Kathryn Cross

Yo, have you heard of Kathryn Cross? She’s the real deal, like the kind of founder who jumps into shit headfirst and actually crushes it. She’s a W22 YC alum, did her thing solo, and raised close to 5 mil from heavy hitters like Alexis Ohanian‘s fund 776, Y Combinator itself, and others. That’s no small feat, especially doing it all by herself.

Her story? It’s pretty emotional and strong. She started Anja Health in LA, which is all about saving stem cells from cord blood, tissue, and placenta, future cures, you know? But here’s the kicker, she founded this in memory of her brother, Andrew, who had cerebral palsy. So, this isn’t just some biz play, it’s personal. It’s her way of fighting back, of trying to help others in the same boat. That kind of motivation? That’s what fuels real innovation.

Before all this, Kathryn’s been around the block. She’s worked at Goldman Sachs, which means she’s got serious finance chops. She’s also done stints at Bridge Strategy and Publicis Sapient, experience designing user journeys and understanding how people tick. She’s super into education too, hitting Wellesley College and getting degrees in Media Arts & Sciences plus Economics. That combo? Perfect for understanding tech, business, and how to tell stories that stick.

And she’s not just behind the scenes, she’s out there building her personal brand, especially on TikTok (@kathrynanja). She’s out here educating folks on pregnancy and cord blood banking, making what could be super technical totally accessible and real. She’s the kind of person who’s all about having an effect and spreading knowledge, not just grinding away behind the scenes.

What’s cool is her process shows what it means to really care about something and turn that into a startup that could change lives. She’s proof that you don’t need a huge team or tons of funding to start, sometimes, just a big why and a ton of grit. She jumped into YC as a solo founder, crushed it, and raised millions. That’s a lesson for anyone out there thinking, “Can I do this alone?” Yes, you can.

Long story short? Kathryn Cross is a powerhouse. She’s driven by real personal pain and purpose, and she’s turning that into something that could actually save lives someday. She’s not just building a company, she’s building a movement around hope, health, and making a difference. No Cap, she’s someone you wanna keep your eye on.