LumenUs helps automate tedious paperwork in times of grief

When Sara Tashakorinia lost her husband in a car accident eight years ago, she was overwhelmed with the task of sorting through approximately 570 hours of paperwork required to settle his affairs. This is a common experience for millions of people each year: a significant loss followed by an abundance of tedious administrative work.

Tashakorinia, who volunteered to help others navigate this process, realized that AI could be utilized to streamline the least human aspects of the procedure, such as locating necessary tax forms, filing insurance claims, and terminating bank accounts. This led to the founding of LumenUs, a grief care platform aimed at alleviating some of the administrative burden faced by grieving families.

Tashakorinia hopes that LumenUs will eventually support individuals throughout the entire grieving process, but initially focuses on providing assistance during the initial stages following a death. Upon joining the platform, users complete an onboarding process, answering specific questions about their unique situation. This information helps the platform prioritize tasks based on urgency, enabling users to distinguish between immediate needs and tasks that can wait.

Additionally, LumenUs can potentially identify individuals entitled to unclaimed funds, which often amount to billions in life insurance benefits. Built by Tashakorinia and her co-founders Sajad Mirzaei and Larry Keeley, LumenUs incorporates cybersecurity expertise to handle sensitive personal and financial data. To ensure the product's effectiveness, the team collaborates with clinicians and social workers during its testing phase.

LumenUs, a participant in this year's Startup Battlefield 200, will be available for early access starting in October.