CETA Alumnus Makes Forbes’ “30 Under 30” List

Kaelaan Maynor '20 has made Forbes' "30 Under 30" list in the "social impact" category for his work as a co-founder and chief technology officer of Counter Fin, an AI-enabled platform to help people successfully file for disability and leave benefits.

"It is a distinct privilege to be recognized alongside such an inspiring group of leaders on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list," Maynor says. "This award is a testament to the importance of the problem we are solving at Counter."

Maynor founded Counter in 2024 with his friend Camron Brown, who lost his ability to walk in 2021 due to Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP). The platform uses AI to improve the accuracy of disability claim applications, thereby reducing delays and increasing approvals.

Maynor says what he learned in the College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture laid the groundwork for his future career. At UHart, he says, "I had the freedom to work on interdisciplinary projects through events like the CETA Design Expo. Although I was a mechanical engineering major, I was able to work on robotics projects where I built circuits and developed code. I learned that engineering is about more than just hardware; it's about solving problems using every tool available."

That background, he says, was an important steppingstone to co-founding Counter. "We are applying that same engineering mindset to fix a complex problem, which is the foundation of our company's mission."