Lily Vittayarukskul was a college student at just 14 and on track for a career in aerospace engineering. However, an aunt’s cancer battle later upended those plans, wreaking havoc on her family and their finances. The experience inspired her to launch the AI-powered startup Waterlily, helping people better predict expenses for getting older, including eldercare or assisted living, costs most don’t realize aren’t fully covered by either health insurance or Medicare. In this talk, Lily wades through the mounting data showing how super-ageing societies will struggle to afford long-term care needs. She also shares the tough lessons her personal story taught her and what others can do to prepare for an aging economy.

This interview was recorded January 2025 at the Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland

About this episode:
Waterlily: https://www.waterlily.com/

Related World Economic Forum Initiatives:
Waterlily is an Uplink Innovator

About Uplink: https://uplink.weforum.org/

About the Uplink / Manulife - Prosperity in Longevity Challenge
https://uplink.weforum.org/uplink/s/uplink-issue/a00TE000003HcDrYAK/prospering-in-longevity-challenge

World Economic Forum Longevity Economy Initiative: https://initiatives.weforum.org/financial-resilience-for-every-generation/home

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Meet The Leader - Adam Grant: Future leaders won't succeed without this key trait https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buVVIpttzUA

Meet The Leader - How leaders can prepare teams for the future of work: ADP’s Chief Economist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShvNPomJ4mE&t=508s

The ‘inevitable’ caregiving cost nightmare: One young founder's story and solution

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