Aneela Idnani Kumar was on a roll at last year's Twin Cities Startup Week.
The marketer-turned-entrepreneur won awards in two competitions for launching, with her husband and two other founders, HabitAware, which grew out of her eyebrow-picking compulsion. And it has turned into a fast-growing health and business venture based on a technology that has benefited thousands who pull hair, pluck eyebrows, bite nails or other compulsive behavior that can become debilitating and deteriorate mental health.
"We're doing good work and helping people and shattering the mental-health stigma," Kumar said last week. "There is a customer need. We're talking to people, including in the startup community, to our friends, hairdressers and whomever."
HabitAware has raised about $600,000 in equity capital from founders, family, friends and for being the winner of last year's Minnesota Cup and Meda minority-entrepreneur competition during Startup Week. And she's back, as we hit the midpoint of this year's Wednesday-through-Wednesday run of dozens of Startup Week events.
"Startup Week is about building connections and building relationships," Kumar said. "I felt welcomed and enjoyed participating. There's a good support. Since the Meda and MN Cup win, we're focused on growing the company."
Six-year-old Startup Week, including Minnesota Cup, criticized somewhat in the past for being too male and white, significantly diversified last year. And it wasn't just Kumar, the daughter of Indian immigrants.
Gender and racial diversity flowed through many Startup Week events last week that celebrated, examined and showcased fledgling businesses, including last Friday's Meda Million Dollar Challenge for Minority Entrepreneurs to the 40-event Blacks in Technology conference that concluded Saturday.
StartupWeek broadens this week to include more from outstate Minnesota, said Reed Robinson of Beta.MN, organizer of Startup events designed to draw attention, people and capital to small companies in the region.