Before beginning classes at the University of Michigan, Blake Mischley and Jonah Liss connected through an Instagram group for admitted students ("U of M Ann Arbor's Class of 2025"). After settling into college life, the pair teamed up to start a caffeinated-beverage venture. Both Mischley and Liss had prior experience building viral Instagram communities in high school—each having created pages that amassed 20,000+ followers. Looking to market their caffeinated-beverage to college students, they began running "Class of 2026" Instagram groups at several universities.