Latest news with #Memoria
Forbes
a day ago
- Business
- Forbes
Tech And Deathcare: A New Challenge To An Old Industry
Aurelie Biehler, Founder & CEO, Memoria A new tech-driven disruption is underway in a century-old, $100 billion industry that may become as outdated as DVD rentals – deathcare. Uber redefined the transportation industry by leveraging technology to connect riders with drivers. Netflix disrupted the entertainment industry by transitioning from physical DVD rentals to online streaming. Airbnb transformed the hospitality industry by allowing individuals to rent out their properties to travelers. Each company became category leaders by using technology to remake the landscapes of their industries. While the US funeral market is projected to grow to approximately $52 billion in the next five years, this industry remains low tech and fragmented. Most families have little idea what to do when a loved one passes and most of the steps that follow are offline, confusing, and emotionally draining. Many funeral homes demand that business be done in person, and online services are fragmented and focused on specific aspects of the bereavement process such as purchasing a casket or flowers. Today, however, families have a new source of support: digital, transparent platforms that give families control during one of life's most difficult moments and are beginning to redefine leadership and purpose in the funeral industry. Memoria is a company founded in 2022 by Aurelie Biehler after losing her grandfather and watching friends and relatives who lost loved ones during the pandemic. With a background in tech and finance, including roles in investment banking at Morgan Stanley and AI consulting at IBM for Fortune 500 companies, Biehler is bringing a new perspective to an industry that will be facing significant change in the years ahead. 'At Memoria, we believe people shouldn't be forced into overpriced packages that don't reflect who their loved one truly was. They deserve options that honor life meaningfully, with transparent pricing, fast delivery, and a support team that genuinely cares', said Biehler. Memoria's platform guides families through the end-of-life process from the comfort of their home. At each step, the technology explains available options, making a traditionally complex process simple and clear. Customers select what they need, check out in one seamless transaction, and their team handles the rest, coordinating everything behind the scenes. It's a fully integrated, end-to-end experience that brings transparency, control, and ease to one of life's most difficult moments. Biehler and her team spent the first year laying the groundwork by refining the product-market fit and launching a pilot. 'In 2023, we secured early funding, including from Mount Sinai Health System's Elementa Labs, and began generating revenue. By 2024, we had $1M in ARR, built a lean U.S.-based operation, and expanded our platform beyond product sales to include value-added services for families.' Memoria is now focused on expanding into services like cremation and memorial planning, operational efficiency, and strengthening its position as a modern alternative to the traditional funeral industry. Families can order caskets and urns with next-day delivery, create obituaries with features like memory sharing, service details, and direct donations to charity or the bereaved family to help cover funeral expenses. Since launching in January 2023, Memoria has serviced more than 4,500 families but getting the platform up and running has not been without its challenges. 'In our first year, we built a beautifully designed, interactive checklist—something everyone said they wanted to help navigate what to do when someone dies. But once it launched, no one was using it,' said Biehler. 'The following year, our focus shifted to scaling operations—and we learned the hard way how difficult it is to find reliable partners who can match our pace and handle the urgency of next-day funeral deliveries.' Most recently, the company's biggest challenge has been navigating regulation and determining how to responsibly expand into services like cremation and memorial coordination. 'Each phase has tested a different part of the business, and of me as a founder, but it's also sharpened our understanding of what families really need,' said Biehler. In recent years, there has been a growing recognition that positive social and environmental impacts of business contribute to purchasing decisions. Surprisingly, however, one industry that may not immediately come to mind when discussing impact is the funeral sector. Recognizing this, Memoria is engaging the next generation of consumers for whom profit and purpose are increasingly influencing purchasing decisions. 'From a social standpoint, fascinating research shows that funerals designed in the image of a loved one can lead to healthier and more complete grieving processes, compared to those based on standardized packages,' said Biehler. 'That's why, at Memoria, we place choice at the center of every customer experience. We're also excited to see growing public interest in sustainable options like natural burials, aquamation, and human composting—but we're also careful to examine the potential consequences, such as the risk of soil and groundwater contamination in certain natural burial settings, to ensure families can make informed and responsible decisions.' Deathcare is one of the last major industries to avoid being disrupted by consumer tech and Memoria may well become the next Uber or Netflix.
