Innovative Caregiver Startup Wins Startup of the Year in Union, New Jersey

Hey Hackers! I’m Lucinda Koza and I’m the Founder and CEO at I-Ally, Inc.

First of all, I’d like to say a huge thank you to the HackerNoon community for recognizing us as the winner of:

Startups of the Year in Union, US

I-Ally’s Video Acceptance Speech

HackerNoon Reporter: What does it mean for you to win this title?

It validates a lot of very hard work, including the hard-won decision to turn a painful personal experience into a potentially positive solution for others.

How do you or your company intend to embrace the responsibility of this title in 2022?

We are releasing a mobile app in April. It has all the pieces to fulfill the promise of I-Ally.

What are some of the goals you’re looking forward to accomplishing in 2022 (whether it be through company initiatives or your personal journey)?

In my personal journey, I’m looking to relinquish control over many things; In my company, I am looking to relinquish control over many things.

As you look at the variety of concerning trends in the world around you, what solutions can you think of? Name three trends and three solutions. Be as brief or as detailed as you like.

Millennials are going to be the biggest generation of caregivers, and we are not prepared. Solution: I-Ally needs to be adopted as a tool by employers and payers, and companies and organizations need to think about how they will help the caregiver rather than just the patient. Climate change. Something big has to be done, like taxing the billionaires. People also need to stop being afraid of saying that.

Third: criminals who capitalize on ignorance for their own personal gain and leave nothing but destruction in their wake. WE HAVE TO KEEP THESE PEOPLE OUT OF POSITIONS OF POWER by holding them accountable for their actions.

After participating in this journey, is there anything that you would like the HackerNoon team to know?

I love you guys so much!

What is something special about you or your company that you’ve rarely had the chance to properly share but really wanted to? (Give this one a proper think, I’ll know if you didn’t!)

Having a very unique or singular point of view is a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing because it’s so necessary for making a real impact as a founder or creator. It’s a curse because it’s desperately lonely.

What song or music album are you currently enjoying?

Radiohead, KID A.

What are some concepts you wish people knew more about?

Caregivers are the ones making the financial, legal, and healthcare decisions for their loved one. Every time I see a commercial that is aimed at the ‘patient’ or aimed at ‘seniors,’ I think about how much that company is missing the mark…and how dumb they must be.

Is there anything else you’d like me to know? It can be anything.

Joaquin Phoenix is my favorite actor. He’s just so deliciously weird, like we all are, but are afraid to show. If we all let ourselves be as deliciously weird as we are, without fear of social faux pas, life would be fun.

Thank you for everything that you do! – HackerNoon Team.

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For more information:

Read the FAQs about Startups here or here. To see all of the winners you may visit this site, pick any city and view the name that appears at the top. Or follow this account for posts with the list of names released over the course of the week of February 14, 2022.

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