# Meg Wirth, CEO of Maternova (INTERVIEW) Linking Doctors & Midwives with Low-Cost Medical Supplies By Tiana Reid | Published 2012-01-25 | Social Good Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/meg-wirth References: [images.businessweek](http://images.businessweek.com/slideshows/20110621/america-s-most-promising-social-entrepreneurs-2011/slides/15) & [maternova.net](http://maternova.net/) Meg Wirth, the CEO of Maternova, was named one of America's Most Promising Social Entrepreneurs of 2011 by Bloomberg Businessweek. Covered on SocialBusiness.org in early January, [Maternova](http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/maternova) is a for-profit business that helps to provide the Majority World with access to low-cost medical supplies. We interviewed Meg Wirth about her business model, her past work and how she stays inspired. **Four Questions with Meg Wirth** **1. How did the idea for the business model come about?** The business model evolved in response to demand. We began as mainly a knowledge management site but quickly learned that visitors to the site didn't want to just learn about technologies -- they wanted access to them quickly and in customizable quantities. Thus the marketplace was born. **2. How did you decide to join this sector?** I came from the other direction, if you will. I have always worked in the public sector -- for the [UN](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/apathy-is-boring), for the Rockefeller Foundation and on donor-funded projects. I saw the need for a business-driven approach. After some time consulting to a global health venture capital fund, I felt ready to start my own venture. **3. How do you get your inspiration?** There were many many sources of inspiration but one of them that came at a key time. I was reading an article about a woman, Shannen Rossmiller, a former judge from Montana, who is a self-appointed cyber-spy tracking terrorists from her home computer. The main inspiration I get is hearing from the incredible women and men who are midwives, nurses and obstetricians delivering babies around the world. To me they are heros. **4. How do you reset yourself to be creative? Do you have any rituals?** No rituals really but I do a lot of yoga and I find shopping, even if I don't buy anything, therapeutic! Also I listen to Pandora on shuffle while working! ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.5/10 - Popularity: 26% | Activity: 11% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 10% men, 90% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Gen Alpha, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: South America, Asia, Africa ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Social Good](https://www.trendhunter.com/socialgood) > [Social Business](https://www.trendhunter.com/socialbusiness) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Low-cost Medical Supplies:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in creating affordable and accessible medical supplies for the Majority World. - **Business-driven Approach:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in applying a business approach to address public health challenges. - **Inspiring Healthcare Professionals:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in empowering and supporting healthcare professionals delivering care worldwide. ### Where This Applies - **Healthcare Supply Chain:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in optimizing the supply chain to deliver low-cost medical supplies efficiently. - **Public Health:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in leveraging business models to tackle public health issues effectively. - **E-commerce for Medical Products:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in creating online marketplaces for customizable and affordable medical supplies. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Entrepreneurial Mentorship platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/growthmentor.md) - [Affordable Eco-friendly FemCare](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/periodhealth-femalehealth-pregnancycare-femalehygiene.md) - [AI Maternal Health Agents](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/maia-by-millie.md) - [Evidence-Based Pregnancy Care Services](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pregnancy-care-service.md) - [Human-First Incubators](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/with-life-cultivator.md) - [Maternal Mortality-Reducing Kits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mommas-kit.md) - [Diagnostics-Driven Health Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/everly-health.md) - [Hormone Innovator-Focused Award Events](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hormone-innovators-awards-2025.md) - [Sweat-Based Pregnancy Wearables](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/molesense.md)