About Aupa

Our mission

Connect South African families with thoughtful, qualified au pairs in a way that respects everyone’s privacy, dignity, and time. Childcare is a deeply personal decision and we’re building a product that takes that seriously.

How we got here

We tried existing tools as parents and friends of parents. Profiles were thin, privacy was sketchy, and the matching process felt accidental at best. So we set out to build the version we wanted to use ourselves: real verification, real consent, and a real product — built for South Africa first.

Aupa launched in 2026, hosted in the EU, designed against POPIA and GDPR from day one. We publish our processor register, our purposes register, and our cross-border transfer basis on /compliance.

For au pairs

You should be able to tell your story without surrendering it. Aupa is free for au pairs, your verified ID is never shown to families, and your inbox is yours alone — no hidden marketing.

Our values

• Privacy is the default

  Every consent toggle starts off. We never enable an optional purpose without you affirmatively saying yes.

• Words match deeds

  If we say data is encrypted, you can read the schema. If we say messaging is gated, you can read the access control matrix.

• Users own their data

  Export, rectify, restrict, and erase — all in self-service. We don't gate rights behind support tickets.

• Care is a craft

  Au pairs are professionals. The platform reflects that — fair compensation, transparent expectations, and respectful matching.

The founding team

• Founding member

  Product & engineering

  Parent of two. Cares about safe defaults and forms that don't bully you.

• Founding member

  Operations & compliance

  Background in early-childhood education and POPIA implementation for SMEs.

• Founding member

  Design & research

  Designed for au pair agencies in three countries before joining Aupa full-time.

Photos to follow at launch.