Revolutionizing Allergy Management with Immuny.ai Co-founders Luna Li & Mackenzie Dennill

Welcome to the inaugural episode of the 18VC Podcast, a student-run show featuring the stories of student founders, operators, and investors. In this premiere, co-hosts Phillip and Lucas sit down with Mackenzie Dennill and Luna Li, the co-founders of Immuny, a startup born out of the USC ecosystem that is tackling the complex world of pediatric allergy management.

Mackenzie and Luna share their journey from meeting at a USC hackathon to pivoting their business through extensive research and personal experience. Mackenzie, a Sag/Aftra actor and grad alum, discusses navigating her own severe allergies and the anxiety of introducing food to her child, while Luna, an undergrad and former stand-up comedian, shares how her mother’s evolving seafood allergies fueled her passion for the project.

In this episode, we dive into:

• The Origin Story: How a USC "Origin Weekend" hackathon team took third place and evolved from "Don't Sweat It" into Immuny.
• The Problem with "Avoidance": Why traditional allergy management is often "old school" and how the co-founders are shifting the focus from reactive treatment to preventive exposure management.
• AI as an Ally: How Immuny.ai uses an AI agent to track patterns via voice and photos, helping parents and doctors see a full picture of a child’s food introduction journey.
• Building Community: The creation of "Bea" the bee and using storytelling to support parents and children.
• The Founder’s Hustle: Balancing stand-up comedy, acting, and parenthood with the demands of building a startup, including tips for networking and leveraging university resources like the USC Viterbi TIE Hub and the USC Marshall Lloyd Greif Center.

Whether you are a fellow student founder or someone interested in how AI is impacting healthcare, this conversation offers a deep dive into the grit and vision required to turn a personal struggle into a life-saving solution.