Celine Tien

Yo, you gotta hear about Celine Tien. She’s the real deal. So, she’s a YC S21 alum and the boss lady behind Flowly, this sick digital health startup that’s all about kicking chronic pain and cutting down opioid use with VR tech. No bullshit. She’s not just throwing tech at a wall, her stuff is backed by legit science, partnered with top docs and major hospitals, and even got NIH grants. That’s some heavy shit.

But here’s where it gets wild. Celine’s process is deeply personal. She grew up seeing family deal with chronic pain, and that’s what lit a fire under her. She’s always been into VR, worked at DreamWorks and even directed one of the first immersive VR story films, ‘Pippa’s Pan’. So she’s not just some random entrepreneur; she’s got a legit background in storytelling and immersive tech.

She jumped into this pain thing because she saw firsthand how shitty it is to suffer without good solutions. She combined her VR skills with her personal experience to create Flowly, a mobile app + VR headset that measures stuff like heart rate, then shows you visualizations to help calm your nervous system and manage pain better. It’s like therapy on steroids, but techy and accessible.

What’s dope is she’s crushed it in the startup world but stayed true to her mission, helping people and making a real impact. She’s worked with the best in medicine, got the science to back her product, and keeps pushing forward. Her process shows one thing: she’s not in this just to chase tech for tech’s sake. She’s all about solving real problems, fueled by personal pain and a burning desire to make a difference.

So yeah, Celine Tien is one of those founders who’s not just chasing fame or money. She’s out here trying to change lives, one VR session at a time. That’s why she’s important. Not just a founder, but a legit hero in the making.