Five Questions and an Elevator Pitch: Zuca

1. What is the need that your project seeks to address?

Kelley: Fiber is essential for maintaining a healthy gastrointestinal tract. Without adequate fiber, individuals can experience constipation, which can lead to severe pain, cause repeated infections, and even require surgical intervention. Fiber-rich whole foods provide essential micronutrients and help regulate the release of macronutrients like carbohydrates, glucose, and fats into the bloodstream. This controlled release helps stabilize blood glucose levels, which is particularly beneficial for individuals with diabetes.

Vera: However, the issue of inadequate fiber consumption is widespread. Most Americans think this is not an issue in their diet, but approximately 95% of the US population doesn't meet recommended daily fiber intake levels. This is particularly among seniors, marginalized communities, and others affected by food insecurity and access issues. The scope of this problem is far-reaching, extending beyond our initial target demographic.

Kelley: We envision our project positively impacting health outcomes by promoting healthier dietary habits. Our focus is on providing a way to sustainably increase fiber consumption in low-income, working-age parents with Type 2 diabetes to stabilize hemoglobin A1C levels below 7%.

2. How does your solution work?

Emil: The idea for our solution came from the experience of ordering a carrot juice and noticing how much pulp was left behind after juicing. All the sugars go into the juice, but the fiber and many nutrients remain in the pulp. We realized that most juice companies simply discard this pulp and pay waste management companies to remove it. Our concept is to repurpose this discarded fruit pulp. We take the pulp, dehydrate it, and combine it with other ingredients to create tasty, nutritious fiber snacks such as fiber bars. The pulp is naturally sweet, nutrient-rich, and especially high in fiber, making it an ideal base ingredient.

Kelley: Many fiber supplements and snacks on the market taste bland or unpleasant—often described as "cardboard-like." Our goal is to create a fiber snack that genuinely tastes good and is appealing to people who might otherwise avoid fiber-rich foods. We aim to position our snacks as delicious treats that just happen to be healthy.

Emil: There are three main differentiators for our product: We've carefully formulated our snacks to maximize fiber without sacrificing taste, resulting in a fiber content significantly higher than any competitor we've researched. By recycling fruit pulp that would otherwise be discarded, our product is sustainable because we significantly reduce food waste. It’s also cost-effective because we can source ingredients at a very low cost, potentially even being paid to take the pulp away. This allows us to offer a more affordable product, especially important for low-income individuals.

3. What motivated you to take on the project? And what activities have you undertaken?

Kelley: We realized that addressing food access alone wasn't enough; we had to directly target health outcomes. Aiming to cure a disease just by looking at it in a vacuum and not considering the social determinants of health would be a mistake. Food insecurity has a profound impact on patients and their ability to recover or manage any chronic disease. Diabetes emerged as a clear priority because it's one of the most pervasive chronic conditions affecting millions of people worldwide. Additionally, eating behaviors are often established at home, so targeting parents could naturally benefit the entire family.

Emil: Personally, our solution heavily resonates with my experiences working in the restaurant industry in Oslo [Norway], where sustainability and minimizing food waste were core principles. In restaurants, throwing away food feels like a punch to the stomach, both environmentally and economically. We always found creative ways to repurpose ingredients to reduce waste and improve margins and this is a way for me to continue with that mission.

Vera: I was particularly drawn to the idea of entrepreneurship as a way to influence consumer choices around food. Traditional public health messaging often falls short when it comes to dietary changes, so I thought we could try a different approach to tackle diabetes.

Emil:  While our initial stakeholder engagement focused on potential consumers, we're now actively broadening our outreach to include clinicians and healthcare organizations. We began extensive market research, conducted numerous stakeholder interviews and field research, including visits to an elementary school. And we have continued prototyping our fiber snack product. Currently, we're exploring potential partnerships and preparing for upcoming events where we'll showcase sample kits of our product.

Kelley: Looking ahead, our primary goal is to secure external backing—whether from VCs, angel investors, or strategic partners—to help us operationalize our idea. Our biggest challenge as a venture in the consumer packaged goods space is to develop a sustainable revenue model. To scale effectively, we need reliable sources of fruit pulp, FDA-compliant production facilities, and logistical support.

4. What’s the most important thing you learned in advancing your project?

Emil: One of the most important lessons for me has been the value of genuinely following your passions. This project is a perfect example of that principle—not just for me, but for my teammates as well. Kelley, for instance, is a physician who personally experienced the power of food as medicine by managing her own autoimmune condition through dietary changes. Vera studied food anthropology and spent years exploring her passion for food. Before pursuing my career in medicine, I was heavily invested in working for the restaurant industry. Each of us came from a different background, but we all converged naturally because we share a deep, authentic passion for food and its potential to improve health. This organic alignment of interests and values has made our collaboration incredibly rewarding and effective.

Another significant lesson for me has been the refreshing nature of the Biodesign for Societal Health class itself. As a pre-med student, most of my coursework—physics, math, chemistry—has always had clear right and wrong answers. This class completely flips that approach upside down. It encourages creative thinking, open-ended exploration, and embracing uncertainty. There's no single correct solution, and that has been both challenging and liberating. It has taught me to think differently, to be comfortable with ambiguity, and to appreciate the value of diverse perspectives and iterative problem-solving.

Kelley: I’d say that learning how to ask the right questions plays a huge role in setting the path you take. Getting unstuck and finding new resources often comes down to asking a different set of questions. It's astonishing how many strangers are willing to help you! We don't take a single one for granted.

5. What advice do you have for other aspiring health technology innovators?

Kelley: Take care of your team. Take care of each other. Your project is only as strong as your team.

Vera: Our insights come from many different people, from experts to possible customers. It's important to stay open-minded, curious, and surround yourself with kind people.

Emil: Know your strengths and your weaknesses and be willing to seek the help needed. Immerse yourself in the community and pursue a need with passion.