Huggies MomInspired to help fund new-to-market business ideas

05 May '10

4 min read

Kimberly-Clark's Huggies brand announced the launch of the Huggies MomInspired Grant Program, providing inventive moms up to $250,000 total in seed capital and business resources to turn their great ideas into real-world product solutions.

According to research from Babson College, although women in the United States have been credited with starting businesses at nearly twice the rate of men, only about three percent of these women-run businesses attract investments from venture capital. And, in a recent survey of moms commissioned by the Huggies brand, the top-ranked challenge for those who have considered starting their own business is access to capital and financial resources (65%). Moms agree that the most helpful resource to starting their own business would be smaller grants for seed/start-up money, in addition to advice from other mom inventors or entrepreneurs like themselves.

"We're excited to introduce this program as it presents a completely new open innovation path for Kimberly-Clark and our Huggies brand," said Tony Palmer, chief marketing officer for Kimberly-Clark. "As the 16th largest consumer packaged goods company in the world, we see innovation as central to our future. Huggies MomInspired not only offers the potential for the Huggies brand to identify new product innovation, it also provides an opportunity to celebrate and take our relationship with our loyal moms to a new level."

In 2010, the Huggies brand will invest up to $250,000 in these mom experts as a new way to capture, support and potentially bring to market real-world solutions for parents. In order to be considered for a grant, moms must submit an application online, outlining a unique baby or child care product idea that addresses an unmet parenting need. The winners will be awarded with up to $15,000 per grant to help fund their product ideas.
Maria Bailey, mother of four, founder of BlueSuitMom.com and author of The Ultimate Mom Book, provided invaluable insights to the Huggies brand in the development of the MomInspired grant program, including what would be the most meaningful type of resource support for mom inventors.

"Moms are some of the most inventive types of people and are naturally the perfect entrepreneur - they are creative problem-solvers that are constantly working to juggle busy, multi-tasking lives," said Bailey. "I interact with thousands of moms, and have seen them come up with great business ideas on a daily basis, but access to tangible educational and financial resources that can help these women shape their ideas have been barriers to success. Programs like Huggies MomInspired are a perfect solution."

Created with the idea of bringing to life products and solutions inspired by personal motherhood experiences, the Huggies MomInspired grant program is designed to help moms looking to make their business dreams a reality without sacrificing their family's future goals or quality of life. Additionally, the program is designed to help K-C identify new-to-the-world product innovations that could become part of the Huggies brand portfolio of baby and child care products solutions.

More Kimberly-Clark Corporation News... More Apparel/Garments News - United States Of America...