Meet the end-of-life planning startup co-founded by NBA All Star Russell Westbrook

When Donnell Beverly Jr. decided to launchend-of-life planning startupEazewellafter the loss of both of his parents,he knewexactly who to call to help launch the business: longtime friend, andnine-time NBA All Star, Russell Westbrook.

“The main thesis with Russ across every business that hetouchesis how do weimpactpeople?” Beverly Jr. [pictured above]told TechCrunch. “He’sbeen very vocal about that throughout his career.I always say we really tookpersonal pain and then created a platform to really help people.”

Westbrook was in. Formerfour-time NBA All Star Kemba Walker also joined and the trio launchedEazewell.

Eazewellis an AI-driven platform that helps families navigateandautomate the administrative aspects of end-of-life and funeral planning.Thestartup’s AI agent givespeople a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week resource andhelps users with everything from finding and bookingafuneralhometo cancellingcredit card accounts for a deceased person.

The company partners with different service providers, like hospicecare, funeralhomes, andvarious insurance companies,which allowstheplatformto be free to use with the option of paying for more premium features.

“I had an opportunity to be able tobe close with his familyand gothrough the process with [Beverly Jr.],” Westbrook told TechCrunch. “He’sdone an amazing job ofidealizing this idea and bringing it to life.I’mexcited to kind of be partner with him alongside him on this.”

Beverly Jr.said he got the idea forEazewellafterlosing both of his parents ina short periodoftime.Navigating what came after theirdeaths made him realize howlarge of a burdentheend-of-life process can be —and how fragmented the marketof these servicesis.

He added that seeing the recent advancements in AI made him realize the technology could be used to help reduce thenumber ofadministrativetasksgrievingfamilies need to tackle following a death.

“We’ve seen how AI has impacted our lives while we’re here, but you know now we’re entering a space where it’s impacting our lives after death,” Beverly Jr. said.

Eazewellwasfounded in 2024.The company said it has been able to help more than 100,000 families sinceitslaunched its platformearlier this year.

Now, Eazewellisrolling out a newenterprise platform for hospicecompanies, senior livingfacilitiesand life insurers. This allows companies to fold Eazewell’s automated features into their own management software.

In the future,Eazwellhopes to help people manage a loved one’s digital assetsafter they pass, a task that has become a bigger undertaking as people’s lives are increasingly online.

“The average person has anywhere between 70 and 100 digital accounts that are active at any time,”Beverly Jr.said. “Your family is inheritingallthose digital accounts and those digital assets as well. Andthat’snot typical.We’restepping into a new kind of realm within that.When we look at the whole landscape, we seeagrand opportunity to not only helppeople butjust make it a lot more seamless.”

For Westbrook,Eazewelloffers the perfect opportunity to go into business with a decades-long friend while also being able to use hisplatform to amplify a business that can help people —especially those fromunderserved andunder-resourcedcommunities —navigate this painful and costly experience.

“Anytime Iput my name onanything,I try to find waysto open doors, build trust, find ways to play a big role in it and be present because I think that’s important,” Westbrook said. “And thisisn’tabout me or being super technical by any means, butit’smore importantlyabout families finding ways to be able to help them through a loss. And for me, using my platform to be able to do that isa no-brainer.”