Since founding Garbo in 2018, Kathryn Kosmides has pioneered a transformative approach to safety in the dating ecosystem through her New York-based background check platform specifically engineered for relationship contexts. Drawing from her personal experience as a survivor of violence, she conceptualized and built a service that empowers individuals to access non-profit background checks on potential romantic partners, surfacing critical public records related to violence or abuse before in-person meetings occur. Under her leadership as Founder and CEO, Garbo has established itself as an essential trust and safety infrastructure layer for the modern dating industry.
Kosmides' entrepreneurial journey reflects a mission-driven commitment to preventing harm at scale, translating lived experience into technological intervention. Her decision to structure Garbo as a non-profit background check service distinguishes the platform from traditional screening tools, positioning it as a public safety resource rather than a commercial data product. This strategic positioning has enabled partnerships with major dating platforms seeking to integrate proactive safety measures into their user experience without creating prohibitive cost barriers.
Her expertise lies at the intersection of trust and safety architecture, trauma-informed product design, and the ethical deployment of public records data. Kosmides brings strategic value through her unique ability to navigate the complex regulatory landscape surrounding background checks while maintaining user privacy and accessibility as core principles. By addressing a critical gap in dating safety infrastructure, she has positioned Garbo as both a risk mitigation tool for platforms and an empowerment resource for individuals navigating the vulnerabilities inherent in meeting strangers through digital channels.
Garbo