Loneliness is a weird thing. You can be at the top of your game, running a multi-billion dollar tech company, and still feel completely adrift. That’s exactly where Michelle Kennedy found herself back in 2014. She was the deputy CEO of Badoo and a board member at Bumble—basically a titan of the "swipe right" world—but when she had her first son, Finlay, she realized the tech she helped build for dating didn't exist for the one thing she actually needed: a friend who understood why she was crying over a diaper change at 3:00 AM.
Most people looking into the "Kristina & Michelle Kennedy" story are often searching for a sister act or a co-founding duo that fits a specific narrative. Honestly? The reality is a bit different. While Michelle is the powerhouse face and the driving force behind the Peanut app, the story of how this platform actually came to be involves a deep background in high-stakes law, a pivot from dating to "mating" (the platonic kind), and a partnership with CTO Greg Orlowski rather than a sibling co-founder.
The Law Degree That Started It All
Michelle didn't just wake up and decide to be a tech founder. She was a corporate lawyer first. She studied at the University of Sheffield, working bar jobs and bank shifts to get through. That legal training is actually her "secret sauce."
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When you’re a lawyer, you’re trained to hunt for risk. You look for the holes in the story. You ask the "nosy" questions. Michelle has often said that being a lawyer gave her a "license" to be inquisitive. When she moved in-house for a biotech company, she was poached for her ability to handle mergers and acquisitions. It was glamorous, sure, but it wasn't her.
Eventually, a tip from a colleague led her to Badoo. She joined as General Counsel, but her curiosity didn't let her stay in the legal lane. She wanted to know why the business made certain decisions. How did the growth happen? Why was the UX designed that way? That nosiness propelled her from the legal office to the Deputy CEO chair.
Why Peanut Isn’t Just "Tinder for Moms"
People love a simple comparison. "Oh, it's just Tinder for moms," they say. Michelle hates that. It makes her cringe. Why? Because the intent behind the swipe is fundamentally different.
On a dating app, you’re often looking for a spark, a romantic connection, or let's be real, a quick hookup. On Peanut, you're looking for survival. You're looking for the woman who also hasn't slept in three days and won't judge you for the state of your kitchen.
The Problem With Old-School Forums
Before Peanut launched in 2017, the options for new mothers were... bleak.
- Outdated Forums: Think clunky interfaces from 2004 with "TTC" (Trying to Conceive) acronyms that felt like a secret code.
- Infantilizing Tone: Everything was painted in pastels. The language was soft and "mommy-fied."
- Lack of Safety: Moderation was hit or miss, and anti-vax rhetoric often drowned out actual medical advice.
Michelle saw this and felt insulted. She hadn't suddenly lost her desire for good UX or a modern brand just because she’d had a baby. She wanted an app that looked like Instagram but functioned like a lifeline.
The Pivot to "The Life Cycle of Womanhood"
If you look at Peanut today, it’s not just for moms. This is a common misconception. The company has aggressively expanded to cover the entire experience of being a woman.
- Fertility: Support for those navigating the "trying to conceive" (TTC) journey, which is often a silent, lonely struggle.
- Pregnancy: Connecting women who are due in the same month so they can track their milestones together.
- Motherhood: The original core—finding local playdates and venting about the "fourth trimester."
- Menopause: Launched later to support women going through a life stage that is historically ignored by tech.
By 2026, the platform has grown to over 5 million users. They’ve raised upwards of $23 million from heavy hitters like Index Ventures and the Female Founders Fund. But it wasn't an easy sell.
Facing the "Wealthy Aunt" Gap
Raising money as a woman in tech is notoriously difficult. Michelle has been vocal about the "mansplaining" she faced in boardrooms. She’d be describing the isolation of motherhood to a room full of male VCs who would just stare back at her blankly. They didn't "get" the problem because they hadn't lived it.
She didn't have a "friends and family" round because she didn't know anyone who could just write a £50,000 check. She had to bootstrap until she could prove the numbers.
This experience led her to start StartHER, a micro-fund. She calls it being the "wealthy auntie" for other underrepresented founders. After she had a "liquidity moment" with her stake in Bumble, she decided to put her money where her mouth is. She doesn't just give advice; she gives capital to women, POC, and LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who are usually shut out of traditional VC circles.
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What Really Happened With the "Kristina" Confusion
There is often a search trend linking "Kristina" and "Michelle Kennedy." In the world of high-profile entrepreneurs, people often mix up names or look for a specific family connection. While Michelle has spoken about her strong Irish mother who pushed her to be ambitious, the business "partner" narrative is often misattributed.
The actual technical co-founder of Peanut was Greg Orlowski (who was also a co-founder of Deliveroo). They built the initial architecture together. The confusion around names often stems from the tight-knit circle of female founders in the UK—names like Whitney Wolfe Herd (Bumble) or even Kristina Salen (former CFO of Etsy/World Wrestling Entertainment) sometimes get swirled into the same "women in tech" search queries.
But make no mistake: Peanut is Michelle’s vision. She’s the one who decided that the app should use machine learning to block abusive language. She’s the one who insisted on a "no anti-vax" policy to keep the community safe.
Actionable Insights for the Modern Entrepreneur
If you're looking at Michelle Kennedy's trajectory, there are a few things you can actually apply to your own life or business.
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- Audit Your "Nosiness": Don't stay in your lane. If you're a designer, learn the marketing. If you're a lawyer, learn the product. The most successful founders are the ones who understand every lever of their business.
- Solve Your Own Loneliness: The best products usually come from a "me search" (researching a problem you personally have). If you feel isolated in a specific life stage, chances are thousands of others do too.
- Vet Your Investors: Michelle famously says that investment is a two-way street. Don't just take money from anyone. If they don't respect your market or your vision, they will be a nightmare on your board.
- Embrace the "Pivot": Peanut wasn't always perfect. They tried video features that didn't work and eventually pivoted to "Pods" (audio rooms) because they realized moms often don't want to be on camera when they’re exhausted.
The Future of Community-Led Tech
The era of "anonymous" social media is dying. People are tired of the shouting matches on X (formerly Twitter) or the curated perfection of Instagram. We’re moving toward "walled gardens"—safe, moderated spaces where you can actually be vulnerable.
Michelle Kennedy didn't just build an app; she built a "village" for the digital age. Whether it’s navigating a miscarriage or figuring out HRT for menopause, the platform proves that "community" isn't just a buzzword. It’s a business model.
If you're starting a business or navigating a career change, remember Michelle’s "Plan A" philosophy. She didn't have a safety net when she left Badoo; she just had a 6-month notice period and enough grit to make sure her idea didn't fail. That’s the real secret. It’s not about having a perfect co-founder or a famous name—it’s about being too stubborn to let a good idea go to waste.