WoW Women in FemTech | Mariana Keymolen, Karina Rodriguez and Duaa Qamar, co-founders of nisa EFFECT
Interview by MarijaButkovic
nisa EFFECT is a menopause consumer product company based in Houston, Texas. nisa EFFECT is entering the menopause market with a hot flash relief bra called Coolet. All three founders, Duaa, Mariana, and Karina are currently seniors at the University of Houston, majoring in Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Industrial Design, and Communications respectively. Their diverse background and expertise have helped their company develop. With the Coolet bra, they aim to help women take control of their menopause journey.
What is the idea behind nisa Effect and how did you come up with it?
nisa EFFECT alleviates menopausal hot flashes with Coolet, our wearable cooling bra.
The idea behind nisa EFFECT is to create a community of empowered women as they go through the menopause stages of their life. Our cooling bra, Coolet, will alleviate the dreadful hot flashes by spreading a cooling effect on their back, beginning with their core. Coolet will allow women to take control of their menopause journey by letting them get back to their daily lives. No more “suffering through it” while on the go or at work. We came up with this company and product idea after we realized that there was a lack of education and consumer products for women in menopause.
When did all start and do you have other members in your team?
The idea of nisa EFFECT was born at the FemTech Innovation Challenge hosted by RED Labs from the University of Houston. In the Summer of 2020, we participated in the REDSpark accelerator and officially became a startup! Our team consists of Karina Rodriguez, Mariana Keymolen, and Duaa Qamar.
How long did it take you to be where you are now?
It has taken us 11 months to be where we are now. We were part of the RedSpark startup accelerator run by the University of Houston and Rice University from June 2020 - August 2020.
What was the biggest obstacle?
The biggest obstacle, which we are still facing, is creating and implementing the perfect cooling mechanism that will be efficient in cooling a woman during her hot flashes. We want to make sure that our product will help women as much as possible and be of the highest quality possible.
What are your biggest achievements to date?
Our company won first place at UH’s 1st FemTech Innovation Challenge and then we won first place again at UH’s Pitch Madness competition. Recently, we placed as semi-finalists at the Draper Competition, funded by Ted Draper. We are constantly competing to gain funding and experience.
What are the challenges of being an entrepreneur in the niche you are in? How about being a female founder/entrepreneur?
Some challenges that we as a company have faced so far is trying to convince people, specifically men, that hot flashes are a real problem faced by women. Some people just can't visualize the discomfort of a hot flash because they've never had one or because they don’t realize how often and how uncomfortable it can be. We really appreciate it when we get support from men who totally understand their partner’s struggle and our goal is to have more understanding overall.
What are the projects you are currently working on?
We are currently in the process of creating Coolet, a bra that will ease the discomfort of the customer’s hot flashes. We have come a long way with the idea and we’re looking forward to executing it!
Is the #WomenInTech movement important to you and if yes, why?
Our founding team consists of 3 young minority women, therefore the #WomenInTech movement is a fundamental piece in our cultural values, mission, and vision to help empower women.
What is the most important piece of advice you can give to all female founders and female entrepreneurs out there?
A lot of people, men, and women are going to try to tell you that your business idea is a waste of time. Our advice is to not listen and keep going. If there is something that you think is a great idea keep pursuing it. If you follow the steps of a startup correctly, you will eventually have a breakthrough and prove all those people that you were right.
What will be the key trends in the health tech and fem tech industry in the next 5 years and where do you see it heading?
In regards to the Femtech industry specifically, there is plenty of room for innovation in contraception, endometriosis, breast health, and bone health to name a few. We aim to provide more products for women going through the stages of menopause because it is still very much seen as “hell”, when in reality, it shouldn’t have to be that way.
We see Femtech and Healthtech heading toward a deeper dive into wearables. What better way to learn about yourself than through daily data? Inclusive research is still very much needed and wearables would make that process even quicker.
Who are your 3 inspirational women in health tech and fem tech?
Dr. Brittany Barreto, Dr. Julie Hakim, and Rachel Braun Scherl are definitely in the top three. They are all doing amazing things in the FemTech space and they're bringing the much-needed awareness to it as well. These thought leaders who double as entrepreneurs are key players in the driving force of the Femtech industry.
Website: https://nisaeffect.com/
Social media handles:
Instagram: @nisa_effect
Facebook: @NisaEffect
LinkedIn: nisa EFFECT
This interview was conducted by Marija Butkovic, Digital Marketing and PR strategist, founder and CEO of Women of Wearables. She regularly writes and speaks on topics of wearable tech, fashion tech, IoT, entrepreneurship and diversity. Follow Marija on Twitter @MarijaButkovic.