A local entrepreneur joins marquee business founders on the Inc. Female Founders 100 list.
Kayla Rodriguez Graff, cofounder and CEO of SweetBio, is the only business founder on the list from Tennessee.
Now in its third year, the Inc. Female Founders list has included Serena Williams and Joanna Gaines, and this year includes Jessica Alba, actress and founder of The Honest Co.
“2020 has been a year of building credibility, generating momentum,” Rodriguez Graff said. “And with that, comes a need for awareness … to have this level of recognition is critical to open doors.”
The Inc. Female Founders' list isn’t her first national recognition, however.
Last fall, Rodriguez Graff participated in the Center for American Entrepreneurship's (CAE) Women’s Entrepreneurship Roundtable in Washington, D.C.
Just a few weeks ago, the 22 roundtable participants reconnected via a Zoom meeting.
Rodriguez Graff credits Epicenter and the Memphis startup ecosystem with helping to amplify her story, as well as her company’s story, to gain national prominence.
“Kayla is a prime example of why entrepreneurs are such a vital part of our economy — not only is she building a successful business and creating local jobs while inspiring others to do the same, she also consistently re-invests her time in our community and advocates for other founders,” Jessica Taveau, interim CEO of Epicenter, said in an email.
Startup momentum
SweetBio received FDA approval of its APIS bioengineered wound care product in May 2019. The product has been used to treat more than 100 patients to date in a dozen states.
And, five years after launching, SweetBio is generating revenue — a milestone for a startup.
“We’ve treated patients across the U.S. — from chronic wounds to acute surgical wounds to Mohs skin cancer wounds,” Rodriguez Graff said.
This week, SweetBio started a clinical trial at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where the startup had already done some early clinical work with their dermatology department. And, SweetBio just gained access for its product into the Veteran Affairs system, as well.
“It’s that level of evidence [and] level of credibility with Vanderbilt [and others] that's propelling us into clinics and growth in hospitals across the nation,” Rodriguez Graff said.
In the uncertainty of 2020, a key focus for Rodriguez Graff and SweetBio has been crafting strategies to market and then distribute the product. All with an eye toward scaling at a national level in 2021.
“We have our first several distributors signed on representing territories outside the Mid-South — up in the Midwest, the Northeast, and the Southwest, so we've got exciting traction,” Rodriguez Graff said.
While Rodriguez Graff is quick to credit SweetBio’s staff and shine the spotlight on her company, national recognition such as the Female Founders list validates a path not without challenges.
“We are a brother and sister Puerto Rican team, led by a female CEO. The chances of us raising capital are low. The chances of us raising capital for a medical device company in the millions are extremely low,” Rodriguez Graff said. “The fact that we've made it to date says something about our ability to push past where many may have stopped.”
