CareYaya Health Technologies is an Americanhealth technologycompany founded in 2022 by Neal K. Shah and Gavry Eshet. The company operates a digital platform and mobile application that connects patients and medical students as caregivers.[1]
CareYaya was founded in 2022 by Neal K. Shah and Gavry Eshet in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina. The idea for the company actually orginated from Shah’s personal experience of providing care for a family member, which led him to explore more affordable models of caregiving through connections with college students training in healthcare fields.[2][3][4] A former hedge fund manager, Shah encountered challenges accessing affordable and quality in-home care. He observed that families were informally recruiting student caregivers, such as nursing or pre-medical students through campus flyers. This led to the concept of creating a formal technology platform to connect families with aspiring healthcare students.[5]
CareYaya derives its name from the term “Yaya”, commonly meaning grandmother or caregiver in various languages, and functions as an acronym for “You Are Your Advocate”, signifying its emphasis on support and advocacy.[6]
Neal K. Shah co-founded CareYaya with Gavry Eshet. The platform started as a UNC, NC State, and Duke university pilot program and by early 2023, had facilitated approximately 2,000 caregiver matches for around 800 families in North Carolina's Triangle region.[7][8]
CareYaya operates as an online caregiver registry rather than a licensed home care agency.[9][10] Caregivers are paid directly by families, with typical rates ranging from $17 to $20 per hour. This cost is lower than traditional home care agencies, which often charge $30–$35 per hour.[11] The platform’s model seeks to increase care affordability and provide healthcare-related work experience for students.[12][13]
Platform and service
CareYaya is a United States-based caregiving platform that connects families with student caregivers for non-medical in-home support.[13] The service operates on an on-demand model similar to ride-sharing platforms, allowing users to request assistance via the CareYaya website or mobile application.[14] Families outline care needs and are matched with student caregivers; CareYaya vets students through background checks and video interviews before network admission.[15][16]
The platform recruits pre-health and nursing students from universities including Duke, Harvard, Stanford and other universities.[17] As of 2024, it had over 25,000 enrolled students. It provides non-medical services to support daily living and mitigate risks like social isolation, caregiver fatigue, and accidental falls.[18]
CareYaya operates without charging commissions or booking fees, and the platform is free to access. Its funding is derived from philanthropic contributions and grants.[19] Users, including care recipients and families, can provide ratings and reviews of caregivers following services, which serve as a mechanism for quality assessment.[20]
As of 2024, CareYaya’s network had grown to cover regions within a 30–45 minute radius of at least 28 college campuses. Originating in North Carolina, the platform expanded into South Carolina in 2023 through partnerships with institutions such as the College of Charleston,[21][22] and subsequently into Georgia, Florida, and California by 2024–2025.[23][24][25]
Use of artificial intelligence
CareYaya is a company that operates a caregiving marketplace and an applied research division.[26][27] In 2024, it launched QuikTok, an AI companion service accessible by regular telephone for older adults.[28] The service uses a large language model for voice conversations, aiming to reduce loneliness and passively monitor for signs of cognitive or mental health changes.[29] It is distributed free through partnerships with the AARP's AgeTech Collaborative and the Johns Hopkins AITC for Aging.[30]
Medical studies have linked chronic loneliness in older adults to adverse health outcomes, prompting researchers to explore AI companions as potential interventions.[citation needed] CareYaya reports that the QuikTok system is designed to provide cognitive stimulation and emotional engagement for users.[31]
CareYaya has developed tools for older adults with dementia and neurodegenerative conditions, including AI-based art therapy applications enabling digital artwork creation[32] and virtual reality programs designed for individuals with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease.[33][34]
In 2024, CareYaya introduced MedaCareLLM, an artificial intelligence platform integrated with smart glasses to assist individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.[35] The system employs computer vision for facial and object recognition, providing real-time audio prompts via bone-conduction technology. Features include name recall, object identification, and medication reminders. The initiative, OpenMind, collects care session data for dementia research and was presented at CES 2024, later becoming a finalist in the National Institute on Aging’s 2025 Start-Up Challenge.[36][37]
Partners and achievements
In February 2025, the American Heart Association’s Social Impact Fund,[38] supported by the Grubhub Community Fund, awarded funding to CareYaya as one of four selected ventures.[39] The recognition cited its network of over 25,000 student caregivers and potential role in addressing caregiver shortages and reducing health disparities, with involvement from former U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin.
In 2023, the City of Raleigh awarded CareYaya a Spring 2023 Impact Partner Grant for its involvement in the local innovation sector and services for underserved elder care populations.[40] The organization also participated in the AARP AgeTech Collaborative, joining a network of aging-focused startups and engaging in senior living pilot programs.[41]
The company has partnered with Johns Hopkins University’s AITC for Aging,[42] an NIH-funded initiative, to develop AI tools for dementia care, with additional support from Atrium Health and regional accelerators such as Launch Chapel Hill and RIoT.[43][44]
In 2024, CareYaya ranked 21st on LinkedIn’s U.S. “Top Startups” list and joined TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield.[45][46]
CareYaya has been mentioned in U.S. media discussions on caregiving and aging, including coverage in The Wall Street Journal and Barron’s.[47][48] Its model of student caregivers paired with older adults has been cited in debates on addressing long-term care challenges.
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Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States