According to Inc, occupational therapist Ashley Blackington spent 15 years watching families struggle with fragmented caregiving before launching Dovetail, a connected care platform designed to coordinate support for the 63 million Americans who identify as caregivers. The platform centers around “flocks” – customizable care circles where users control exactly what information gets shared with whom, replacing the chaotic mix of texts, emails, and sticky notes that currently dominates care coordination. Dovetail launched on iOS in July with Android following weeks ago, and Blackington is already planning healthcare system integrations while noting that 60% of caregivers are employed. The founder initially faced six-figure quotes to build the platform but persisted despite having no tech background, conducting over a hundred caregiver interviews to inform development.
The invisible workforce
Here’s the thing about those 63 million caregivers – half of them don’t even identify as caregivers. That’s staggering when you think about it. We’re talking about people managing medications, coordinating doctor appointments, handling groceries and household tasks, all while potentially working full-time jobs. And Blackington’s right – everyone has a caregiving story. Either you’ve been through it, watched your parents go through it, or know someone currently drowning in the chaos.
Why this platform actually makes sense
Most health tech solutions come from engineers who’ve never actually been in the trenches. Blackington worked with over a thousand families as an OT – she saw the problem up close for years. That clinical background gives Dovetail something most startups lack: genuine domain expertise. The notes-based approach mirrors how clinicians actually think and document, while the granular sharing controls acknowledge that not everyone in a care circle needs the same information. Your mom’s neighbor who picks up groceries doesn’t need access to medical records, but she does need that shopping list.
healthcare”>What this means for healthcare
If Dovetail can actually integrate with healthcare systems and employer benefits – two areas Blackington specifically targets – this could become infrastructure rather than just another app. Think about it: when that 2 a.m. ER call comes, having a system already in place could prevent so much downstream chaos. The employed caregiver angle is particularly smart – businesses are finally recognizing that caregiving responsibilities directly impact productivity and retention. Having a platform that reduces the mental load could become a legitimate employee benefit.
From clinician to CEO
Blackington’s transition from occupational therapist to founder is the kind of story we need more of in tech. She had no technical background, faced those terrifying six-figure development quotes, and had to learn everything from product to fundraising on the fly. But that OT mindset – “figuring out what you know, what you don’t, and where to find answers” – turned out to be perfect founder training. Sometimes the people who understand the problem deepest are the least likely to see themselves as tech entrepreneurs, and that’s a shame because we’re missing out on solutions that actually work for real people.
