Shop Small, Support Innovation: Tepper School Alumni Gift Guide

This holiday season, why not skip the usual scented candles and tube socks and support innovative startups founded by Tepper School of Business alumni? Whether you're shopping for a foodie, a wellness enthusiast, or a busy professional, this list has something for everyone.

Those with a discerning palate will appreciate these craft beverage options from Pittsburgh-owned and operated businesses founded by Tepper School alumni. 

• For a gluten-free beer option, go with Ryan Bove’s, MBA ‘12, Aurochs Brewing, Aurochs is brewed in a dedicated gluten-free facility without ingredients that contain wheat, barley, or rye to guarantee everything we brew is naturally gluten-free. 
• For non-beer drinkers, consider Voyager Cider, founded by James Bucki, MBA ‘24. This Pittsburgh-based hard cider company ferments its cider to achieve a complex, bone-dry character, celebrating its natural brightness and subtle fruit notes. 
• For a coffee aficionado, De Fer Coffee was founded by Matt Marietti, MBA ‘10 and his wife, Vanessa. With multiple Pittsburgh-area locations, De Fer operates under the belief that – in addition to serving great coffee and tea – cafés are uniquely positioned to enrich local communities and bring people together.

For the wellness seeker, check out these great products and services founded by Tepper School graduates. 

• Chrissy Xu, MBA ‘23, founded b.Ready Gummies. Guided by personal experience and faith in the holistic approach of Traditional Chinese Medicine, b.Ready weaves time-tested traditional wisdom into a unique formula to create b.Ready vegan gummies that help fight headaches, hangovers, and fatigue.
• For anyone who makes New Year’s resolutions or is into self-improvement, Mathew Polowitz, MBA ‘21, co-founded Equa with CMU professor Dr. David Creswell, William S. Dietrich II Professor in Psychology and Neuroscience. Equa is a clinically validated digital program that combines personalized training, live coaching, and interactive learning to help users build mental resilience and mindfulness, and address mental health challenges.

For a unique gift for a parent of young children, consider a subscription service for products they can incorporate into their busy lives.

• Brittany Rhodes, MBA ‘10, founded Black Girl MATHgic, a monthly subscription box for third- to eighth-grade girls to work on math skills and build confidence. 
• For a busy mom on the go, Anna Fuller, MBA ‘18, created the e-commerce website Halo, offering products for maternity through toddlerhood in special weekly flash deal events. Customers can subscribe to Halo “Parties” and anyone who joins a party gets a discount. As more people join, the price gets lower.

Finally, if you are looking for a card to accompany your holiday gift, look no further than CheerNotes, a diverse greeting card company founded by Asha Banks, MBA ‘20. 

By purchasing from these alumni-founded startups, you're giving a unique and thoughtful present and also investing in our graduates and the broader entrepreneurial landscape. 

This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all Tepper School alumni startups and products. Are you a Tepper School alumnus with an interesting venture that you’d like to share with us? We’d love to hear your story! Email us at tepper-alumni@andrew.cmu.edu.