In the Beginning, It Was Just an Idea

Hey, we're Anke and Thomas – and this app was born from real life.

The Desire to Preserve Memories

I'm Anke, mother of a wonderful son, and my path confronted me early on with loss, illness, and the question of what remains when people are gone. My grandparents have been gone for a long time. My son's father lives with a serious diagnosis that severely limits his life and will likely shorten it. A close friend of mine passed away unexpectedly – leaving his little daughter with hardly any personal memories. These experiences showed me how precious preserved words, stories, and thoughts can be — not someday, but now.

While searching for ways to preserve memories, I discovered services that help seriously ill parents have their life stories professionally recorded. This work is touching and inspiring – but by its nature, it can only benefit a few families and is physically or organisationally impossible for many people. Especially very ill or elderly people need a solution that adapts to their daily life – not the other way around.

The First Steps

From this wish, the idea for a simple, always-accessible space for memories was born. At first, everything started small: with questions sent via instant messenger to family and friends to capture their voices and life stories. It quickly became clear how much strength and closeness there is when people can tell their story at their own pace. But organisationally and technically, this method of recording was not ideal.

When I met Thomas, he brought his own story. He is a father of three grown children and an IT specialist. After losing his parents, he was left above all with a completed memory book from his mother — an invaluably precious piece of family history. For him, it was immediately clear how important preserved memories are for loved ones, and he was instantly enthusiastic about pursuing this idea professionally.

The Vision Behind blyven

Together, our vision grew from this: a digital place that is open to everyone — regardless of age, health, or life situation. A way to capture memories through empathetic prompts, whenever it suits, from anywhere, and at your own pace.

This is how blyven was born – a space for stories, voices, and personal moments. For families, for generations – and for everything that remains. Because memories connect us far beyond the moment.

Our Journey Begins

We are still at the very beginning of this journey. We are very grateful for every piece of feedback about our app. Please let us know what you like and where we can improve. Follow our blog and our social media profiles to learn much more about us, blyven, and our journey ahead.

See you soon, Anke & Thomas