CareYaya Health Technologies
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Health technology, caregiving |
| Founded | 2022 |
| Founder | Neal K. Shah, Gavry Eshet |
| Headquarters | Research Triangle Park, North Carolina , United States |
Area served | United States (primarily North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California) |
Key people | Neal K. Shah, Gavry Eshet |
| Products | Digital platform and mobile app connecting patients with student caregivers; AI-driven companion services; AI tools for dementia care |
| Website | careyaya |
CareYaya Health Technologies is a U.S.-based health tech firm established in 2022 by Neal K. Shah and Gavry Eshet. Situated in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park, CareYaya runs a digital platform and mobile application that links patients with medical students serving as caregivers. The company meets the need for cost-effective home care by utilizing a network of healthcare students to deliver in-home assistance.
History
CareYaya was created between 2021 and 2022 by Neal K. Shah, previously a hedge fund manager, alongside Gavry Eshet. The concept arose from Shah’s personal challenges in securing affordable and accessible in-home care during his wife’s illness. Noticing informal methods of recruiting student caregivers on college campuses, Shah designed a structured technology platform to connect families with nursing and pre-medical students interested in caregiving roles.
The brand name "CareYaya" draws from “Yaya,” a term meaning grandmother or caregiver in multiple languages, while also representing the phrase “You Are Your Advocate,” underscoring the company’s commitment to support and empowerment.
Initially tested at UNC, NC State, and Duke universities, by early 2023 CareYaya had completed approximately 2,000 caregiver placements serving nearly 800 families within the Triangle area. Rather than functioning as a licensed home care agency, the platform operates as an online registry of caregivers. Families pay caregivers directly at rates generally ranging from $17 to $20 per hour—substantially lower than the $30–$35 per hour charged by traditional agencies. This approach strives to improve affordability while providing healthcare-related work opportunities for students.
Platform and Service
CareYaya offers a U.S.-based caregiving marketplace that connects families with student caregivers for non-clinical in-home support. Following an on-demand model akin to ride-sharing services, users request help through the CareYaya website or mobile app. Care requirements are specified by families and matched with thoroughly vetted student caregivers who undergo background checks and video interviews.
The platform recruits pre-health and nursing students from prestigious institutions including Duke, Harvard, and Stanford. By 2024, it had enrolled over 25,000 students providing non-medical assistance aimed at supporting daily activities and mitigating risks such as social isolation and caregiver burnout.
CareYaya does not impose commissions or booking fees; access to the platform remains free for users. Its financial backing comes from philanthropic donations and grants. After services are delivered, families can evaluate and provide feedback on caregivers to maintain quality assurance.
As of 2024, CareYaya’s service area encompassed regions within a 30–45 minute commute of at least 28 university campuses. Originating in North Carolina, the company expanded into South Carolina in 2023 through collaborations with institutions like the College of Charleston, followed by growth into Georgia, Florida, and California during 2024–2025.
Innovative Technology
Alongside its caregiving marketplace, CareYaya maintains an applied research division focused on innovation. In 2024, it introduced QuikTok, an AI-driven companion service accessible via standard telephone lines designed for older adults. Leveraging a large language model for voice interaction, QuikTok aims to alleviate loneliness and monitor cognitive or mental health changes. This service is offered free through partnerships with AARP’s AgeTech Collaborative and Johns Hopkins AITC for Aging.
Medical studies associate chronic loneliness among seniors with adverse health effects, positioning AI companions like QuikTok as important interventions. CareYaya highlights the system’s role in fostering cognitive engagement and emotional connection.
Additionally, the company has developed AI-powered tools tailored for older adults affected by dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases. These include digital art therapy applications that promote creativity and virtual reality programs specifically designed for patients with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease.
In 2024, CareYaya launched MedaCareLLM—an AI platform integrated into smart glasses aimed at assisting individuals with Alzheimer’s and related dementias. Utilizing computer vision technology for facial recognition and object identification, the system delivers real-time audio prompts through bone-conduction headphones. Features encompass recalling names, identifying objects, and providing medication reminders. The OpenMind initiative gathers data from care sessions to support dementia research; this technology was presented at CES 2024 and became a finalist in the National Institute on Aging’s Start-Up Challenge for 2025.
Partners and Achievements
In February 2025, CareYaya was selected as one of four recipients of funding from the American Heart Association’s Social Impact Fund, backed by the Grubhub Community Fund. This award recognized the company’s extensive network of more than 25,000 student caregivers and its capacity to alleviate caregiver shortages while addressing health inequities, with involvement from former U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin.
During 2023, the City of Raleigh honored CareYaya with a Spring 2023 Impact Partner Grant in acknowledgment of its contributions to local innovation and services catering to underserved elder care communities. Additionally, the company engaged in the AARP AgeTech Collaborative, collaborating with startups focused on aging and participating in senior living pilot initiatives.
CareYaya established a partnership with Johns Hopkins University’s AITC for Aging, an NIH-supported program, to create AI-driven solutions for dementia care. This collaboration received backing from Atrium Health as well as regional accelerators including Launch Chapel Hill and RIoT.
In 2024, CareYaya achieved a ranking of 21st on LinkedIn’s list of top U.S. startups and competed in TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield.
The organization has garnered coverage in prominent U.S. media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal and Barron’s regarding caregiving and aging topics. Its innovative approach of connecting student caregivers with older adults is frequently referenced in conversations about long-term care strategies.