Harvard-Trained Founder Wins Global Health Summit Pitch, Redefining Stress Management for the Modern Workforce

Lupita Almuhana, Founder of Stressie, commands the stage, pitching Stressie at the coveted Health Optimisation Summit

Startup grit, global stage, Stressie claims $50,000 win, redefining resilience with purpose and precision

AUSTIN, TX, UNITED STATES, September 3, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- From the halls of Harvard to the global stage of the Health Optimisation Summit (HOS), Lupita Almuhana, Founder of Stressie, has claimed top honors as winner of the startup competition at the U.S. edition of one of the world’s leading wellness events, securing a $50,000 award, and marking a defining moment in the science of stress management and the future of work.

HOS, often referred to as the “Davos of Wellness,” convenes the world’s foremost experts in longevity, biohacking, and corporate wellbeing, and this year expanded its global footprint with a landmark edition in Austin as part of its internationalization strategy post-London. Almuhana delivered a decisive win with Stressie, a scalable stress management platform that blends behavioral science, data, and human-centered design. Her pitch rose above a competitive cohort of innovations showcased during the Austin summit. The win builds on her 2023 Spark Grant from Harvard Innovation Labs, which catalyzed the early-stage development of Stressie during her academic career. Her vision is to meet employees where they are with stress support that actually works.

The platform equips organizations to address burnout at scale, leveraging real-time feedback loops, cognitive science, and intuitive design to reduce overwhelm and enhance team resilience. Among the featured speakers at the event was Martin Tobias, Managing Partner at Incisive Ventures, whose remarks resonated with Almuhana and many founders in the room: “Getting from an idea to a company is hard.” Almuhana’s pitch stood out not only for its clarity and conviction, but for its grounded innovation and real-world applicability across industries. “Stress has become the silent saboteur of modern productivity,” said Almuhana. “But the conversation around stress does not have to be reactive or cynical. We can make it intuitive, scalable, and even empowering.”

Stressie is built for scale at the personal level and across global workforces. It is already available on the Apple App Store and is actively being adopted by organizations across industries. Its adaptive architecture enables seamless integration across small businesses and multinational enterprises. The platform supports both HR professionals and leadership teams shaping tomorrow’s workplace culture. Behind Stressie is not just a founder, but a first-generation Latina innovator who studied behavioral economics at Harvard, built her company from the ground up, and now stands as a global voice for scalable mental wellbeing.

The victory also honors the broader team behind Stressie’s success, including founding UX/UI designer Bhanu Kowshik, growth partner Kattya Lorena Distefano, as well as early advisors Camille Richards and Marc Distefano, who helped shape the startup’s financing and market entry strategy.

“From Harvard to here, it has been the hardest and most beautiful stretch of the journey,” said Almuhana. “This win is fuel for everyone stretched thin and for every founder who dares to transform challenges into opportunities.” The message is clear: Stressie is a global response to a workforce crisis that transcends borders, industries, and time zones.

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Kattya & Co
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