Brynn Putnam pivots from Mirror to Board, creating offline social tables

Brynn Putnam first gained prominence as the founder of Mirror, a connected‑fitness startup that streamed workout classes via a reflective screen. Mirror grew quickly, attracted venture capital, and was acquired by Lululemon for $500 million in cash in 2020. After the sale, Putnam stayed with Lululemon briefly before leaving to pursue a new venture.

Observing that existing digital products often isolated users, she wanted a device that could bring people of different ages and abilities together in the same room. This led to the creation of Board: a 24‑inch touchscreen table that recognizes physical game pieces and gestures, enabling intergenerational play without a steep learning curve. The company raised $35 million from venture capitalists, began shipping units, and positioned itself as a new category at the intersection of hardware and social connection.

Board raised $35 million in venture funding, sold thousands of units, and put Brynn Putnam back at the helm of a hardware startup focused on offline social play.

Putnam’s personal experience with Mirror showed her the limits of screen‑only interaction for family bonding.

Growing societal concern about loneliness and the desire for offline experiences created a market opportunity.

Her background in hardware and consumer product development gave her the expertise to execute a tangible product vision.

Technology can be designed to bring people together offline rather than pull them apart, showing that hardware can facilitate shared, intergenerational experiences.

Since its launch, Board has shipped thousands of units to consumers and institutions, secured additional follow‑on funding, and been featured in media as an example of technology used to foster offline connection. Putnam continues to lead the company, iterating on the product line and exploring new game formats that leverage the table’s sensing capabilities.