STUDENTS AND ALUMNI
Quantic Moonshot Finalist: The Last Taboo
We are thrilled to launch our first annual pitch competition, Quantic Moonshot, where our Executive MBA students get to showcase their game-changing ideas and business innovations. Our judges have narrowed down the teams to five finalists, who will all be competing to win the grand-prize.
One of the five finalist teams, The Last Taboo, has developed a plan to change the healthcare industry for the better.
The Last Taboo Moonshot Business Pitch
In today’s world, sexual health is often a taboo subject that is rarely discussed, leading to a lack of awareness and testing. This is where The Last Taboo (TLT) comes in. TLT is an eHealth platform that aims to help people take control of their sexual health. With the meteoric spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the US, there is an urgent need for a solution that addresses the lack of testing, stigma, and trust in sexual health.
The primary use case for TLT is simple and effective. Users receive STI test kits at their homes, which they can self-test and return via mail. Test results are uploaded to their secure HIPAA-compliant app, and users receive postable Proof-of-Testing Certification Badges to place on their phones, dating profiles, and social media sites if they wish. This allows users to share their test results and/or ask others to do the same when they interact with someone. In addition, TLT offers opt-in contact tracing, where users receive health alert notifications if they’ve been in contact with other TLT members whose health status has changed since their initial meeting.
The business model for TLT is based on a subscription model, where three testing kits will be sold, and every three months, the test expires, and users must retest to receive a new sharable certification badge and test results.
TLT is an innovative solution that addresses a significant problem in today’s society. With a strong business model and dedicated team, TLT has the potential to make a real difference in the world of sexual health.
The Last Taboo Founding Team
Allan Fan, Director of Finance at Kinetic Brands, USA
Ayodeji Razaq, CEO at RED for Africa and Co-Founder of X-Holdings Africa, Nigeria
Members not pictured:
- Millan Ash, The Last Taboo, USA
- Jeremy Collins, USA
- Travis Kallman, USA
- Shamsuddin Ladha, USA
What inspired you to work on this business?
(MA) Health has always been a passion of mine. I strongly believe prevention is the best medicine. I’ve seen too many people pay a steep price for a moment of pleasure or miss opportunities due to uncertainty. Both of which are due to uncomfortable conversations or healthcare barriers. Live your best life!
(AR) I have always wanted to create something new, and working on TLT with the team has been an amazing opportunity to do that whilst building something amazing at the same time.
(AF) I want to do something bigger than myself.
(JC) It is a great and world-changing idea, and TLT will impact the world-view about sexual health.
What has been the most valuable lesson you learned while working on this project?
(MA) Everyone has their own opinion. If you plan to take your idea live, trust your own.
(AR) Trust the process. Sometimes the ideas didn’t seem to fall in-line; but we believed in the vision, and using the learnings from our EMBA, made our project easier to complete.
(AF) Getting people passionate to work on the project is more important than getting experienced people.
(JC) How to work with a team in a remote and distributed manner has been a great experience.
What advice would you give to Quantic students currently working on their capstone projects?
(AR) Don’t discard or discount any of the knowledge. The entire program has elements that would make the capstone process easier.
Secondly it’s better to work in a team. I have a strong marketing background but very limited knowledge of core finance and product development. Working with the team, we have a strong Finance person, Product Development person, Ops general e.t.c, basically everyone pulled their weight and it helped immensely. Like the saying goes, if you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go with others.
(AF) Do not treat your capstone project as just a project. Try to work on something that you will take on after your Quantic studies.
(JC) To think outside the box! It’s important to think logically, and about new concepts.
(MA) If you’re working as a group, be sure that each person is invested and produces.
It makes for a quality project.
How has your Quantic Executive MBA prepared you for future career growth?
(AR) I got a full scholarship to this program and I am truly blessed for the knowledge, the network and experience I have gained. This has been one of my most rewarding academic pursuits and I can’t wait to do even more exploits with the team.
(AF) Try to be honest and figure out if you are the right co-founders for the business, otherwise share the idea and maybe somebody else will take it and do better.
Be sure to stay tuned to our social channels for more #QuanticMoonshot updates and tune in LIVE to the NYC finals on May 6, where we will announce grand-prize and fan-favorite winners!
