Salar ShahiniFounder

United States - Austin, Texas

I grew up in Iran and fell in love with entrepreneurship at age 13, when I made pinback buttons featuring Persian cartoon characters and sold them at school. Those early days inspired me to save up, move to the U.S., and earn a Master’s in engineering. Along the way, I created a deep tech solution to help cities manage their assets—now used by 400+ municipalities across US and Canada—and launched my first company by age 23. I’ve also lived in Istanbul and frequently relocated, which taught me firsthand the power of finding welcoming communities in each new place. Fitness was always the only way I was able to find belonging.

When I moved to Austin a couple of years ago, I struggled once again to join the right fitness and wellness communities. I realized these communities lacked the tools they needed to grow and get discovered—so we founded SweatPals to change that. Today, I’m passionate about making health and fitness communities accessible, creating that sense of belonging we all crave.

I love discussing startups, health, fitness and wellness, community building, tech, and entrepreneurship—and I’ve shared my insights at TEDx, Boston Globe, and CBS. If any of these topics spark your interest, feel free to reach out!