Last fall, Keily Blum, Ally Moran and Emma Petschulat arrived at McMaster University’s Master of Biomedical Innovation (MBI) program with a shared curiosity in healthcare and entrepreneurship.
They did not arrive with a business plan.
The students began the program by shadowing healthcare teams in local hospitals to identify areas of unmet need. Combined with courses in business strategy and innovation, the experience helped the team spot an opportunity: a gap in glucose-monitoring technology for children with Type 1 diabetes.
Less than a year later, they founded SOLAS Innovations Inc., secured $25,000 through McMaster seed-funding opportunities, and, this month, won the MBI’s final pitch competition.
“It’s surreal,” says Blum. “We started the idea in December and accomplished all of this by August. It’s only been possible because of the ecosystem of startup support at McMaster and in Hamilton generally. It’s absolutely amazing here.”
The problem and the product
For people managing diabetes, monitoring blood glucose levels is an essential part of staying healthy. Continuous glucose monitors can alert users when levels are too high or too low, but those alerts often depend on a nearby smartphone.
For active children at recess, swimming lessons or soccer practice, keeping a phone close by can be difficult.
The challenge was personal for Moran. Last fall, a young family friend had recently been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, and she saw how difficult it could be for families to manage the condition, particularly in the early days.
The team began to explore whether children could receive important alerts without having to keep a phone within reach.
They started developing a discreet, screen-free bracelet that connects with a continuous glucose monitor and delivers customizable light and vibration alerts on a child’s wrist.
While Petschula and Blum continued stakeholder interviews and market research, Moran began building. With a 3D printer, circuit boards, silicone moulds and YouTube tutorials, she assembled an early prototype in her basement
The moment the bracelet lit up for the first time, the team knew they had something special.
“Once I had the first one, I thought, ‘Okay, I think we could actually build this,’” Moran says.
The team shared the prototype with hundreds of parents, children, clinicians and industry leaders. That feedback helped them refine both the bracelet’s purpose and its design.
“I think our success comes down to our outreach and really believing in ourselves,” says Blum. “We have the expertise, the skill set and the network to do this. Even when it felt scary, we’ve learned to trust that we can keep moving forward.”
Ambition, expertise and shared purpose
The founders each brought different strengths to the work: Moran’s technical experience with hardware and software integration, Blum’s marketing expertise, and Petschulat’s background in leadership and public speaking.
Just as important was their shared ambition to build something that would outlast a class project.
“It helps that we’re all go-getters,” says Blum. “If we’re going to do something, we’re doing it right and to its full potential.”
Along the way, the team took part in additional entrepreneurship opportunities through the DeGroote Heersink Hub, including the Health Innovation Bootcamp and Residency at The Clinic. Each training program added a new layer of momentum through pitch practice, milestone-based feedback, mentor access, peer connections and funding.
The founders estimate they engaged more than 200 parents, caregivers and children, alongside diabetes experts, researchers, entrepreneurs, investors and potential industry partners.
What’s next
This fall, Moran will continue graduate studies at McMaster while Blum and Petschulat begin their careers working in industry. But SOLAS remains a central focus for all three founders.
Their next target is a commercial launch early next year. Longer term, the founders hope to partner with major medical technology companies so the bracelet can become a complementary option for families already using continuous glucose-monitoring technology.
“The SOLAS team shows us what’s possible when students are given the space to identify a meaningful problem, the right tools to test an idea and the support to keep moving when the path is uncertain,” says MBI program director Dave Mammoliti.
For Petschulat, that support has made a significant difference.
“While you’re a student, it’s great because there are resources available at no cost that other companies would pay thousands of dollars for,” she says.
For the SOLAS founders, success is not only measured in funding or pitch wins.
It is in the response of a young user, Jack, who realized the bracelet could mean a hands free experience while heading out on a canoe trip. “I don’t have to bring my phone with me? This is awesome.”