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128 Birch Street
Boston, MA, 02131
United States

(617) 390-4076

Invent Boston designs and develops original products to add science + whimsy to  every day tasks at home.   Our first product is a Two Minute timer, Two Minute Turtle, a visual timer. The Two Minute Turtle helps children and adults focus on two minute tasks such as brushing teeth, physical therapy, taking a shower and speaking (practicing a presentation or learning a language).

It's So Simple and Effective It's Hard to Believe It Really Works, this Two Minute Timer

Invent Boston™, Home of the Two Minute Turtle Timer™

Invent Boston™ blog offers tips and stories by parents, for parents of children ages 4-12 to make toothbrushing and other healthy habits at home, more fun. We write about simple tactics to help kids do what they like to do-touch, seeing, play games and strive for independence. We recommend products to help stay healthy while being kids. We share stories to transform daily healthy habits from something kids resist (for example, toothbrushing, handwashing, toilet training, organizing, taking time-out or pausing, yoga, and taking turns) into something children are motivated to do independently, without parents’ reminders. The original physical product Invent Boston has designed for families is the new light-up Two Minute Turtle Timer, an analog, interval toothbrush timer to make brushing teeth fun for kids. Kids like to press the button, follow the flippers and brush until all the lights blink—the Victory Lap signals to brush the tongue.

It's So Simple and Effective It's Hard to Believe It Really Works, this Two Minute Timer

Virginia Berman

No apps. No downloading.

Many new things-ideas and products-don’t work. Once in a while a new thing comes along and it does work. This one, the Two Minute Turtle Timer simply works!

Do people want something more complex or simpler? Recently I competed in a local pitch contest: filled out their application, sent the executive summary, read the bios of the judges, wrote and practiced the pitch and then, showed up ready to pitch to the investor judges and the audience. I was one of 6 start-ups giving a pitch. I was nervous and I presented well. I remembered to cover everything in my pitch except to mention my amazing and hard working team!

The consensus from our customers—you—is that you love simplicity and the Turtle Timer is simple. You love that kids can hold it, own it, drop it. It’s theirs and that’s part of what gives kids the ownership of their task. I have not had requests from customers seeking more complexity, more apps, or blue tooth connection, bells and whistles with the timer (though some would like sound added). You like it simple because it works-fun and no screens.

But investors are different. They want their products connected to the internet, with AI, attached and embedded, in the internet of things. Would adding blue tooth improve it? Would it help kids? Would it take away the thing that makes it theirs for them to own, press, follow their turtle?

We believe for the next few years, at least, that kids and adults prefer and will like a simple tactile timer. So it’s up to the customers to discover the Turtle Timer. Word won’t get out through an infusion of investor cash. It will have to be through word of mouth from you, the people who use it, this new simple Two Minute Turtle Timer.

So spread the word, get your stocking stuffer or holiday gift for a family member, friend and coworker. Free shipping! Slow and steady forward.

Fun Two Minute Turtle Timers stocked and ready

Fun Two Minute Turtle Timers stocked and ready