Impact Leaders: Kay Vasey, Head of Youth & Family at k-ID
For our inaugural episode of The Juice, the newsletter that brings you impact stories and journeys from global impact leaders, we had the pleasure of speaking with Kay Vasey. Kay is a tech lawyer, founder of MeshMinds (a gaming studio focused on educational games about sustainability), and now Head of Youth & Family at k-ID, a Singapore-based startup that recently raised $45 million in Series A funding to create a safer and more inclusive internet for children.
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So let’s start with the basics.
Tell us a bit about yourself, your professional path, and your career.
I studied law at Bristol University, and during that time, I was fortunate to be part of the Royal Air Force University Air Squadron, where I learned to fly. I initially thought I might join the Royal Air Force (RAF) full-time, and I had this "romantic" idea of dropping aid packages on Africa from helicopters. I soon realized that the RAF makes those decisions for you, and depending on your skills, you could just as easily end up on the front line, dropping bombs, which wasn't what I wanted. Plus, the commitment was for 12 years, and I wasn't ready for that.
Still, I loved flying, so I found a niche as an aviation lawyer. However, I also wanted to have kids, and the demands of the job were intense. Aviation transactions often close at all hours of the day because of global time differences so it didn't feel like the right fit for my life if I wanted to have a family.
I've always been interested in the arts and I wondered about professionals who have creative second life. Along the way, I connected with other lawyers who also had creative passions, and we decided to create a network to bridge the gap between the arts and business worlds. For example, we paired a hedge fund trader with a recent fashion graduate, and they ended up creating a men's fashion label. That's where the first idea came for creating "MeshMinds" - bringing people from different worlds together to "connect, collaborate and create".
What led you to Singapore, and how did your career evolve once you moved there?
Fast forward a bit, I moved to Singapore while still working as an aviation lawyer. But I wanted a change, so I leveraged MeshMinds to look for new opportunities. During my reach outs amongst the creative community in Singapore, I met the Head of Arts at the British Council and discovered he was leaving his role. I applied and was lucky enough to get it. My role was to bring British artists to Singapore for collaborations. It was a dream job, combining my organisational skills with my creative network. However, life threw me some curveballs, my dad became very ill, and I had to move back to London. At that point, I could no longer be part of the British Council.
I wondered whether I should reignite my legal career or perhaps try to revive MeshMinds, but with a focus on bringing people together from the art and technology worlds. Then I met a lawyer named Brad Theobald, who suggested I could use my startup experience to switch from aviation to become a technology lawyer. So I started helping friends with their startups, offering legal advice on raising funds and growing their businesses. But after my dad passed away, and having had two kids along the way, my husband and I realized we didn't want to raise them in London.
Back in Singapore, I continued working as a tech lawyer, but after a while, something didn't feel fulfilling. I noticed that big tech companies like Facebook, Google, and Apple were investing heavily in creativity, using creative people to market their products in unique ways. This piqued my interest in the world of creative technology. I did some research and found a handful of people in Singapore who were also working in this space. At the same time, a friend connected me with Honor Harder, the Director of ArtScience Museum in Singapore. She offered me the entire fourth floor of the museum for eight days to showcase creative technology projects from across Asia, completely free of charge.
How did you turn that initial opportunity at the ArtScience Museum into a growing venture, and what were some key partnerships that helped MeshMinds expand?
I reached out to one of the people I had found during my research, Dean Reinhard, a creative technologist. He was excited about the opportunity and brought on partners like Lenovo and HTC Vive, who provided us with computers and VR headsets. Autodesk even offered to teach some artists 3D printing. These tech companies were eager to collaborate, seeing the value in letting creative people showcase their products in innovative ways.
Our first show, in 2018, was a massive success, attracting almost 5,000 visitors. On the last day, something amazing happened: Apple's regional marketing team walked in, loved what they saw, and expressed interest in being part of our next show. This was a game-changer, and they ended up offering specialist workshops and loaning us high-end equipment, like $18,000 Mac computers, to support the artists and creative technologists for our next event.
We also received coverage from Tech in Asia, which caught the attention of Laura, a student in New York. She reached out to me, offering to intern with us for three months, fully funded. I couldn't believe it! During her time with us, she networked at an event and connected us with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). This led to a meeting in Bangkok, where I presented the interactive experiences we'd developed, and I iwe walked out with a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate on using creative technology to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
That second show in 2019 drew 10,000 people over ten days. With both Apple and UNEP on board everything snowballed. Banks, big tech companies and various organizations started approaching us for collaborations. This allowed us to set up two branches: a creative tech studio focused on profit-making services and a foundation dedicated to empowering artists and educating them on how to leverage technology.
MeshMinds was focused on bringing together art and tech for good. We worked with the principle of "educate, enable, empower." It's not enough to just teach someone a skill; you need to give them the tools to apply it and then help them showcase their work to the world.
What challenges did you face as MeshMinds grew, and what new directions are you exploring now?
As we grew, after five years, I realized I was taking on too much. I never had a proper operational partner to handle the logistics and execution while I focused on the vision. Eventually, I burned out. I woke up one day and realized I wasn't spending time with my kids, and MeshMinds had taken over my life. My passion had become my pain point, and I needed to extract myself from that situation.
