At 25 years old, Jessie Becker has already traveled the globe, saved lives, launched a startup and been named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list. As some are heralding the millenials as the new “greatest generation,” Becker certainly fits the bill.
The Cal Poly grad and SLO HotHouse alumna helped launch InPress Technologies in 2011 with two biomedical engineering students developing a device to stop postpartum hemorrhaging. Since 2013 InPress has been working out of the Fogarty Institute for Innovation in Mountain View and preparing to obtain regulatory approvals to sell the device in the U.S. and Europe.
Becker found time, miraculously, to pause, and share some insights about one very long word, Hermione Granger, and learning to be more thoughtful.
What personal quality are you working on?
This is a hard question because I have so much to learn and improve upon! One thing I am always mindful of and trying to improve is being thoughtful and kind. This is something that I will never stop working on.
More recently, I have been working on improving my ability to know when and how to ask for help. InPress has incredible mentors and resources at our fingertips, and we should be using them as fully as we can! As entrepreneurs, we spend so much energy figuring things out and carving a new path. Sometimes, it can be difficult to shake yourself out of that mode and remember to simply ask for help from someone who is smarter and more experienced. In a nutshell, I’m working on learning from others.
What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
That all of our actions have consequences, both good and bad. That inaction is a decision in and of itself. And that we don’t have to know all the answers, but we must be sincere.
What is your favorite word?
Paleoanthropologist! Really, I’ve thought this was a very cool word since I was in 5th grade. But that’s probably not the kind of answer you were looking for. Now, I’d say that the word “genuine” is my favorite, simply because it’s one of the qualities I admire the most.
Who would play you in the film of your life?
Well, I can’t imagine that my life would ever be interesting enough for a full film! However, if it somehow was, then I would definitely pick Emma Watson. Not only did she play one of my favorite fictional characters as I was growing up, but she also is an amazing role model and advocate for women and girls around the world.
What is the origin of InPress Technologies?
InPress Technologies started as student project out of Cal Poly. Two biomedical engineers came up with the concept for our device when they were competing in a design competition. Quickly thereafter, they began working with Cal Poly’s programs for inventors and entrepreneurs, which is where I met them! We were lucky enough to have the incredible support of the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which allowed us to begin our company and grow at the SLO HotHouse. The community of mentors, community members, and colleagues encouraged us all along the way and enabled our current success.
With this issue not as prevalent in the United States, how did you become aware of it?
I became aware of the global problem of PPH when I met the creators of the InPress device. Effectively treating PPH is specifically identified as a key component for improving maternal health in the UN’s Millennium Development Goals for 2015. Although very few women die in the United States from PPH, it is still a terrifying and unpredictable emergency situation. The World Health Organization reports that globally, 6 percent of all births result in postpartum hemorrhage. Here in the United States, we are lucky enough to have the providers, facilities and equipment to stop women from dying. However, in other parts of the world, those resources are simply not available. For that reason, postpartum hemorrhage is the number 1 cause of maternal death in the world.