27-year-old UK founder Kate Krekis built Hey Quitter, an app helping young people quit vaping through self-hypnosis, mindset training, and rewards, entirely on her own using AI tools and agents to design, develop, and market it from idea to App Store.
Vaping has quietly become one of the fastest-growing health crises among young people in
Britain. Research from Action on Smoking and Health shows that the number of 11- to 17-year-olds who vape has more than doubled since 2021, with over half of regular vapers having never smoked. Most start casually, unaware of how addictive nicotine is, until they find themselves dependent and struggling to quit.
That was the reality for Kate Krekis, a 27-year-old London-based product marketer turned founder. “I thought vaping was harmless,” she says. “Then I realised how dependent I’d become and how little real support existed for people trying to quit.”
Rather than wait for someone else to fix the problem, Krekis built the solution herself. Using an
AI-driven stack of tools and custom agents, she designed, developed, and launched Hey Quitter, a mobile app that helps users quit vaping through a blend of psychology, self-hypnosis, and gamified rewards. “What worked for me was hypnosis, tracking my progress, and rewarding myself, so I built an app that helps others do the same.”
The app guides users through a 30-day journey that combines mindset training, self-hypnosis, and progress tracking, turning each milestone into a real-world reward such as discounts and vouchers from partnered brands. After completing the programme, users continue to earn rewards and motivation for staying vape-free, keeping them engaged long after the first month.
Before launching Hey Quitter, Krekis spent over 8 years working with start-ups, celebrity brands, and industry leaders, including a wellness app co-founded by Gwyneth Paltrow and global retailer Toys R Us. She credits that experience and the rise of AI tools for giving her the confidence to go solo. “AI has made the barrier to entry lower than it’s ever been,” she says. “Someone like me, with little coding experience, now has the means to design, build, and launch a full app independently. It’s changed what’s possible for solo founders.”
At its core, Hey Quitter uses science-backed self-hypnosis techniques proven to increase quit success rates compared with willpower alone. The app pairs this with short, practical lessons that help users reframe cravings and rebuild control, alongside gamified rewards that make quitting feel positive rather than punishing.
Since its launch, Hey Quitter has gained attention from health professionals who are excited about the potential of blending behavioral science with modern technology to address addiction. Experts believe that this app could become an essential tool in combating the youth vaping crisis, which has become an increasingly urgent issue in public health. “It’s an innovative approach to a complex problem,” says Dr. Lisa Harper, a behavioral psychologist specializing in addiction treatment. “What sets Hey Quitter apart is its holistic approach, combining evidence-based techniques with the motivational power of gamification.”
Looking ahead, Kate Krekis is already planning future updates to Hey Quitter, including a community feature that will allow users to support one another through their quitting journey. “The power of shared experiences and peer support can be a game-changer in overcoming addiction,” she says. “We want to create a space where people can feel less isolated in their struggle and celebrate their wins together.” Krekis is also working on expanding the app’s features to help users tackle other addictive behaviors, envisioning Hey Quitter as part of a larger movement to reshape how society approaches mental health and addiction in the digital age.
Since launch, Hey Quitter has already attracted hundreds of early users globally, many praising its modern design and motivating experience. For Krekis, the goal goes beyond quitting nicotine. “This is about rethinking how we approach modern addictions,” she says. “We’re combining behavioural science, gamified wellness, and habit design to make recovery accessible, engaging, and built for the next generation.”
Hey Quitter is available now on the App Store. Learn more at www.heyquitter.com.
Media Contact:
Kate Krekis
Founder, Hey Quitter [email protected] www.heyquitter.com