I downsized the team and began focusing on projects without a client and that we owned. That's how Sky Farm Island came to life. I was inspired by my kids' interest in educational games on platforms like Roblox, and I thought we could use that platform to teach kids about food security and sustainable farming, especially in an urban environment like Singapore.
Most recently, we had our final show in September 2023, MeshMinds 3.0 at the ArtScience Museum. We launched Sky Farm Island, had VR experiences, film showcases, and attracted over 12,000 visitors. It was a great way to end that chapter, but I started wondering if I really wanted to continue full-time in this space.
Now, I'm shifting my focus. I'm working on Sky Farm Island as a passion project. While I was considering returning to my legal roots, I met Kieran Donovan, who's building a startup called k-ID, focused on creating a safer and more inclusive internet for kids. His vision energized me, and I recently joined as Head of Youth & Family I'm excited for this next chapter.
So, what do you think is the biggest opportunity you’re going after at the moment?
It’s been a wild ride, but I’ve enjoyed every part of it! Main opportunity at the moment? Well, it's definitely related to k-ID since that's where all of my time is going right now.
The big opportunity we're focusing on is building tools that empower parents to better understand and manage their children's online activities. Every 13-year-old is different, yet the rules governing what they can or cannot see are the same in each jurisdiction. For example, in some countries, kids over 13 are allowed to see public text chat in a game, but under 13, regulators advise against it. But what if your 13-year-old has already been bullied through public text chat? Wouldn’t it be great if you, as a parent, could turn that feature off?
Another big opportunity is to rethink how online safety information is presented. Right now, safety centers, like those by Meta or Snapchat, are often text-heavy and very U.S.-centric. They’re 2D environments, full of words that can overwhelm time-poor parents who may not fully understand the digital world.
My goal is to take the best online safety information from trusted sources and transform it into something more engaging, like games or interactive infographics. Instead of making parents feel anxious and leading them to just take away the device out of fear, we want to use technology to empower children while easing parents' worries.
Another exciting aspect is the potential to serve neurodivergent children or kids with disabilities. Imagine a scenario where a parent can adjust settings to accommodate their child’s needs. For example, they could increase text size, adjust sound levels, or reduce flashing lights for children with sensory sensitivities. And instead of adjusting those settings for every individual game, parents could apply them across all games and platforms in one go. It's designed to work across all platforms, making it easy for parents to manage their child’s online experiences wherever they play.
What’s the biggest misconception you face, or that you think is out there, about sustainability?
I've had a very up-and-down relationship with sustainability. It was an intense passion of mine, partly because I grew up in Brunei, surrounded by nature, and I've always been focused on preserving the natural world for future generations, especially for my kids. That's one of the reasons I wanted to focus on the Sustainable Development Goals with my work in art and technology.
When I started on that journey, I had this idealistic view, thinking, "Yes, we can save the world," and that there's a community of people who want to do the same. But as I dug deeper, I began to see the challenges. For instance, when I attended COP, it was eye-opening. While there's a lot of goodwill, it quickly became clear that good intentions alone are no match for the huge profit-driven interests of the most polluting industries. That was disheartening.
Can you elaborate on the specific experiences that changed your perspective on sustainability?
At COP28 in Dubai, I met many passionate people who truly want to protect the planet, but the lobbying power of industries like dairy, oil, and fossil fuels is overwhelming. Their influence is so strong that it makes you feel like your efforts are in vain. I did start to feel disillusioned, wondering if my work, like trying to "save the planet one pixel at a time" through creative technology, was really going to make a difference. It made me question if I could actually move the needle in a meaningful way.
There's a quote from Robert Swan that sticks with me. "The greatest danger to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it." It's a reminder not to fall into apathy, which is one of the worst things we can do when it comes to the planet. So, while I've stepped back from making sustainability my full-time focus, I still believe in doing small, green things as an individual and supporting environmentalists and sustainability advocates.
For example, I continue to support Studio Birthplace as their head of philanthropy, helping connect them with people who can fund their films. I still work on my educational games, Sky Farm Island on Roblox, which is all about inspiring kids to grow and eat their greens. But I've come to realize that these are just tiny pieces of a much larger puzzle, one with thousands of pieces, many of which are missing or don't quite fit together.
The big picture is fragmented, with people arguing over how to even finish the puzzle. That's what made me disillusioned. My contribution felt so small in the grand scheme of things, and when the bigger picture is so unclear, it's hard to stay motivated. Plus, with so many conflicting interests, I'm not sure how we'll ever truly come together to save the planet. The biggest losers in all of this will be people in developing countries, who are already feeling the worst effects of climate change.
How have you redirected your energy, and do you see any hope for meaningful change in the future?
So, while I'm now focused on keeping kids safe in the online world, a space I know is here to stay, I hope that future generations will be able to make the changes for the planet that we couldn't. I see some hope in the younger generations, as they communicate and connect with each other online, but unfortunately, the people making the most impactful decisions are still often the old white men with the power and the money.
