MAKO Design + Invent has once again teamed up with Toronto Metropolitan University‘s Zone Learning ecosystem to hold the MAKO Student Innovation Award competition. Enduringly committed to supporting innovators at all stages in their entrepreneurial journey, we look forward to this time of year.
This year’s final pitch event took three weeks ago at the end of March on the third floor of TMU’s Student Learning Centre, where our very own Wade Harmidy kicked off the event with opening remarks. Although each of the finalists’ pitches were incredibly compelling and creative, Fibra Inc. took home the grand prize of $10,500!
Fibra Inc. is a health and human services company centred on increasing women’s accessibility to data on their reproductive health to inform decision-making. Founder and CEO Parnian Majd noticed how complex diagnostic testing of the reproductive system and condition monitoring methods are for women.
With a wide array of technologies being developed at rapid rates for even the most trivial of tasks in today’s technologically deterministic era, it’s perplexing that very few medical technologies have been developed for women that can be easily integrated into one’s day-to-day life.
A recent report conducted by Citi Global Insights found that research into conditions that primarily affect women is heavily underfunded in comparison to those that predominantly affect men. They also found that, in 2023, approximately $1.5 billion was invested in FemTech startups, which pales in comparison to the $93 billion invested in other healthcare startups.
Fibra Inc.’s Smart Underwear
Parnian and her team have developed a solution to help close this gap and remedy the inaccessibility women face in the form of novel wearable technology. They spent the last two years developing smart underwear with the unique ability to collect data on the user’s fertility.
The smart underwear features electrical sensors and is particularly geared toward those who have commenced their TTC (trying to conceive) journey. The sensors then transmit data collected to the Fibra app, affording users quick and easy access.
What a brilliant invention, and this is just the first product Fibra Inc. plans to produce! They aim to develop a series of products that will streamline the way women keep track of their reproductive health, from pregnancy planning to contraceptives to monitoring reproductive conditions or diseases.
About the MAKO Student Innovation Award
The MAKO Student Innovation Award competition is open every year to all participants in TMU’s Zone Learning ecosystem. Entrants must be working towards bringing a new invention design or commercial product to market. They should also be full-time or part-time students studying in undergraduate, graduate, or continuing education programs.
Along with a video or photo of the physical product prototype, entrants must submit a strategic business plan that comprehensively outlines their product concept, proposed business model, and the social impact of their product.
Out of the entrants, a group of finalists is selected based on their product’s innovativeness, marketability and commercialization, business model, and social impact. Finalists will then present their project to a select panel of industry experts, and the winner receives a grand prize of $10,500 to support the further development of their product venture.
In addition to Fibra Inc.’s Parnian Majd, this year’s competition saw pitches delivered by Angelina Almanza, Fabrication Lead of the CAT 6 Project, Ricardo Rambal Fattori, Co-Founder of Robbie Insurtech, Abdel Ali, Founder of Kiwi Charge, and Joseph Ojo, Founder of Reindeere.
Congratulations to Parnian and her team of engineers, specialists, and assistants! MAKO can’t wait to see Fibra Inc.’s further contributions to the FemTech industry, and for next year’s riveting competition.
About: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories. Also, our founder Kevin Mako hosts The Product Startup Podcast, the industry's leading hardware podcast. Check it out for tips, interviews, and best practices for hardware startups, inventors, and product developers. Click HERE to learn more about MAKO Design + Invent!
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