Love Is Blind UK's Kieran is Mensa member who founded company worth millions at 19

Popular dating show Love Is Blind UK has returned for season 2, with a new group of contestants hoping to find love on the Netflix hit with a unique premise.

Celebrity couple Matt and Emma Willis have returned to host the series, which sees singles propose to one another before they have ever laid eyes on their future partner.

Instead, they speak in separate pods in the hope of connecting on a deeper level, before finally meeting their fiancés in person.

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This year’s line-up includes a professional musician, a cafe owner and even a member of the armed forces.

One cast member with a particularly interesting backstory, however, is Forbes Under 30 honorary Kieran Holmes-Darby.

Which gaming company did Kieran Holmes-Darby found?

At the age of 19, Kieran and his brother Joel Holmes-Darby co-founded UK esports company Excel, which has been estimated to be worth millions, back in 2014.

The entrepreneur, now 28, has previously discussed how they would spend hours gaming with each other remotely from their university dorm rooms at opposite ends of the country before deciding to set up their own esports team.

Excel became known for its strong teams across popular games like League of Legends and Fortnite, with its players competing internationally.

The team even starred in the BBC gaming documentary, Fight for First: Excel Esports, which aired in January 2021.

Kieran told South West Londoner at the time: “It’s so very exciting; it’s a nice bit of recognition and I’m really happy.

“I have lots of people — from school, distant relatives, people from university — messaging me to say congratulations and it’s really great.

“Gaming has always been a big part of our lives and we’re quite competitive people by nature. It’s been quite the journey from the dorm room to where we are now, but a really exciting one.”

Is Kieran Holmes-Darby a member of Mensa?

According to Netflix’s Tudum, ‘secret geek’ Kieran is a member of Mensa and is no stranger to success.

At the age of just 25, Kieran was also made the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for putting UK esports on the map.

To qualify for membership of Mensa, you must demonstrate an IQ in the top two percent, either through taking our supervised test or submitting prior evidence.

What does Kieran Holmes-Darby do now?

In 2023, Excel merged with Spanish organisation Giants Gaming, creating the GIANTX brand, which continues to be a large presence in Esports.

Kieran left the organisation following the merger and has since become Manager of the League of Legends team Los Ratones, which is owned by former Excel player Marc Robert ‘Caedrel’ Lamont.

The entrepreneur also joined sports and gaming-focused creative agency Ear to the Ground as their Business Director.

What is Kieran Holmes-Darby’s plan for Love Is Blind?

According to Netflix’s Tudum, Kieran had been single for 18 months when they started filming Love Is Blind UK season 2.

Described by his friends and family as “the golden boy”, Kieran was previously in a relationship for seven years, but is now ready to find lasting love in the pods with his future wife.

Will Kieran find what he’s looking for? We’ll just have to wait and see.

Love Is Blind UK season 2, episodes 1-4 are now available to stream on Netflix.