Until they're gone, I'm not sure how much we can really change. It's also a generational thing. If you look at how attitudes toward issues like gender have shifted over time, it didn't happen overnight. It's taken generations. For example, Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, is openly gay, and his position of power allows him to champion inclusivity at Apple. It takes someone reaching those high-powered positions to change mindsets and shift how things are done. I think we'll see the same with sustainability. It's probably going to take until Gen Z starts reaching CEO positions.
They've grown up seeing the effects of climate change firsthand, so maybe, just maybe, they'll be able to change the direction of these companies. You can already see it happening in small ways. Even though companies like Shell are still heavily invested in fossil fuels, they're also putting more money into renewables. It's not nearly enough, but it's something. By the time we have a Gen Z CEO at Shell, maybe it'll be more of a 50/50 split.
You mentioned some hope for change with younger generations. Do you think that's enough to overcome the current challenges? You can hope, right?
Exactly, you can hope. But at the same time, human greed is part of our nature. Even if future leaders are more aware, there will always be those driven by profit. Maybe the CEO won't be an old white guy, but a non-binary Gen Z leader. The difference is they might be more tuned in to the planet's needs.
There will always be people who deny climate change, just like there are still people who can't accept the LGBTQ+ community. That's the world we live in—free speech allows for different views. But I do think that as younger generations reach positions of power, sustainability will be more present on the agenda at these big companies. What's currently seen as a "Gen Z issue" or "a young person's problem" might finally be treated seriously by the corporate world.
How do you think the lived experiences of different generations affect their approach to climate issues?
Older generations tend to have a more dismissive attitude, like, "We had holes in the ozone layer, and we're still here, so what's the big deal?"
But today's scientists are saying this isn't like before. This is unprecedented, levels of heating, melting ice caps, and biodiversity loss that we've never seen. Gen Z is living through it every day, while older CEOs didn't experience it in the same way. They might say, "Oh, we had heat waves in the '70s and '80s, so what's new?"
But the reality is that the climate situation has escalated dramatically. The younger generation has been living with this crisis for their entire lives. That's why I still have hope that when they reach those positions of power, they'll be more willing to act. They've grown up seeing the alarming data firsthand, and when they're in power, they'll be more likely to do something about it.
Gen Z is living in the middle of this crisis, and when they get to positions of influence, they'll be more motivated to act because they've seen the consequences firsthand. But we need educated people to reach those positions of power, and that takes time. It's a generational shift.
What’s the one thing you did differently that brought you to where you are now, compared to others?
I think it’s always been about having a positive and open mindset, really embracing that growth mindset. I never let anything stand in my way. When one door closes, another one opens, even if it’s not instantly obvious. The key is to look for it, and that often happens through partnerships and connections. I believe in building strong relationships and managing those connections, which is why I call myself the Chief Connecting Officer. It’s important to invest time in understanding people—what they do, what motivates them—and see how you can connect them with others in your network.
I always think about how we can collaborate to achieve more together, whether that’s through a project involving three people or simply connecting two people who can work well together. I’m constantly fascinated by this idea, which is why I love meeting new people and figuring out how we can work together. I’m also a lifelong learner, so I’m naturally curious about other people’s stories. While I’m sharing my own journey, I’m much more interested in learning how others got to where they are.
I also believe that a career path doesn’t have to be linear. Many people follow traditional paths, study law, become a lawyer; study medicine, become a doctor. But I’ve done a lot of different things, tried various careers, and that’s given me a diverse network with so much knowledge from understanding other people’s experiences and pathways. That’s been a huge advantage for me.
🍹 The Juice wrap-up
I've had the privilege of working closely with Kay over the last few months, and I must say she's one of the kindest and brightest individuals I've ever collaborated with.
Together, we've been nurturing a global community of urban farmers, uniting children and local communities to explore this fascinating and emerging agricultural practice. Urban farming is poised to play a crucial role in our society's future, particularly in metropolitan areas where it's often challenging for children to understand and witness firsthand where their greens come from and what it takes to grow them.
My main two takeaways from this conversation are the following:
1- Careers are not linear.
As a very famous entrepreneur once said “You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.” Kay's journey illustrates how life presents both opportunities and challenges, our happiness stems from how we handle them. Staying curious and true to yourself is the best way to find your path. Even when you find yourself in a job you're not passionate about, or when you can't foresee a project's outcome, trust yourself. As you progress, opportunities will unfold naturally.
2- It might seem difficult now, but we’re on the cusp of a multi-generational change
Climate change is not only knocking on our doors, it’s smashing them. As years pass, disasters intensify, and we're rapidly approaching a point where "our" mistakes may become irreversible.
Millennials, and even more so Gen Z, are two generations whose upbringing has been strongly shaped by climate anxiety, witnessing growing inequalities and the shortcomings of our current economic system. As we mature and assume more decision-making roles in society, we have the opportunity to change the course of history. This is no small task, but we have the chance to do something for which future generations will thank us.
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Working with Kay, we built a network of urban farmers spanning 12 countries. Check out how we turned Sky Farm Island with Kay Vasey into a UN-recognized gaming platform and 2-times finalist at the Green Game Jam 2024, that brings together urban farmers from around the world and gets over 150 kids excited about sustainability