Courier-Mail
03-06-2025
- General
- Courier-Mail
Warwick Farm preview: Key factors to help Bjorn Baker's mare Starmae
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Trainer Bjorn Baker is hoping a drop in grade and weight can help Starmae get back to winning form when she steps out on her home track. The four-year-old has been good in his three starts this preparation including her last two runs in Saturday metropolitan company when fifth to Memoria at Randwick and seventh to Oh Diamond Lil at the Scone stand-alone meeting on May 17 Starmae carried 56kg and 57kg respectively in those two races and drops down to 54.5kg after the claim of apprentice Olivia Chambers in the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1300m). 'This is a good race for her. It's a drop back in grade after running in Saturday grade in her last two where she acquitted herself well,' said Baker. 'She gets a good drop in weight with Olivia's claim and she is one from one on this mare having won at Wyong last year. 'Starmae galloped outstanding on Saturday. She was really sharp. 'She may have just taken a couple of runs to get to her peak but this is a good scenario over 1300m again, back in grade, lovely gate (barrier 4) and no weight. 'This is her race to run well.' Baker also saddles up consistent gelding Bat Out Of Hell in the same race where he has drawn barrier 11 but feels he will be better suited once he steps up over a little further. 'He probably needs 1400m and 1500m but he has to start somewhere,' he said. 'He is a horse who always tries his hardest and he has trialled better this time in better than he has in previous preparations. 'We're confident he is going to have a good preparation. Whether it's this week or whether he just gets run under his belt and he'll be ready to go.' Baker was looking forward to seeing Swordplay make her debut at Canterbury last week but she was a late scratching after getting her leg up in the barriers. The daughter of Shalaa has shown plenty of ability and speed to lead all-the-way for big wins in her two barrier trials under Rachel King. 'This is obviously 'Take Two' after she was scratched at the barriers last Wednesday which was unfortunate,' he said. 'She's a lovely, promising filly and she couldn't be any more professional than she has been in her trials.' Swordplay has drawn barrier 6 in the TAB Handicap (1100m) with King aboard. 'She has good speed and should roll forward to settle in the first few. Hopefully she brings her trials form to race day,' Baker said. Baker also has Jarrito set to debut in the same race. The daughter of I Am Invincible and Group 1 winner Spright has placed in both trials but will improve with race experience according to Baker. 'She is lovely filly who is still a little bit raw but has done enough in her trials to say she is ready to go to the races,' he said. 'She is definitely going to be better for the run but she is an exciting filly. 'She has drawn an ideal gate and she will hopefully get a smother just behind the speed. She has got a really nice turn of foot.' Baker was pleased with Regimental Colours in her first campaign where she placed in two of her three runs at Canterbury and is looking forward to her return in the Hitotsu At Arrowfield Plate (1100m). 'She has improved a lot both mentally and physically from what she did that preparation,' he said. 'Her trials have been good and while she is open to improvement, she is there to run well.' ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Well-bred filly Manaajem kicked off her career with a win and trainer Peter Snowden is quietly confident she can start her second campaign the same way. A three-quarter sister to recent Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes winner Charm Stone and a full sister to Snowden's dual Listed winner Najmaty, Manaajem showed nice ability winning her two trials before debuting with a big win at Wyong on December 31. After pulling up lame when fifth to Alliri on the Kensington 15 days later and was spelled. 'She was just immature and jarred up in her knees,' said Snowden. 'That's why we gave her a good spell and she seems a lot stronger this time in. We have had no issues with her at all.' The daughter of Tassort has trialled stylishly ahead of her return in the Traffic Warden @ Darley Handicap (1100m) when she has drawn barrier 3 with Tommy Berry aboard. 'Both her trials have been quite good. We have always thought quite a bit of her and we are pleased with the way she has come back,' Snowden said. 'She has a good draw and Tommy has ridden her in nearly all her work and in her trials. 'We are quietly confident she can run well.' Snowden was hoping to get a maiden win on the board for Catonahotinroof at Canberra last start but things didn't go to plan when she missed the start by seven or eight lengths before finishing less than three lengths behind Celestial Breeze in fifth place. 'She just hopped up in the air as the gates opened and lost all chance,' Snowden said. 'She still ran a slashing race to finish as close as she did.' The three-year-old was sent back to the trials where she came from last to beat Wonderstorm at Warwick Farm on May 26 and will make her presence felt in the Asahi Super Dry Plate (1300m). 'She trialled really well the other day. She handles the soft track without any problems,' said Snowden. 'That might play into her hands a little bit this week. 'She has been up a while but is still in good shape and certainly capable of running well.' Snowden is happy with the way Earth Dance is coming along but said wants further than the 1600m of the Vinnie Three-Time Champion Sire Handicap. 'He will go to 1900 metres at his third start and will be better suited.'
