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How did you come up with the idea for your business?
My father, Ayeez Lalji, was diagnosed with ALS in November of 2017. With each passing day, it seemed that my father would lose small pieces of his identity with each lost function. In addition, the experiences my family could share together became more and more limited. In an attempt to find new ways to make memories with him and help renew his sense of identity, we bought my dad a Virtual Reality (VR) headset. At the time, the potential for this technology to positively impact his situation seemed immense. We saw it as a tool that would enable him to travel the world and escape the entrapment of his body, re-experience lost hobbies, and interact with his loved ones virtually. Despite its promise, we encountered several points of friction in interacting with the VR system we purchased.
1. My dad complained the screen was blurry because it was difficult for us to place his eyes in the viewing “sweet spot.”
2. The vast majority of VR applications today require input from the hands or movement of the head to navigate and interact with the virtual environments.
3. It wasn’t possible to communicate with my dad while in VR as he did not have a line of sight to his eye gaze.
From this experience, I embarked on a newfound mission to develop a solution that could give patients a way to overcome the constraints of this disease and have life-like virtual experiences that they are unable to have physically due to their condition. This was the birthplace of VALOR.
What does the average day look like for you now as an entrepreneur (especially compared to past jobs/days)?
Since all of us on our team are PreMed and still have significant coursework, it has been especially difficult to reach our academic goals while also providing Valor with the time and attention it requires. An average day as an entrepreneur involves carving out time for the startup wherein we research beneficial connections for our network, schedule interviews with patients and other stakeholders, talk to mentors, and strategize internally.
What are some of the top things you have learned so far?
Be self-aware about any assumptions you’re making and test them with your target audience. Or, hold ideas lightly and test them broadly.
Thoroughly understand the ecosystem by speaking with all stakeholders. Conversations should guide you towards realizing their motivations and what they define as a “win”.
Who or what inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
My inspiration to become an entrepreneur was sparked during my time in high school, where I had the opportunity to pursue an Entrepreneurship Diploma. I was immediately drawn to the idea that entrepreneurship could create solutions to problems that had no existing solution. As I learned more about the potential of entrepreneurship, I became particularly interested in the impact that it could make in the field of medicine.
My father's battle with ALS has been a constant source of inspiration for me. Seeing him courageously overcome tragic circumstances has instilled in me a desire to make a difference for people like him. I am motivated to bring hope and purpose to individuals who may have been dealt a bad hand and for whom medicine may have fallen short, and to use entrepreneurship as a tool to create meaningful change.
What have been 1-2 of your proudest moments in creating your business?
Seeing the excitement from patients and their loved ones from simply discussing our idea! This reminds us that while our target audience is niche and presents very unique challenges, a great need exists for overdue innovation.
What’s the best advice you have received along your journey?
The best projects have a pivot. While the initial thought of pivoting was very stressful, the process of coming to terms with it felt freeing because we didn’t have to hold on tightly to our idea anymore. By embracing change and feeling emboldened to seek different perspectives, we developed an idea that is truly needed and desired by our target community.
About The Author:
Zoe Lalji '24
Founder of VALOR
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