Hello from Berlin, Germany! We’re Kyle & Alex, and we’d love to meet you. 💛

First, thank you so much for taking a moment to read our story. We’re deeply grateful and excited to be on this journey to grow our family, and we hope to find someone kind, compassionate, and truly incredible to share it with.

A little about us:
Kyle was born and raised in Winnipeg, Canada. In 2006, he moved to Berlin to pursue a master’s degree in communication and language, with the intention of returning to Canada to become a German professor. (Spoiler alert: life had other plans!)

Alex, originally from Cambridge, UK, also found his way to Berlin, first to teach English… but his computer science roots soon pulled him back into tech.

We met on November 18, 2012, in true 21st-century style—online. We messaged each other in German (not knowing we were both not German), and something just clicked. Kyle didn’t realize Alex was British, and Alex had no idea Kyle was Canadian—until he saw the maple leaves and hockey trinkets in Kyle’s apartment!

Fun fact: Right before we met, Alex had randomly applied for Canadian residency—and got it, without ever having been to Canada. He swears it was fate.

Six months later, we were living together in Kyle’s cozy (and very Canadian) apartment. By 2014, we had a big talk: where do we want to build our life? Berlin, with its vibrant energy, incredible community, and affordable bakeries, became our home. In 2015, we bought our apartment, and the friends we made in our building quickly became chosen family.

Fast-forward to today:
Kyle now runs Brightest (www.brightest.org), an education and certification company, and Alex works with Berlin startups. We’ve grown a lot together, and so has our dream of having a family.

That dream became even more critical after a personal heartbreak. In 2021, Kyle’s dad passed away suddenly, just two months after we finally reunited post-lockdown. It was a stark reminder of how much we value family and how much love we have to give as future dads.

Late in 2023, we decided: no more waiting. We researched our options and discovered that building our family through surrogacy in Canada, where Kyle’s entire family still lives, was the perfect path.

In April 2025, we left our part of the genetic puzzle at Create Fertility Centre in Toronto. Our amazing egg donor from St. John’s, NB, is currently in the donation process (as of early June 2025), and we expect our embryos to be ready by mid-July, marking an exciting milestone in our journey.

And now… we’re hoping to meet you. ❤️

We’re looking for a kind and caring surrogate who would be open to sharing this incredible experience with us. Since we live in Berlin, we won’t be able to be physically present at every appointment. Still, we’ll proudly be by your side, emotionally, even if virtually, every step of the way, cheering you on, supporting you, and staying connected in a way that suits you best. For us, this isn’t just about bringing a baby into the world, it’s about doing it with gratitude, respect, and genuine care for you and your well-being.

A few quirks you might enjoy:
Kyle may run from horror movies, but he’s obsessed with Halloween. At 10, he stopped trick-or-treating to build haunted houses in his yard. By 15, local Brownie groups were arriving in buses to visit, and six months after landing in the Winnipeg Free Press (newspaper), a local farm hired him as a scare actor! These days, he pours that same creativity into building his business and nurturing his friendships.

Alex is a science and fact-loving Brit with a chaotic kitchen style. Making fried rice somehow leads to using every dish in the house, but it’s worth it (Kyle says so!). His specialty (perhaps after backpacking)? Asian cuisine. His hidden talent? Making people laugh and finding solutions to everyday challenges.

Our Upbringing and Family:

Kyle on his childhood and family:
I was the second of two children born to Margaret and Grant, arriving two years after my older brother, Garry. My mom worked her entire career in the airline industry, mainly with Canadian Airlines before it merged with Air Canada. My dad, after studying psychology at university, found joy in connecting with people and worked as a courier for Purolator. Both of them worked incredibly hard to give Garry and me a good life.

We were fortunate to grow up in Winnipeg with all four of our grandparents nearby. They played a significant role in our upbringing, and we spent a considerable amount of time with them—learning, playing, and creating memories. Interestingly, all of my grandparents had German roots. On my dad’s side, the family came to Canada to become farmers, fleeing the Bolshevik Revolution. My mom’s parents immigrated after World War II; she was the youngest of three siblings and the only one born in Canada.

From a young age, I was always drawn to culture, food, and travel, passions I trace back to my family. I especially loved spending time with my maternal grandma (whom we called “Oma” in German). We would cook, bake, and do arts and crafts together for hours; those moments were full of creativity, laughter, and sugar.

Our family wasn’t without its challenges. My brother Garry was diagnosed with autism at the age of four. He needed a lot of extra support and attention, especially during the rollercoaster of puberty! But through it all, he’s been a wonderful and unique presence in my life. His way of experiencing the world helped shape our whole family. He’s loud, funny, and completely unforgettable, and has the best memory of anyone I have ever met. We did swimming lessons together, and many weekends were spent visiting family friends who had pools, where I could basically never be pulled out of the water.

