Spying-as-Parenting App Bosco Raises $4 Million

Israel-based Bosco, an app that lets parents monitor their children’s smartphone activities, has raised $4 million in a Series A funding round led by London-based investment firm Arie Capital Ltd. and Singapore-based venture capital firm FengHe Fund Management Pte Ltd., Bosco, incorporated as Alerteenz Ltd., announced Thursday.

Founded in 2015, Bosco’s mobile app automatically monitors a child’s smartphone activity and alerts parents to signs that may indicate distress, including interactions on social media, changes in online followers and friends, changes in the child’s daily routine, low battery, and even the child’s tone during phone calls. Bosco intends to use the funding for research and development, marketing, and global expansion, the company said in a statement. Bosco is based in Rishpon, an affluent village in central Israel.