Jennifer Curtin

For real, let me enlighten you about Jennifer Curtin. This girl’s the real deal in the startup world. She jumped into the scene with a purpose, not just to build some random company but to actually solve a huge problem that hits close to home.

So, here’s the scoop: She’s part of YC’s W22 batch, which already means she’s got that hustle and credibility. Before RTHM, she was working with places like the Center for Complex Diseases, so she’s been deep in the health tech game for a minute. But what really sets her apart is her personal story. She’s not just some entrepreneur chasing shiny objects; she’s been through the health system hell with ME/CFS, a gnarly and misunderstood illness. That experience lit a fire under her to do something meaningful, to simplify and scale complex illness care.

Back in 2018, she co-founded RTHM in Redwood City, CA. The mission? To make managing complex, infection-triggered illnesses way easier. Think about how broken the healthcare system can be for folks with stuff like ME/CFS, hard to diagnose, even harder to get proper treatment. Jennifer saw that gap, and instead of whining about it, she jumped in. The motivation? Pure passion plus personal pain. She’s been there, done that, and decided to build a solution from scratch.

Then, the pandemic hit. That’s when everything changed. She met her co-founder, Ryan Kellogg, in 2020. Both of them were working on separate startups before, but the crisis made them see that long-term, complex illnesses need a new approach, fast. So, they teamed up, pooled their skills, and pushed RTHM forward. Their story is kinda inspiring, they didn’t just stumble into success, they jumped into the fire and came out stronger.

Getting into YC was the cherry on top. Someone who knew her suggested YC, and she crushed it, proof she’s got the grit and the vision. RTHM’s all about making healthcare smarter, easier, and more expandable for folks who need it the most.

What does this tell you about her? Jennifer’s not in this for the fame or money. She’s got a personal mission, and she’s willing to put everything on the line to fix a broken system. She’s a perfect example of what it means to start something that truly matters. She’s been through the worst, seen the bullshit in healthcare, and decided to build her way out of it. That’s the kind of founder who doesn’t just want to be successful, she wants to make a difference.

Bottom line? Jennifer Curtin is a trailblazer who took her own struggles and turned them into a mission to change complex illness care. She’s not just building a company; she’s fighting for the people who get lost in the cracks of the system. No cap, she’s one to watch.