Tessa Laurens & Izzy Yang: From Solo Projects to Co-Founders

Winsor School · SIP, Fall 2025

Tessa and Izzy share how two separate SIP projects led them to start a club together.

Tessa and Izzy went through SIP in different cohorts, each tackling a problem close to home. Tessa tore her ACL just as the program began and built Fortify, an app to help teen girls prevent ACL injuries. Izzy built Mentra, a quick journaling app that helps student athletes reflect and build a healthier mindset around their sport. Afterward, the two teamed up to start a social entrepreneurship club at their school as sophomores.

In this episode, Tessa and Izzy talk about the interviews that changed their thinking, turning personal experiences into projects, and what it takes to build a club from scratch.

Their advice: "If not now, then when? If not you, then who?"

Ready to start your own story? In twelve weeks, you'll pick a problem you care about, test your ideas with real people, and find out what you're capable of.