Get to Know Cosmo Founder Russell York

Russell York is the Founder and CEO of Cosmo Technologies, one of the fastest-growing brands in family tech. Cosmo began at Russell’s kitchen table in 2020 with a simple but powerful question: what if technology actually served the real needs of kids and families? That question grew into a mission to reclaim the magic of a 90s childhood and bring families closer together through technology that protects what matters most.

We sat down with Russell to talk about where that mission began, the experiences that shaped his career, his very first phone, and why family-first technology is not just important, but long overdue.

Let’s start with a fun one: What was the first phone you ever owned?

I had a Blue Steel BlackBerry Rim 7290. It had a full keyboard and a tiny screen with almost no resolution.

The funny part? My data plan only allowed 45 texts a month. So even though I had this “advanced” device with a full keyboard, I barely used it. It was a different time then.

What makes family-first technology a radical idea today?

We are nearly three decades into a digital revolution. We have built devices for everyone. Professionals. Creators. Gamers. Seniors. Even pets.

And yet somehow, we overlooked one of the most important groups: kids and parents.

Twenty-five million American kids leave home for school every day, and many are completely off the map. No way to call home. No safe way for parents to reach them in an emergency. Parents often have to call another adult just to reach their own child.

When you step back and think about it, it is wild that we have advanced so far, and yet families are still patching together solutions that were not designed for them.

Cosmo was created to finally give families a solution designed just for them.

What did you do before launching Cosmo?

My career started in defense. Not long after college, I worked as a civilian on the commanding general’s advisor team in Kabul, Afghanistan. It was eye-opening. I sat at the center of multiple streams of information and saw firsthand how critical secure communication really is.

After that, I worked with some of the most prominent cybersecurity companies in America, helping translate complex threat intelligence into something the public could understand.

That experience shaped how I think about technology. I saw how few truly secure, data-responsible solutions existed for families. When I started Cosmo, our commitment was non-negotiable. We would build technology families could trust.

Security is not a feature for us. It is foundational.

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career?

Ego gets you nowhere.

If you do not know something, say it. There is nothing more powerful than honesty, humility, and curiosity working together.

The moment you admit what you do not know, you put yourself in a position to learn. Knowledge is power, and ego is what keeps people running around with their ears plugged.

What makes you most excited about where Cosmo is headed?

I have never been part of an organization where customers were such vocal advocates of the mission.

Our Cosmo parents reach out constantly with ideas, feedback, and stories. I love hearing about kids who were able to call for help in a real emergency, or in a “real emergency” like an overflowing toilet.

Cosmo is incredibly fun to be part of because we get to be part of our customers’ lives. We are not just shipping devices. We are helping families stay connected in ways that actually matter.

Want to connect with Russell?
Find him on LinkedIn and join the conversation about building technology that puts families first.