UI students win top prize for ‘MenoPatch’ at Founders Forge
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URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — Physicians at the University of Illinois earned top honors at the Midwest’s largest student-run startup conference for the “MenoPatch” — a skin patch that can personalize hormone replacement therapy for women experiencing menopause.
The MenoPatch innovators from the Carle Illinois College of Medicine believe it can revolutionize menopause care. The invention is similar to a nicotine patch in that it does not have needles and it is user-friendly. However, it differs from other skin patches in that it can allow for changing your dosage on demand with a single patch.
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The CI MED team introduced the MenoPatch at Founders Forge 2024. The group included Anila Mehta, Lotanna Nwandu, Gies College of Business MBA candidate Adam Szeremeta and team leader David Krist.
20 teams from universities across the Midwest pitched their ideas to a panel of judges and were narrowed down to six finalist teams. The MenoPatch earned the top prize of $1,000 and mentorship opportunities with the 1517 Fund.
The student team plans to use their winnings to bring the invention to the public, launching a startup company called Equilocalm. They also entered U of I’s Cozad New Venture Challenge to compete for a $400,000 cash prize and further mentoring support.
Krist said that the technology, with some development, could extend beyond just menopausal symptoms. He and his team imagine a future where their skin patches can manage osteoporosis, in vitro fertilization and other hormone-dependent life changes.
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