On the TechVancouver stage ×1
First seen on the TechVancouver stage in 2018. Every talk is searchable — ask the archive about Avni ↗
In their words
I started Poppy because I had a problem and I was really convinced that tech could help me solve it.
When an idea gets into your brain and you just can't shake it, that's a really good sign that you're onto something that you should probably be trying to pursue.
Fundraising does make it hard because there's this concept of pattern recognition, and so I don't fit a pattern when you don't have a tech pedigree, when you're female, when you're a minority.
Quick answers
What company does Avni Patel Thompson run now?
As of 2026 she is Founder and CEO of Milo, an AI copilot for parents that tackles the behind-the-scenes 'invisible load' of running a family. Milo is backed by Y Combinator, OpenAI and other investors.
What was her earlier startup Poppy?
Poppy was a Y Combinator-backed, Seattle-based on-demand childcare marketplace she founded and led as CEO, matching parents with vetted caregivers. It wound down in December 2018.
What is her professional background?
Before startups she worked in brand management at Procter & Gamble and later at Starbucks, and holds an MBA. She began founding consumer startups around 2012.