I dreamt of building rockets until my aunt's illness inspired me to build an AI startup that's raised nearly $10 million

Courtesy of Waterlily Lily Vittayarukskul grew up thinking she would become an aerospace engineer. Then her aunt got sick. She was 16 when her Aunt's illness changed the trajectory of her entire family almost overnight. It inspired her to pivot and help families prepare for the financial impact of long-term care. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Lily Vittayarukskul, 30, cofounder and CEO of Waterlily . It has been edited for length and clarity. When I was a kid, I was fascinated by the universe and wanted to understand how the world worked. Science taught me that even the biggest, most intimidating questions could be broken down, understood, and eventually solved.