Meet Namrata Singhal, who’s shaking up Northwest Arkansas with her tech startup, Poppins. After a big move from hedge funds to the Heartland, she’s now tackling motherhood challenges with smart tech. Her journey? It’s as inspiring as it is unconventional.
From Fintech to Momtech
Namrata’s story began, as many great stories do: while pumping behind the office copy machine. To distract herself, she began to plan her other kid’s summer schedule. Two things struck her simultaneously. 1) Summer camp scheduling would challenge even for the most seasoned Dallas airport air traffic controller. 2) The mental and physical load of motherhood is very real. So, Namrata began Poppins to build a more equal world for moms.
Serendipity and some good luck took Poppins from Boston to Bentonville when Namrata’s husband was tempted by Walmart Centroid & Mohan Akella’s cutting-edge data science efforts. “This move was my chance to create mom’s mental “Unload” at a time when AI and voice tech have finally evolved enough to help meaningfully.
Powering Up with Local Insights
Poppins isn’t just another tech startup; it’s a community-centric project shaped profoundly by the moms of Bentonville. Thanks to Walmart – Bentonville has attracted families from all over the world. However, many female trailing spouses – while highly educated – struggle to find suitable employment in Arkansas. This has created a wonderful symbiosis for Poppins – a diverse and motivated group of local moms, who are much more than just users—they are co-creators, deeply involved in shaping the tools that Namrata’s team develops.
“They help us hit the mark,” Namrata says, underscoring the collaborative nature of her enterprise. “Together, we are building a business that not only helps them as moms but also hires them as talented employees. Take Nicole Holmes for instance, who moved from South Africa to Japan and finally, to Bentonville, for her husband’s job at Sam’s Club. Nicole was one of our earliest beta testers, who has today become an invaluable part of our team – she’s really been the first model that a number of others are now following and it’s been empowering to watch” Namrata says.
Leveraging Financial Savvy in Tech
Transitioning from finance to parent tech might seem a leap, but for Namrata, it’s all about data and strategy. “A lot of the tools we are using today in consumer space have existed in finance for a long time – the beauty of what Open AI has done is democratize it so that we can now build better consumer solutions.”
Embracing Challenges as Opportunities
Switching careers and diving into a new industry culture certainly came with its hurdles. However, Namrata views these challenges as chances to grow. “For every thousand nos, I got one yes from somebody truly important – a mom-beta tester, a mom VC, or a future mom-employee. So, these are the ‘yes votes that have made my current job awesome.”
What’s Next for Poppins
Looking ahead, Namrata is excited about expanding Poppins’ features, especially deeper AI integration to anticipate and automate tasks for moms, making life a little easier. “We aim to build a tool that doesn’t just help with tasks but anticipates the needs of mothers before they even arise.”
Namrata Singhal’s story is a vivid example of how switching gears professionally can lead to meaningful innovation. It’s a narrative about adapting skills, embracing community, and driving change through technology, all set against the vibrant backdrop of Northwest Arkansas’ entrepreneurial spirit. Through Poppins, she’s not just building a business; she’s aiming to make a substantial difference in the lives of mothers.
More About Namrata and Poppins
Namrata Singhal is a quant and a mom. She thinks that everybody should take one solid shot at doing something they are truly passionate about. She founded Poppins to use her quant skillset to make the everyday life of moms just a little easier. Before Poppins, Namrata was responsible for seeding a quantitative hedge fund. Namrata got her MBA from Harvard. When Namrata isn’t working, she’s generally found walking around Crystal Bridges with her two budding artists.
Poppins is mom’s mental unload. Email all those long school emails, activity reminders and schedules to Poppins. Poppins organizes and helps mom enrich her kids. Poppins makes AI work harder, so we can play with our kids a little longer. Learn more or sign up at meetpoppins.com.
