Lauren Kay

Yo, have you heard about Lauren Kay? She’s the real deal, a total badass in the startup world. So, she jumped into entrepreneurship super early, like when she was still in college at Brown. Crazy, right? She was a sophomore when she founded SmartSitting, which is basically her connecting families with vetted babysitters and nannies. That’s some advanced hustle, building a platform to solve a real problem for busy parents. And get this, she kept majority ownership of it even while still in school. That’s some serious dedication.

Then, she jumps into Y Combinator’s W14 batch, no surprise there, YC loves her energy. With YC backing, she launched Dating Ring, a cool twist on dating. It wasn’t just about swiping; she combined in-person matchmaking with group dates, making it more social and real. Honestly, that’s a fresh take in the dating scene, and it shows she’s all about connecting people in authentic ways. She’s someone who’s not afraid to shake things up and try new things.

But she didn’t stop there. Lauren also served as a consultant and acting CEO for Tutorly, an online tutoring startup. Even though she’s young, she’s been deep in the trenches, figuring out how to make education tech work. Plus, she’s into writing young adult books, she’s represented by WME, which is no joke. This girl’s got layers, tech, education, storytelling. She’s not just about startups; she’s about creating impact and sharing stories.

What’s wild is how her process shows her motivation. She’s all about solving problems, whether that’s connecting families with babysitters, helping people find love in a genuine way, or making education accessible. She clearly loves connecting people, and she’s driven by that desire to make things better, more human. That’s the core of her story, she’s a builder, a connector, a problem-solver.

And she’s been featured in major media, NYTimes Style, Startup podcast, so she’s recognized as someone who’s genuinely pushing boundaries. She’s based in Brooklyn now, but her whole process screams someone who’s not afraid to jump into the messy middle of things and make shit happen.

Basically, Lauren Kay’s story is about starting early, taking risks, and staying true to her passion for connecting people and solving problems. She’s proof that if you really care about what you do, you can build something meaningful from scratch, even while still in college. No Cap, she’s a shining example of what it means to be a young founder with big ideas and the guts to see them through.