the details, and I know that as with my grandmother, I will also forget her voice. This is why I made Hello Nova, so that one day if I am to have children, they will be able to get to know my mother from her own voice—the details lovingly curated and stored for the time when they are old enough to be interested. As for me, I know I’ll one day, when I am emotionally able, do more than just read about her life, but rather listen to her giving me advice and sending her love from wherever she is.

Thank you so very much for your interest in Hello Nova and your support of us. I am so very grateful and excited for you all to see the magical app we have created for you. I am inspired daily by the conversations that I’ve had with you along the way, and your incredible and sometimes emotional reactions to learning more about Hello Nova. You have touched me, genuinely and deeply, with your personal stories and true understanding that this app has the ability to add so much value to so many lives, both presently and for future generations. Your continued support means so very much. Thank you. It's been such a pleasure to create this first version, and as we grow and add to Hello Nova, I shall keep you all at the forefront of my mind. This is just the beginning of a magical journey!

Hi, I’m Jānis, one of the founders of Hello Nova. As a product and design-driven person, I have always been interested in creating new solutions and products, but my main interest has always been in creating something not just innovative but with a strong mission behind it.

During the ideation phase, before Hello Nova was born, there were many options considered by us as we knew we wanted to work together on something that would make a difference to many lives. However, we settled on this overall direction pretty quickly as it became more apparent that creating a platform optimized for older users was not just the right thing to do, but necessary. Being a part of creating Hello Nova was a true pleasure, and our hope is that it goes on to add value to many loved ones, whether that be family or friends. We believe that there are so many precious memories to be captured from those we love and still so much to share and to learn from.
When we started the design of the app, it was somewhat surprising to find out that most of the apps that supposedly cater to an older generation significantly or completely miss the mark in understanding what their users need. I'm not just talking about the aspect of accessibility and layout, but also about the design. Our guiding principle was to create a product that would be a pleasure to use in all senses.

It is rather funny how life works out, as it took me starting this project, going through the questions and overall purpose, to realise that actually there’s so much I don't even know about my own mom (as well as other relatives and siblings for that matter). I started calling her more often and having conversations that we’d never had before. I am learning so many interesting things that happened in her life, but as much as I enjoy hearing all about her life, I realise that a few months pass and there are details that are already fading away in my mind. So I really would like my mom to use Hello Nova so that whenever I forget anything, there’s always a way to go back.
Since my family lives abroad and I have my own family now, time is something that’s just never enough, and no matter how much we try staying in touch, I know a time will come where I’d have thought: “I wish I’d asked…” but now, with Hello Nova, I'm much more hopeful! It can not only bring us closer to one another but help me and many others make sure that there’s less and less regrets to leave behind.
I do hope you enjoy using Hello Nova! However, if you have any suggestions or ideas on how to make it even better, we’d be delighted to hear from you as we want to make sure we keep innovating and finding new ways to bring memories and loved ones together.

Hey there, I'm Sven. I'm the tech guy behind Hello Nova.
For me, Hello Nova is the perfect blend of technology and human connection. I've always been fascinated by the way technology can bring people together, and Hello Nova is the perfect example of that. I'm so proud to be a part of this project, and I can't wait to see how it grows and evolves in the future.

I was way too young when most of my grandparents passed away. I used to spend hours with my grandpa on the couch watching Western movies. I remember that his living room was always warm and cozy, with his fireplace running although it was 25 degrees outside. I remember the way he would tell me stories about his life and his travels, and the way he would listen to me talk about mine. But as I grew older, I realised that there are so many precious stories and memories of my grandparents and great-grandparents that I will never be able to hear first-person. I wish I had something like Hello Nova back then, so I could have recorded their voices and their stories and kept them forever. That's why I'm so passionate about this project. I want to help people capture those precious memories and stories so they can be passed down from generation to generation. I truly believe that Hello Nova has the power to change the way we remember our loved ones, and I'm so excited to be a part of that journey.

As my parents are getting older by the day and since my own children were born, I feel a strong urge to capture their stories and memories. I want my children to know where they come from, to know their roots, and to understand the struggles and triumphs of their ancestors. I want them to know that they are part of something bigger than themselves, and that they have a rich history and heritage to draw upon. I want them to know that they are loved and cherished, and that they are part of a family that will always be there for them. I want them to know that they are part of something special, and that they have a unique and important role to play in the world. I want them to know that they are important.

For me, Hello Nova comes just at the right time to start capturing the stories and memories of my parents, so that my own children and hopefully future generations won't miss out on the precious memories and stories of their ancestors, as well as their life lessons.

Hi, I’m Lon. I became part of the Hello Nova team when I was approached to create the visual identity for the brand and the illustrations for the app. As soon as I heard the purpose of Hello Nova and thought about the way it could impact so many lives, it immediately struck a chord with me.

I lost my mum to cancer 10 years ago, and whilst I was very lucky to have had a very close relationship with her throughout my life and learnt so much from her both practically and emotionally, there are so many more things that I would love to have asked her. Every part of life brings new questions, and especially since having kids, there are whole new chapters that I can’t talk to her about.
Whilst she was going through treatment, I didn’t want to bombard her with questions for fear of looking like I had given up on her beating the disease, so I concentrated on the moment more, but it has been a regret that I didn’t have more insight into those more personal thoughts and more audio of her to play to my kids. Ten years on, it’s easy to forget so much. I am lucky that she was a keen documentarian, and so I do have lots of photos and letters that she would write about what we had been up to as a family every year, but I know that had Hello Nova existed in her lifetime, she would have really enjoyed recording our family and her personal story for us and her grandkids. For me, I would enjoy being able to hear those thoughts and everyday snippets of conversation.