Inside Ivey
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For Ivey MBA students Kartik Math and Ares Li, entrepreneurship has been a hands-on experience shaped by classroom learning, mentorship, and real-world testing. While building MoodMe, an early-stage apparel venture exploring emotional expression, Math has taken part in several Ivey-led entrepreneurial initiatives, including the Startup Challenge at the Western Morrissette Institute for Entrepreneurship Powered by Ivey, the BerQ RNG Business Plan Competition, and the Winter 2026 cohort of the Western Accelerator. Li is currently on exchange. In this Inside Ivey Q&A, Math reflects on how courses, competitions, and mentorship have helped turn curiosity into action and shape his entrepreneurial mindset.
Q&A with Kartik Math, MBA ’26 candidate and Co-Founder of MoodMe
How did you come up with the idea for your venture?
MoodMe started from something incredibly simple: I noticed that whenever my fellow MBA classmate, Ares Li, 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 inspired you to pursue the venture while at Ivey?
Ivey’s environment played a huge role in pushing MoodMe from idea to action. Being surrounded by classmates building new ventures made entrepreneurship feel accessible and real.
Our marketing course opened our eyes to how deeply people connect with brands and meaning, which led us to work with Professor June Cotte to run an extensive market research project. At the same time, courses like New Venture Creation encouraged us to test our assumptions rather than theorize. Through Ivey’s network, we distributed a survey and gathered insights from more than 110 respondents before developing MoodMe.
We also got exposure to the Startup Challenge program at the Morrissette Institute and connected with Professor Eric Morse, the Institute’s executive director, who helped us shape the early concept and determine whether it had real traction. The combination of academic insight and entrepreneurial support convinced us that Ivey was the perfect place to build something meaningful.
What specific resources or touchpoints through the Morrissette Institute were most valuable as you moved forward with your startup?
One of the most valuable resources for us was the Startup Challenge, which became a turning point in transforming MoodMe from an academic concept into something people could connect with in real life. Kendra Green, who led the program, played an instrumental role. Her mentorship, encouragement, and practical insights pushed us not just to refine the idea on paper but to get out of the classroom and interact directly with potential customers.
Under her guidance, we set up a stall at the Morrissette Institute where we engaged with Western students, fellow founders, and prospective early adopters. Those conversations gave us unfiltered feedback on what resonated and what didn’t, and what they actually wanted from an emotion-led fashion brand. This helped us pivot our business strategy to better address real pain points, ultimately paving the way toward stronger customer satisfaction and clearer product-market alignment.
Beyond the Startup Challenge, programs like the BerQ RNG Business Plan Competition and the Western Accelerator provided structure, access to mentorship networks, and pathways to early capital. Together, these touchpoints helped MoodMe evolve from an idea and move closer to becoming a viable lifestyle brand.
Can you share an example of how feedback from an Institute mentor, advisor, or event directly influenced a key decision you made for MoodMe?
One of the most impactful pieces of feedback came during the early stages of the Startup Challenge when we were discussing how to position MoodMe within the broader apparel and self-expression space. A mentor pointed out that while our concept was compelling, our messaging focused too heavily on the product and not enough on the feeling people were seeking.
Students told us they want tools to express themselves more authentically, but often don’t know how. Many described moments where they wished others understood how they were feeling without needing awkward or vulnerable conversations. MoodMe resonated with that exact gap.
Mentors in the Startup Challenge encouraged us to keep our product simple, intuitive, and rooted in genuine human need. They pushed us to think through user adoption, emotional relevance, and the broader community MoodMe could eventually serve. This feedback helped us evolve our messaging and think critically about the long-term strategy.
What classroom knowledge or coursework have you applied to MoodMe?
Throughout this process, we found ourselves constantly drawing from what we were learning in class, especially in marketing and strategy. Those courses helped us think more critically about how people perceive value, how brands communicate meaning, and how to position a product in a crowded space.
Applying the frameworks from class to real life became a natural part of our workflow. One of the most useful tools was the Business Model Canvas, which pushed us to articulate MoodMe’s value proposition, customer segments, revenue streams, and key activities with far more clarity.
Being able to directly apply class concepts to a live startup journey made our academic learning feel much more real and actionable.
What has been the most valuable part of competing in the Startup Challenge?
The exposure to judges, mentors, and industry professionals was invaluable. It was the first structured environment where we could truly test MoodMe’s viability and see how experienced entrepreneurs interpreted the concept.
It also allowed us to connect with other founders at different stages. Hearing their stories, challenges, and strategies gave us perspective and confidence. The Startup Challenge showed us that MoodMe has potential beyond an academic idea.
What has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far in the competition?
The biggest lesson has been the importance of challenging our assumptions. We initially targeted Gen Z, but through judge feedback and conversations during the competition, we realized younger audiences might be an even stronger target segment. Their relationship with emotional learning and self-expression aligns naturally with what MoodMe wants to enable.
This taught us the importance of staying flexible and willing to pivot early. Being an early-stage venture means we can adapt quickly and avoid costly missteps later. That mindset of listening, testing, and iterating has become foundational to how we build.
How do you plan to leverage the Accelerator Program?
The Accelerator’s network, workshops, and access to real entrepreneurs will be a major catalyst for MoodMe. The ability to learn from industry experts – people who have built, scaled, and exited companies – will 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) will offer guidance grounded in lived experience. They’ve been through the challenges we’re just beginning to face. Learning directly from them will allow us to move forward intelligently and confidently.
What mentorship or support will make the biggest impact on MoodMe’s success?
Hands-on mentorship from EIRs and industry practitioners will have the greatest impact. Their experience scaling businesses, building brands, and navigating early-stage uncertainty will help us refine our go-to-market plan, product strategy, and customer experience.
The Accelerator’s network – founders, operators, and advisors – will also be invaluable. Having access to people who have built successful ventures gives MoodMe an advantage that can meaningfully differentiate us as we prepare to launch.
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