WoW Woman in WearableTech and FemTech | Gloria Kolb, inventor, entrepreneur and founder of Elidah
Interview by Amanda McIntyre - Chavis
Gloria Kolb is an inventor with more than a dozen patents, and an entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in product development and commercialization, mainly in the field of medical devices. Her creative designs and ability to solve unmet clinical needs has led to prestigious awards including Boston’s “40 under 40”, MIT Technology Review’s “World’s Top Innovators under 35”, and Fortune Small Business’ 14 Hot Startups. Her latest endeavor, Elidah, will bring a non-invasive wearable treatment to the millions of women that have stress urinary incontinence. Ms. Kolb earned Mechanical Engineering degrees from MIT and Stanford University, and an MBA in Entrepreneurship from Babson College. Ms. Kolb also earned Kauffman Foundation and Babson fellowships. Elidah is based in Monroe, CT.
What is the main concept behind your project / product and how did you come up with it?
We have a wearable device to treat incontinence non-invasively. After the birth of my children, I was looking for treatments for myself and everything available was cumbersome and invasive. We did research to see what had been done, and realized we could apply a known technology (electrical stimulation) but make it super easy for the women to use at home.
When did you begin this venture, and do you have other members in your team? 2014, and now we are a team of 5.
What was the biggest obstacle? FDA approval! Since this was a new type of device, it took longer to get approval as we needed a new product code.
What are your biggest achievements to date? FDA approval and commercializing the product.
What are the challenges of being an entrepreneur in the niche you are in? How about being a female founder / entrepreneur? Hardest part is raising the money, as most investors are men and just don’t understand (or care to understand) the issues.
Is the #WomenInTech movement important to you and if yes, why? Of course. Our main competitor was designed by an old guy who thinks by making it pink, women will like it- yet the device is invasive, unwieldy and uncomfortable. It is going to take women designing products for women to really create great products that understand all the nuances of its use.
What is the most important piece of advice you can give to all female founders and female entrepreneurs out there? Find other female founders and meet with them on a regular basis. You will need each other.
What will be the key trends in the fem tech industry in the next 5 years and where do you see it heading? I do think the key trends will be in the pelvic area, as it is so specific to women and has been ignored by big companies for a long time.
Website: https://elitone.com
Social media: @elidahinc
This interview was conducted by Amanda McIntyre-Chavis, Women of Wearables Ambassador in New York, USA. She is the CEO and Founder of LegendFactory, a interactive brand management company and two new tech initiatives: Muzaik, a social media aggregator and Myndfull, a wearable tech company. She is also an active mentor, arts advocate and supporter of various social causes. Based in New York, Amanda is a member of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc. (NARAS), the National Association of Black Female Executives in Music & Entertainment (NABFEME), National Association of Professional Women (NAPW), the ELLEVATE Network and Women In Music. Follow her on Twitter @AmandaMcChavis.