Kartik Math and Ares Li are the co-founders of MoodMe, a modular fashion startup empowering young people to express their authentic selves with expressive patches that attach to customizable apparel, starting with hoodies. Bridging tactile design and emotional well-being, these expressive patches act like emojis, allowing users to externalize their feelings, such as happiness. MoodMe is building an evolving ecosystem of these patches and compatible items including bags, and accessories. The product transforms self-expression into something you can wear, touch, and share, encouraging authenticity in a world that often rewards conformity.
What drew you to entrepreneurship?
I wouldn’t say I always knew I would become an entrepreneur, but I’ve always been someone who enjoys creating things and approaching problems differently. I have always been curious about how ideas turn into real products or experiences that people actually use and care about. That process of identifying a problem, experimenting with solutions, and learning through iteration has always felt exciting to me.
Over time, this interest in building something meaningful from scratch naturally drew me to entrepreneurship. Coming to the Ivey MBA strengthened that interest even more. Being surrounded by classmates building ventures and learning frameworks around innovation and strategy made entrepreneurship feel tangible. Building MoodMe has been the first real opportunity to turn curiosity into action and experience what it actually takes to bring an idea to life.
I also had a personal source of inspiration growing up. My uncle is an entrepreneur, and he built his business while working with partners in the UK. I saw firsthand how difficult that journey could be, the challenges of starting from nothing, finding the right partners, and navigating uncertainty. But I also saw how persistence eventually paid off. Today, he’s built a successful business, and watching that journey made entrepreneurship feel both real and possible for me. In many ways, I aspire to achieve that same kind of success and resilience.
What problem are you solving, and what is your unique approach?
MoodMe is built around a simple idea: helping people express how they feel without always needing to find the right words. While we live in a world where people express themselves easily online through emojis, reactions, and status updates, that same level of emotional expression doesn’t always translate into real life.
What makes MoodMe especially meaningful to us is its potential impact beyond everyday fashion. Instead of clothing being only about style, it becomes a medium for emotional communication – something that can spark conversations, create connections, and make people feel understood.
During our research and conversations with students, mentors, and early adopters, we realized that tools for non-verbal emotional expression could be particularly valuable for children and for individuals with autism or other communication disabilities. Many people in these communities experience challenges expressing how they feel in traditional ways, and visual cues can help make communication more accessible and less stressful. The goal is not just to create a clothing brand, but to build something that helps people – kids, students, or individuals with communication challenges, feel more comfortable expressing themselves and connecting with others. Ultimately, we see MoodMe as a small but meaningful step toward making emotional expression more visible, inclusive, and accessible in everyday life.
How did you come across this problem, and why did it appeal to you?
MoodMe started from something incredibly simple: I noticed that whenever Ares wore a certain T-shirt, it told me something about his personality before we even spoke. That moment made us wonder, what if understanding people could be that easy in general?
If clothing can silently communicate style, identity, and interests, why can’t it communicate emotion too? Why can’t you literally wear what you feel? That question became the spark for MoodMe. We wanted a way for people to express their emotions openly and authentically, without needing the perfect words. The T-shirt was just the initial signal — the idea that expression can be effortless pushed us to build a product that makes emotional communication more intuitive.
What are you hoping to accomplish for your start-up at the Western Accelerator?
The Accelerator’s network, workshops, and access to real entrepreneurs would be a major catalyst for MoodMe. The ability to learn from industry experts, people who have built, scaled, and exited companies would give us the structure and insight to take MoodMe from concept to market-ready product.
More importantly, the opportunity to work closely with Entrepreneurs in Residence (EIRs) would offer guidance grounded in lived experience. They’ve made the mistakes we haven’t made yet. Learning directly from them would allow us to move intelligently and confidently.
Their experience scaling businesses, building brands, and navigating early-stage uncertainty would help us refine our go-to-market plan, product strategy, and customer experience. Having access to people who have built successful ventures gives MoodMe an advantage that can meaningfully differentiate us as we prepare to launch.
What is the biggest lesson you've learned so far during your time at the Western Accelerator?
One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned during our time at the Western Accelerator is the importance of getting out of the building and talking to real users as early as possible. It’s very easy as founders to spend time refining ideas, building plans, and debating strategies internally, but nothing replaces direct conversations with the people you’re trying to serve. Through interactions with other teams, mentors, and workshops in the program, we realized how valuable rapid feedback can be. Every time we spoke to students, parents, or potential adopters, we learned something that challenged an assumption we had made. In fact, some of our most important insights like recognizing that kids could be a strong target segment for MoodMe came directly from those conversations.
Another valuable takeaway has been learning from other founders in the cohort. Seeing how different teams approach problem-solving, pivots, and uncertainty has been incredibly insightful. It reminds you that building a startup is rarely a straight path, and being open to iteration is often what leads to the best outcomes.
Overall, the Accelerator has reinforced the mindset that entrepreneurship is less about having the perfect idea and more about continuously learning, testing, and adapting.