The number of people opting for cremation over traditional burial services has continued to rise in recent years. Last year the U.S. cremation rate was 56%, up from 32% in 2005. By 2030, it's expected to reach 73%.
Forgoing the casket and burial process has given families entirely new options for how to honor their loved ones who have passed, and no longer need to rely on the traditional funeral home experience. But planning such an event can be a complicated and confusing process, often by grief-stricken family members who are hurriedly working to schedule arrangements.
Chicago startup Lighten believes it has the answer for families who are looking for a better way to celebrate the life of their loved one, and who want more options than the traditional, and somber, funeral home experience.
Founded in 2019 by Alexandra Koys, Lighten is a funeral and memorial planning startup that offers a range of unique experiences for families, as well as the tech tools to hold virtual or hybrid funeral services. The virtual component was a necessary pivot last year, Koys explains, as many families couldn't gather in person for funerals. The startup offers a structured video service led by an officiant, allowing family and friends to be part of the service without worrying about the tech details or awkwardly talking over one another, Koys said.
The startup, which was born during Koys' time at the University of Chicago, went through the school's New Venture Challenge competition last year and finished in second place, earning $280,000 in funding. The company has raised $380,000 to date.
But now that families are increasingly comfortable with in-person funeral services, Koys said Lighten is ready to double down on its live experiences, which range from a backyard memorial, to an experience at The Davis Theater on Chicago's North Side for movie buffs, to a gathering at Fado’s Irish Pub in River North to celebrate someone's Irish heritage. The startup also offers art galleries, ballrooms and courtyard experiences, with prices ranging from $4,500 to $12,000.
The idea, Koys said, is to offer families a service that's truly a celebration of life, rather than a sad, overly somber experience that takes place in a typical funeral home.
"The funeral home industry as a whole is one that is slow to innovate," she said. "In many places, the planning experience when you walk through a funeral home today is the one that you would have gone through a few decades ago."
Over the last year and a half, Lighten has held between one and five services a week, Koys said, most of which have been virtual or hybrid. The general mood at a Lighten ceremony is celebratory, she said, which is something families have requested when honoring their loved one.
"A memorial gathering can be uplifting and fulfilling," Koys said. "It doesn’t have to be something that’s sad ... We see ceremonies as a fusion of the loved one's personal identity, cultural identity and spiritual identity. Those are all things we work with them to customize."
Lighten currently only operates in-person services in Chicago, but plans to eventually expand to other markets. The startup also has a licensed funeral director on staff, meaning it can facilitate the entire funeral experience for someone who opts for cremation.
"We can be a one stop shop for families who are in need of those services," she said.
