HBS founders you should know about

A love letter to the Class of 2025

This week’s post is a spotlight on some of my favorite founder friends at HBS—people I’ve watched build really cool things from the ground up during their time here.

I’m getting sentimental because the MBA class I started with is officially graduating. We have less than three weeks left together before everyone skips town to travel, only to reunite in Harvard Yard at the end of May. And while my official diploma won’t come until 2027, I will always claim Class of 2025.

But this year, I’m fake graduating, and I’m going all in. Cap and gown? Ordered. Graduation trip? Booked. And as SA Co-Presidents, Hayden and I are speaking at Class Day and leading the walk to the Yard on graduation day. For the next six weeks, I’m playing the part. Thank you in advance for your support.

Now let’s talk about entrepreneurship at HBS.

There’s this long-standing reputation that HBS isn’t for founders. I disagree. HBS is what you make of it—and thanks to its size and resources, you can almost always find someone who's obsessed with the same niche idea you are. I’ve tapped into it myself: Startup Bootcamp working on a dog wearable (which evolved into Omi Health, below), and Rock Center Summer Fellows, where I focused on Jolene, my decaf and half-caf cold brew baby.

Still, the best part of HBS? The people. These are a few of the founders I feel lucky to know and learn from.

1. Coord: Women’s health gets complicated. Coord Health is here to make it easy.

Christina Vosbikian and I met on day one of training at Goldman Sachs—before HBS, before Coord, before any of this. Since then, I’ve watched her stay laser-focused on one thing: improving women’s healthcare. I’ve always admired her so much for it.

Coord is a digital platform that offers women on-demand support from nurses, dietitians, and health coaches—so instead of spiraling on Google, you can get real answers from real people. Whether you’re trying to decode a symptom, navigate a new diagnosis, or just want someone to talk to between your OBGYN appointments, Coord has your back. Think 1-on-1 telehealth, group sessions, and text-based support.

You can get started at www.coordhealth.com, and follow along on Instagram at @coord_health. Christina’s built a powerhouse team that’s ready to support you with whatever you’re navigating!

2. SECONDSENSE: Think Google Flights, but for Fashion

Chris Lucas is one of those people who walks into a room and immediately elevates it. His taste is next level (see every single one of his Coachella outfits), so it makes sense that he built a company solving one of resale’s biggest inefficiencies: pricing transparency.

SECONDSENSE is a resale market intelligence platform that aggregates listings across The RealReal, ReBag, Fashionphile, and more, allowing users to compare prices and understand the real market value of luxury items. The same bag can be listed for $500 or $1,500 depending on the platform. SECONDSENSE takes the guesswork out, allowing you to make smarter decisions.

Chris grew up in a family of entrepreneurs, and you can tell. He moves fast, thinks deeply, and cares a lot about both user experience and brand. I sent this one to my dad the second it launched. Safe to say, the Waldens are SECONDSENSE’s biggest fans.

3. Omi Health: Wellness-First Pet Insurance Built for the Modern Pet Parent

This one’s personal.

Omi Health started as a dog wellness wearable during Startup Bootcamp, where I worked on the idea with founder, Sindu Chaparala. But it was never just about a device. It all began with her own mini goldendoodle, Omi.

Sindu is my go-to for all things wellness—the one I text for supplement recs and lymphatic drainage hacks. So when she got Omi and saw how broken (and reactive) the pet health system really is, she set out to build what she wished existed: an insurance experience actually designed to keep pets healthy, not one that shows up only after they’re sick.

Omi Health is rethinking pet insurance from the ground up. 24/7 vet access. Personalized wellness plans across nutrition, dental, behavior, and more. Early intervention support to help you stay ahead of problems, not just pay for them after the fact.

They’re offering free early access right now, so DM @omipethealth or visit joinomi.com to check it out. Rosie and I are obviously already on board!

4. Pearle: A Luxury Vegan Alternatives Company

Ash Overbeek is that girl. Before HBS, she worked in luxury fashion and contemporary art, where she became intimately familiar with what it means to throw a party. And at those events? A lot of caviar.

But here’s the thing: sturgeon are one of the most endangered species groups on the planet. Traditional caviar harvesting is cruel. Ash knew there had to be a better way, so she created Pearle, a luxury plant-based food company starting with vegan caviar.

Pearle’s first product looks and tastes just like the real thing—but it’s sustainable, ethical, and still fancy enough to serve at any black-tie affair. It’s positioned not as a compromise, but as a true 1:1 replacement. You can pre-order now at ilovepearle.com, and follow along at @ilovepearle.

And if you know any businesses or investors who should be part of Pearle’s story, send them Ash’s way—$300K raised, $200K left, and two weeks until close.

5. Fönn

Lilja Gylfadottir and Lauren Huff didn’t come to HBS planning to start a business. But when Lilja couldn’t find the Icelandic skyr bowls she grew up loving, she and Lauren decided to bring them here.

Together, they created Fönn (pronounced “fun”), a skyr-based smoothie bowl company focused on protein-rich, low-sugar, nutrient-dense meals that actually taste good. Each bowl features layers of creamy skyr, fruit smoothie, and crunchy toppings. They’re already catering in Boston and NYC, launching in a food hall this summer, and opening their first retail location in 2026.

Watch it all unfold at @fonn_skyrbowls on Instagram and TikTok, and reach out with ideas or for catering at lhuff@mba2025.hbs.edu and lgylfadottir@mba2025.hbs.edu. I’m truly so excited for the world to get to try these!

What defines success at HBS? It depends who you ask. But for me, there’s something especially powerful about watching people turn ideas into real things. These five have done just that, and I couldn’t be prouder to know them.

I’ll end this one with a thank you to Professor Reza Satchu. I pitched Jolene on the second day of The Entrepreneurial Manager (TEM), and that moment sparked a relationship that would shape the rest of my time here. Reza taught us that magic happens when you commit. That it’s only in committing that you start to see your full potential. And I know I’m not alone—his impact lives in the stories of so many founders at HBS.

Until Sunday,
Taylor

P.S. Yes, I did spend the day with Alix Earle yesterday—and yes, she was just as iconic IRL.