Exploring Entrepreneurship with Meraki Co.: Giana Jarrah's Voyage Within Lehigh's Business Community
In the heart of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Giana Jarrah's startup, With Meraki Co., has found a supportive home at Ben Franklin Technology Ventures. This promising venture, which focuses on addressing underserved areas in vaginal health, has grown from humble beginnings at Lehigh University.
Giana Jarrah, a first-generation Syrian American and Lehigh University graduate, embarked on her entrepreneurial journey during her time at the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science. Her personal experiences, including recurrent UTIs and antibiotic resistance, as well as her mother's diagnosis with aggressive pre-cervical cancer, ignited her passion for creating solutions in women's health.
Lehigh University's entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem played a crucial role in supporting Jarrah's journey. One of the key resources was the Baker Institute for Entrepreneurship, Creativity, and Innovation. This institute provided expert guidance on business model development and honing pitching skills, helping Jarrah craft a compelling narrative for her startup.
Another crucial element was the Lehigh Ventures Lab, which offered essential seed funding of $10,000 and resources for early-stage startup incubation. This support allowed Jarrah's project to move beyond the conceptual phase into real-world application.
Jarrah's hard work and dedication paid off. She won a $20,000 grand prize and a $5,000 Ben Franklin Technology Ventures assistance award at Startup Lehigh Valley. She also secured one-on-one startup coaching and prototyping funds at EUREKA! Pitch Night, and was awarded $5,000 for winning the live pitch competition at the annual Innovate! Celebrate! Ceremony.
With Meraki Co. has since launched several products, including an immune boosting supplement, gut health powder supplement, a vaginal health guidebook, and its flagship product, With Clarity, a probiotic-prebiotic supplement supporting vaginal and urinary tract health with science-backed ingredients. The startup has sold over 10,000 units and generated six figures in revenue.
With Meraki Co.'s success, it has grown a loyal community base with over 150k followers on TikTok. The startup has also expanded sales into Canada and is actively working on expanding globally. In recognition of her achievements, Jarrah is set to receive a second round of six-figure funding from Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Jarrah is committed to giving back to her community. She is dedicated to hiring interns, especially young women of color, and introducing them to the world of startups. This commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion is a testament to the impact that Lehigh University's ecosystem has had on Jarrah's journey.
Lehigh University's entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem provides a sustained and empowering environment where female students and graduates can nurture biomedical engineering innovations with social impact. This support extends from initial idea development to prototyping and launching startups that address real-world health challenges, exemplifying the university's commitment to fostering women-led innovation in biomedical engineering.
[1] This article is based on factual bullet points provided and does not contain opinions or unrelated information.
- Giana Jarrah, an engineering graduate from Lehigh University, embarked on her entrepreneurship journey driven by personal experiences and a passion for women's health.
- She found instrumental support for her venture in Lehigh University's entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem, particularly from the Baker Institute for Entrepreneurship, Creativity, and Innovation.
- This institute helped her refine her business model development and honed her pitching skills, enabling her to create a compelling narrative for her startup, With Meraki Co.
- The Lehigh Ventures Lab also played a vital role, offering seed funding and resources for early-stage startup incubation.
- Jarrah's hard work and dedication led to numerous awards, including a $20,000 grand prize, business coaching, prototyping funds, and more.
- With Meraki Co. has since launched several health-and-wellness products, including an immune boosting supplement, gut health powder supplement, a vaginal health guidebook, and its flagship product, With Clarity.
- These products aim to support vaginal and urinary tract health with science-backed ingredients, and the startup has sold over 10,000 units, generating six figures in revenue.
- The startup has also expanded sales into Canada and is working on global expansion.
- Giana Jarrah is committed to fostering diversity and inclusion, hiring interns, especially young women of color, to introduce them to the world of startups.
- With Meraki Co.'s success, it has grown a large community base with over 150k followers on TikTok.
- In recognition of her achievements, Jarrah is set to receive a second round of six-figure funding from Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania.
- Lehigh University's entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem creates a sustained and empowering environment for female students and graduates to develop biomedical engineering innovations with social impact.
