When Lily Vittayarukskul first stepped into the role of a caregiver for her terminally ill aunt, she quickly realized that long-term care planning was an overwhelming maze of financial, emotional, and logistical challenges. The experience was personal, frustrating, and all too common—millions of families across the U.S. struggle with understanding care options, predicting costs, and making informed decisions.

What began as a personal struggle soon turned into a mission. In December 2021, Vittayarukskul founded Waterlily, a San Francisco-based AI startup designed to help families and financial advisors navigate the complexities of long-term care.

From Aerospace Engineering to AI-Driven Care Solutions

Before launching Waterlily, Vittayarukskul’s career path was far from healthcare or financial advisory. She studied aerospace engineering before transitioning into genetics and data science, focusing on how AI could be leveraged for decision-making in complex fields.

Her background in data modeling gave her a unique advantage—she saw an opportunity to bring predictive intelligence to an industry that lacked transparency and clear guidance.

“When my aunt was diagnosed with terminal colon cancer, my family had to make decisions on her care without fully understanding the long-term financial or logistical implications,” Vittayarukskul shared. “We had questions, but no simple way to get answers.”

That experience laid the foundation for Waterlily’s AI-powered platform, which helps users predict costs, explore funding options, and make data-driven care decisions tailored to their unique situations.

How Waterlily Works: AI Meets Personalized Long-Term Care Planning

Long-term care planning is often reactive rather than proactive. Many families don’t think about it until they’re in crisis mode—scrambling to arrange home care, assisted living, or nursing support while struggling to understand the costs involved.

Waterlily changes that.

Key Features of Waterlily’s AI Platform:

1. Cost Prediction Modeling: The platform estimates the future costs of long-term care based on individual health, location, and financial circumstances.
2. Funding Strategy Guidance: Users receive personalized recommendations on how to pay for care, including insurance, Medicaid eligibility, and out-of-pocket costs.
3. Real-Time Updates: AI-driven insights adapt as circumstances change, ensuring that families always have the most relevant and accurate information.

“We’re not just helping families plan,” Vittayarukskul explains. “We’re enabling them to make decisions with confidence—before a crisis hits.”

Waterlily’s AI-driven approach bridges the gap between families and financial advisors, providing both with actionable insights in a market that has historically lacked transparency.

Investor Backing and Market Impact

Waterlily has quickly caught the attention of investors who see the potential in AI-powered financial planning tools. The startup recently secured seed funding led by John Kim, founding partner of Brewer Lane Ventures, two firms known for backing early-stage AI and fintech solutions.

With an aging population and rising healthcare costs, the demand for personalized, data-driven long-term care solutions is only growing. Waterlily’s model positions it at the intersection of AI, healthcare, and financial planning, making it a standout player in an underserved market.

Vittayarukskul sees Waterlily as more than just a business—it’s a movement toward proactive, informed caregiving.

Looking Ahead: The Future of AI in Long-Term Care

As Waterlily scales, the company is expanding its AI capabilities to provide even more precise predictions and integrate with existing financial planning software used by advisors.

The vision? 

A world where long-term care planning isn’t an afterthought—it’s a seamless, accessible, and data-driven process that empowers families before they reach a point of crisis.

Vittayarukskul sums it up:
“Care planning shouldn’t be a guessing game. With the right data and AI-driven insights, families can take control of their future rather than being blindsided by it.”

And with Waterlily leading the charge, the future of long-term care might just be smarter, simpler, and more compassionate than ever before.