Amy Chiu

Yo, you gotta hear about Amy Chiu. This girl is the real deal. So, she’s a YC W18 alum, which already means she crushed it early on. But what’s crazy is her story, she’s been in the tech game for a minute, stacking up some legit creds at places like Google, Airbnb, and Optimizely before jumping into entrepreneurship.

Her background? Pure tech and product management magic. She was a Software Engineer at Optimizely, then moved to Airbnb as a Product Manager for Growth, and even spent time at Google working on global infrastructure and commercial ops. That’s a solid tech pedigree, shows she’s got the brains and the hustle. Plus, she went to Washington U and even did a stint at Oxford, so she’s got that solid foundation in both engineering and biz.

But here’s where it gets interesting. In 2018, she starts Dear Brightly, a telehealth startup all about prescription skincare, specifically retinoids, stuff that’s usually hard to access or confusing. The motivation? Personal experience. She struggled with dermatological care herself and saw how tough it was to get works well skincare solutions without jumping through hoops. So, she decided to fix that, make it easier and more accessible. That’s some real entrepreneurial fire right there.

What makes Amy stand out? She’s not just about tech, she’s about making a real impact. She’s all in on empowering women and underrepresented groups, with a track record of community work with Asian Women’s Shelter and BUILD. She’s the kind of person who’s more interested in lifting others up than just chasing the hustle.

Her process? It’s a perfect example of turning personal pain into a business that’s not only successful but genuinely helpful. She’s the kind of founder who’s been through the grind, learned from the best, and then took that experience to build something meaningful. Honestly, she’s inspiring because she proves that with the right background, grit, and a little personal motivation, you can create something that’s both a billion-dollar idea and a force for good.

Bottom line? Amy Chiu is a tech and social impact powerhouse. She’s the kind of founder who’s not afraid to jump into tough problems, solve them with tech, and make a real difference. No cap, she’s someone to watch.