04/29/2024
After 6 years of passion, dedication, and countless hours of hard work, I have made the difficult decision to close this chapter of working on EVOLVE. This journey has been filled with incredible highs and challenging lows, but ultimately, I (Nicole) have come to realize that it's time to embrace new opportunities, goals, and passions.
This decision was not made easily or quickly. I’ve been reflecting on this for a long time and want to reiterate that I still care about the mission EVOLVE established. I would also still love for it to one day be in the hands of real care providers and patients, but for now, I have to set this project aside. I would like to think of it as a goodbye for “now”, and not “forever”, but ultimately we can never know what the future holds.
I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who has supported EVOLVE along the way - Our team. Our investors & researchers at The 1819 Innovation Hub and the University of Cincinnati. And our supporters; friends and family alike. Your belief in our mission and unwavering support have meant the world to me.
-
As I think about all the time that has been invested in this project, I want to be sure I am giving credit for all that was accomplished too. EVOLVE has been nothing but a journey of growth and learning. So I want to take some time to celebrate and acknowledge those wins:
💸 I raised $120,000 in non-diluted funding
💻 Built and led a talented team of 8 individuals who contributed to our MVP
🎓 Attended & pitched at the 1819 Pre-Accelerator Program, Cohort 10 in 2021 and Founder University, Cohort 6 in 2023
📺 Was featured in several publications and news outlets
🔬 Conducted countless hours of research & interviews with over 20 PT & OT professionals and +100 patients and their parents
🧠 Learned how to do so many things that it's hard to summarize it all! Things like… how to conduct a market competitor analysis, customer validation research studies, how to fundraise, and how to run and analyze ad campaigns
💡 Finally, I took a small idea I had as a 19-year-old college student in a PT session and grew it into something way bigger than I could have imagined at that moment. Even if in the end it didn’t go the way I might have hoped – it has all been a success.
-
While this may be the end of one journey, it's also the beginning of something new. I'm excited to take the lessons and skills learned from EVOLVE and apply them to future endeavors. Here's to the endless possibilities that lie ahead. Thank you for being part of this journey with me.
