Own Pain Startups

Air Lease Corporation is an aircraft leasing company founded by Steven Udvar-Hazy in the early jet age after he initially tried running a small airline in California. The company grew to make Udvar-Hazy a billionaire and became a major player in the aviation industry. His success enabled him to finance the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, a major extension to the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum.

Supergoop! was founded in 2005 by Holly Thaggard, a former harpist inspired by a friend's skin cancer diagnosis to create sunscreen products. After an initial failed attempt to market to schools, she pivoted to retail and hired a publicist, eventually securing placement in Sephora, which transformed Supergoop! into a multi-million dollar brand.

BETA Technologies is building zero-emission, battery-powered aircraft to revolutionize aviation and address the industry's emissions problem. Founded by Kyle Clark, the company is developing all-electric aircraft and establishing a national charging network infrastructure. The company was inspired by a chance encounter with United Therapeutics founder Martine Rothblatt.

TerraCycle, founded by Tom Szaky, is a multimillion dollar recycling business that started as a worm poop fertilizer company in a college dorm room. The company has evolved to recycle everything from shampoo bottles and makeup containers to snack wrappers and cigarette butts. Through their Loop initiative, TerraCycle partners with consumer brands to develop reusable packaging as a more effective waste-reduction strategy than traditional recyclable packaging.

Solo Stove grew from a modest DIY camping stove project into a 9-figure brand over nine years. Founded by brothers Spencer and Jeff Jan in 2010, they launched using Kickstarter and Amazon while operating remotely from Shanghai and Dallas. The brand achieved two 9-figure acquisitions, making both founders wealthy.

Light Phone is a hardware startup founded in 2014 by designers Kai Tang and Joe Hollier that creates simple mobile phones without apps or personal data tracking. The product was built in response to concerns about excessive smartphone usage and has been adopted by users across generations. The company represents an alternative movement toward a less-connected digital future.

Orgain was founded by Dr. Andrew Abraham in 2009 after he developed organic nutritional shakes to address his own health struggles and those of his patients. A major order from Whole Foods accelerated growth, leading Andrew to transition from practicing medicine to running the business full-time. Nestle acquired a majority stake in the company in 2022, validating it as a substantial wellness company.

Aurora is an autonomous vehicle company founded by Chris Urmson, a pioneer in self-driving technology from Google/Waymo, to develop autonomous systems for semitrucks on America's freeways. The company aims to transform the trucking industry through advanced autonomous driving technology.

Joel Simkhai bootstrapped Grindr into a global phenomenon starting in 2009 by leveraging the early potential of GPS-enabled iPhones to help gay men connect based on proximity. Despite having no background in coding or app design, he grew the app into one of the most popular dating apps in the world, though he later faced challenges with technical issues, safety concerns, and toxicity on the platform. After Grindr was sold, he launched Motto, another queer hookup app.

Zipline is a drone delivery company founded by Keller Rinaudo Cliffton that transformed from a smartphone robot company into a global on-demand delivery service. The company started by delivering critical medical supplies to hospitals in Rwanda, demonstrating Keller's belief that innovation can improve lives outside traditional markets. Zipline is now expanding into the commercial market, targeting partnerships with retailers like Walmart for same-day package delivery.

Mary Waldner, a Bay Area psychologist, created gluten-free crackers after being diagnosed with celiac disease at 43. Friends and acquaintances loved her homemade recipe and encouraged her to start a business. She built the concept into a multi-million dollar company through word-of-mouth.

Melissa Butler launched The Lip Bar in 2010, creating bold lipstick colors designed for Black women's complexions after becoming frustrated with the lack of diversity in cosmetics. Despite a failed Shark Tank pitch, she successfully pitched to Target and launched a new color on their online store in 2016. Today, The Lip Bar (rebranded as TLB) is the largest Black-owned makeup brand sold in Target stores nationwide.

BlocPower, founded by Donnel Baird in 2014, modernizes building infrastructure in low-income communities by transitioning them to clean energy sources and improving safety. The company has raised over $100 million from Wall Street and Silicon Valley investors and has partnered with cities across the country to create greener, safer spaces for residents.

Harry's Inc. was founded in 2011 by Andy Katz-Mayfield and Jeff Raider to disrupt the razor industry by offering direct-to-consumer sales at lower prices. One co-founder had prior D2C experience from Warby Parker, but the team faced significant challenges including factory partnerships in Germany and a failed merger. The company has since grown into a major player in shaving, expanding both online and into retail stores, and diversifying into other household products.

Dandelion Energy, founded by Kathy Hannun (formerly at Google's X innovation lab), is bringing geothermal heat pump technology to American households as a sustainable alternative to oil heating. The company focuses on making geothermal energy accessible for heating and cooling across the northeastern United States.

CreativeMornings is a free, community-driven event series founded by Tina Roth-Eisenberg that brings local creatives together. Starting from a co-working space in New York City, the platform has grown to over 200 chapters worldwide through organic community building and collaboration.

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema was founded in the early 1990s by Tim League, who invested $50,000 to lease an abandoned movie theater and transform it into a unique entertainment venue combining dinner service with cinema. The company grew to 40 locations across the country with over $300 million in revenue by building a loyal customer base through creative movie-and-food pairings, experiential events, and word-of-mouth marketing. Despite facing challenges including early failures, legal disputes, and pandemic losses, the chain became a thriving national brand known for its unconventional approach to movie going.

Cotopaxi is an outdoor gear and clothing brand founded by Davis Smith that operates under the 'Gear for Good' philosophy, using recycled and remnant materials while donating portions of revenue to nonprofits fighting poverty. After nine years of building the company and successfully navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, Smith is stepping down as CEO to pursue a three-year mission leadership role in Brazil with his church.

Monique Rodriguez transformed her hobby of making natural haircare products for textured hair into Mielle Organics, a global beauty brand. Starting with homegrown experiments posted on Instagram, she and her husband Melvin built the business through self-education via internet research, trade shows, and conferences, eventually creating a massive haircare and beauty brand.

Landed is a for-profit company founded by Alex Lofton and two co-founders in 2015 that helps Americans build wealth and achieve homeownership by providing down payment assistance in exchange for a share in the home's eventual appreciation. The company targets essential workers like educators and healthcare professionals who face barriers to homeownership due to high down payments and stagnant wages relative to housing costs.