Erica Duffy, Bus '21 (MBA/MA), never pictured herself as an entrepreneur. But when she saw a common problem—lack of access to menstrual products in public restrooms—she focused her class project at the Maryland Institute College of Art on the creation of TamPal, a compact, high-tech dispenser. Her effort won $35,000 from the MICA UP/Start Venture Competition for dual-degree students earning a master's in design leadership from MICA and an MBA from the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School.
TamPal will debut in schools, automatically vending products for free. Duffy hopes to create a stigma-free atmosphere where students will feel comfortable using the dispenser when needed. Unlike existing feminine product dispensers that often go unserviced or require payments, TamPal's technology will assist with reorders when inventory is low and will help troubleshoot jams.
Looking ahead, Duffy hopes to branch out into other public restrooms. She is excited to see the product unfold, as "tampons and pads should be as accessible as toilet paper in bathrooms. Period."