School came naturally to me, so I threw myself into extracurriculars. I loved being part of plays and musicals, and I started working at a young age, at 14. I took a job washing dishes at a local truck stop. I thought it would be fun, and it was! I met amazing people, and by the time I was 17, I’d worked my way up to manager of the restaurant.

Looking back, I’m so thankful for the strong foundation my family provided me, one filled with care, curiosity, resilience, and love.

Alex on his childhood and family:
I grew up in Cambridge, UK, with parents who were super supportive and always encouraged me to follow my interests. From a young age, I was drawn to science and technology. I loved figuring out how things worked, taking apart household appliances, building with LEGO, and eventually studying computer science and electronics. My parents, Frank and Marie, may not have shared my passion for circuit boards and coding, but they always made time to listen and cheer me on!

My dad is from Scotland and one of four siblings, so family gatherings were always lively. I still have strong ties to Scotland, especially because I was lucky enough to have my grandmother in my life until just a few years ago. She lived to 99 and a half, and was a lifelong vegetarian, Quaker, and pacifist. I admired her deeply for living according to her principles and her quiet but unwavering sense of purpose.

My mum grew up in the countryside, not far from Cambridge. Her parents passed away when I was very young, but through her stories, I felt connected to them. Her father owned a furniture shop and made beautiful wooden furniture by hand. My mum would often say I reminded her of him, especially in how curious and creative I was.

I have one older brother, about five years older than me. We were in very different life stages as kids, but we’ve grown into being close friends. We can talk for hours about music, politics and the world!

The community I grew up in placed a lot of emphasis on academic achievement. And that pressure didn’t always sit well with me. I was lucky that my parents never pushed me to chase grades, but instead made sure I was doing what I loved. That support made a lasting impression on me.

Friendship has always been a big part of my life. I was lucky to grow up in a close-knit group of friends who were curious, independent and full of adventure. After school, many of us went backpacking together, and we ended up living together in a shared house in London after graduating. Those friendships are still a huge part of my life today!

Looking back, I’m grateful for a childhood filled with encouragement, curiosity, and connection, qualities I hope we carry forward as parents 🙂

Our Journey to Start our Family:

Ever since we met over 13 years ago, having a child has always been a topic close to our hearts. However, living in Germany (and much of Europe), where surrogacy isn’t currently legal, it often felt like an impossible dream, one we kept coming back to, even though the path forward was unclear. We even looked into the idea of adoption, but in Germany, the adoption process takes many, many years with a low chance of success and many are done through church-related organizations, which is still challenging for two men looking to raise a child… even if we would make great parents.

Just as we began to consider our options, Corona struck. Like so many others, we shifted our focus to simply getting through the uncertainty of each day. Parenthood had to wait.

By late 2023, as we were approaching our 40s, we had a heart-to-heart and decided: it’s now or never. We began researching in earnest, speaking with agencies and experts to understand what was possible. By the end of 2024, we had narrowed our focus to North America.

In January 2025, we realized the US didn’t feel like the right fit for us, especially with recent changes and growing legal uncertainties. Around the same time, we looked into the UK (where Alex is from) and learned that, thanks to his domicile rights, surrogacy there could be an option. That prompted another round of conversations and re-evaluations.

Finally, in March 2025, we chose Canada. It felt like the most open, welcoming, and ethical option, and it just made sense. Kyle’s mom still lives there, so we’ll be able to stay in Canada for an extended period around the birth, giving us the time and support we’ll need as new parents. To us, it felt like the safest, most grounded, and most heartfelt opon.

Our Home:

We purchased our apartment just over a decade ago. Since it was a new build, we had the rare opportunity to design the layout ourselves, including the placement of the interior walls. Even back then, we were already thinking ahead to what a safe and comfortable home for a future family might look like.

Our apartment is centrally located in the vibrant city of Berlin, but we were lucky to find a quieter pocket in Friedrichshain. It’s a peaceful spot with a private residents-only playground right in our courtyard, and several more public parks and playgrounds within walking distance. Our neighborhood is filled with young families, and we’re surrounded by some of the kindest and most supportive neighbors we could ask for, many of whom have become close friends over the years.

Although Kyle’s mom lives far away in Canada, she’ll be able to visit regularly, as she still has airline passes from her more than 40 years in the industry, and we typically travel to Canada twice a year. Alex’s parents are a bit closer, living in Cambridge, UK. Between affordable European flights and their second home on the harbor in Aberdour, Scotland, where we all gather at least once a year for a few weeks, we’re lucky to have meaningful time together as an extended family.

