I faced rejection from investors at least 50 times while fundraising, and it was tough to determine if my challenges were due to being a brown woman without a higher degree or simply lacking progress.

When I transitioned from academia to starting a tech company, I didn't have many role models, especially in Miami, which wasn't a startup hub at the time.

It's important to recognize that many founders do not fit the typical mold, and the presence of women of color in entrepreneurship is inspiring and essential.

As a female founder, I recognize the importance of diversity in technology companies, especially given the low representation of women in the field.

At 31, I was called in as the CEO of Halo, despite knowing very little about biotech, and we had only three months of cash on hand with no VC dollars invested.

I never saw myself becoming a founder or CEO; I grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, far from Silicon Valley, and was more focused on social justice during my youth.

I applied to Y Combinator without knowing that being a single non-technical founder might be a disadvantage, and I'm glad I did because it changed the trajectory of my life and business.

I worked as an engineer at Abbott Vascular and a smaller startup, but I felt an urge to start my own company at 24, driven by my past health experiences.

After selling my company, I was invited to be the first healthcare and biotech partner at Y Combinator, where I could share my story and help other founders.