Berlin is a fantastic place to raise a child. It’s rich with history, culture, and community. Just a five-minute walk from our home, you’ll find malls, concert halls, a stadium, movie theaters, countless restaurants, and even the Spree River at the end of our street. It’s a place full of opportunities to explore, learn, and grow… and we can’t wait to share it with a little one.

Our Occupations & Hobbies:

Kyle is the CEO and owner of Brightest GmbH (www.brightest.org), a global certification body that provides exams to IT professionals around the world. While it may not be exactly what he originally set out to do, it ties together many of his passions. After earning a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and German Literature from the University of Manitoba, followed by a Master’s in Communication and Language in Berlin, education has always been a driving force in his life. Helping others grow and prove their skills is something that truly motivates him.

Alex works as a freelance consultant, supporting startup teams as they build and grow their products. He’s been lucky to work with a really diverse mix of clients — from language learning apps to wellness platforms, from reselling fashion goods to fitness and gym services. His current project is with Clue, the period tracking app, which is all about helping people better understand their bodies.

What Alex loves most is getting involved with teams who care deeply about what they’re building. He usually comes in during moments of big change or fast growth, helping them bring structure and focus to their work. It’s exciting for him to be part of that early energy and to support products that make a real, positive impact on people’s lives.

When we’re not working, we love spending time together cooking, hopping on our bikes to explore the areas around Berlin, traveling to new places around the world, or catching up with friends, often right here at home on our neighbors’ rooftop patio. Whether it’s a spontaneous dinner, a weekend adventure, or a quiet evening with good company, we really value making memories together.

As for our current pet situation, right now, we share our home with a charming little budgie! We didn’t plan on becoming bird parents, but one snowy day in Berlin, fate had other plans. Kyle heard chirping that sounded completely out of place, looked down, and spotted a tropical bird sitting on the snow. He gently picked it up, and it was clear from that moment on: we had a new feathered friend in the family.

How We Will Support Our Surrogate:

Supporting our surrogate emotionally, practically, and financially is one of our top priorities. We are committed to creating a caring and respectful relationship built on open communication, mutual trust, and genuine gratitude.

Pre-pregnancy:
Before the pregnancy even begins, we will ensure that all necessary medical, legal, and counseling appointments are covered and scheduled in a way that works best for our surrogate. We will also cover all approved pre-pregnancy expenses (as outlined in Canadian surrogacy guidelines), including travel costs, lost wages for appointments if applicable, childcare (if needed), and any incidental costs. Most importantly, we will take the time to get to know each other and establish a comfortable relationship before embarking on this journey together.

During pregnancy:
Throughout the pregnancy, we will be available for regular check-ins, updates, and emotional support, while respecting our surrogate’s boundaries and preferences for communication. Whether she prefers messages, calls, or occasional video chats, we want her to feel supported but never overwhelmed.
We will cover all pregnancy-related costs and expenses, including but not limited to:
Maternity clothing
Mileage/travel for medical appointments
Prescription and non-prescription pregnancy-related medications
Prenatal vitamins
Lost wages and childcare (when necessary)
Wellness or complementary care (e.g., prenatal massage, acupuncture), where agreed
We also hope to send small tokens of appreciation along the way to show our gratitude.

Postpartum:
After the birth, we’ll continue to support our surrogate during her recovery. This includes covering postpartum recovery expenses, such as follow-up medical appointments, counseling if desired, or any additional support she needs to rest and heal. We are also happy to stay in touch, depending on what she’s comfortable with, to share updates and milestones of the little one she helped bring into the world.

We understand and fully commit to covering all reasonable and allowable expenses related to the surrogacy journey, in accordance with Canadian law. Beyond financial support, our goal is to be respectful, caring, and emotionally present partners throughout the experience and thereafter.

We truly hope to maintain a close and supportive connection throughout the journey, while also fully respecting your privacy and personal boundaries. It’s hard for us to imagine not forming a meaningful friendship with someone who is giving us the incredible gift of helping us grow our family.

Our Message to Our Potential Surrogate:

If you think we could be a good match, we would love to get to know you, answer your questions, and hear your story as well. No pressure, just open hearts and lots of respect. ❤️ 😊

Thank you for considering being such a vital part of our journey. We genuinely believe this path takes a village, and we’d be honored to have you in ours.

With respect and gratitude from across the ocean,
Kyle & Alex (the Canuks: “Can” + “UK”) in Berlin, Germany