Gulf Today
11-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
‘Memoria' exhibition draws to a close at Fondation H in Madagascar capital
After ten months on display (Apr 4, 2024 – Feb. 28, 2025), the itinerant and pan-African exhibition Memoria: récits d'un autre Histoire (Memoria: accounts of another History) came to a close in Fondation H in Antananarivo, Madagascar. Curated by Nadine Hounkpatin and Céline Seror, the show brought together approximately 40 works by 22 artists from 11 countries across Africa and its diasporas. Over 140,000 visitors discovered it. Memoria: accounts of another History embodied the concept of a collective memory, composed of a multitude of accounts, histories, inquiries, and experiences interwoven within individual, personal, and intimate recollections. Fondation H marked the fourth stop of the exhibition, following Bordeaux (France, 2021), Abidjan (Céte d'Ivoire, 2022), and Yaoundé (Cameroon, 2023). With each new destination, curators Hounkpatin and Seror attempted to redefine both the selection of artworks and the list of participating adaptive approach ensured the exhibition remained contextually relevant across diverse geographic and cultural landscapes. In Antananarivo, Memoria was specifically developed for the Malagasy context, in close collaboration with the Fondation H team and the local artistic community. Artworks on view. Through an extensive programme of creative residencies and production support, five Malagasy artists and seven international artists had the opportunity to develop new works in partnership with local artisans, further anchoring the exhibition within the Malagasy cultural and artistic fabric. The scale of its setting at Fondation H matched the works of the following artists: Joey Aresoa, Olivia Bourgois, Joana Choumali, Dalila Dalléas Bouzar, Justine Gaga, Enam Gbewonyo, Georgina Maxim, Tuli Mekondjo, Marie-Claire Messouma Manlanbien, Myriam Mihindou, Joséfa Ntjam, Gosette Lubondo, Barbara Portailler, Selly Raby Kane, Miora Rajaonary, Amalia Ramanankirahina, Richianny Ratovo, Carine Ratovonarivo, Vonjiniaina Ratovonirina, Na Chainkua Reindorf, Mary Sibande, and Charlotte Yonga. On September 21, 2024, Fondation H launched the exhibition catalogue for the show in Antananarivo. The 250-page trilingual publication (Malagasy/French/English) includes an introductory text by Hounkpatin, three analytical essays by Seror, Ludonie Velotrasina, and Ashraf Jamal, as well as 22 artwork descriptions authored by 12 contributors from Fondation H and the Malagasy literary scene. The catalogue also features comprehensive artist biographies, extensive exhibition views and high-quality reproductions of featured works. To enhance visitor engagement, a dedicated activity guide, developed by the Fondation H team in collaboration with the exhibition's curators, was made available free of charge to all attendees. The Memoria exhibition successfully engaged a wide audience through guided tours, workshops, and a diverse range of public programmes. It's over 140,000 visitors included more than 3,500 children. The 47 Saturdays of Fondation H — a weekly event held every Saturday morning featuring creative workshops, performances, discussions, and more — gathered over 1,250 participants in the course of the exhibition. Through the Ainga training programme, more than 100 artists and cultural professionals also benefited from support. Launched in April 2022 by Fondation H, the Ainga programme aims to provide artists from the Indian Ocean region with a solid theoretical and practical foundation to develop and sustain their artistic careers. During the exhibition, Fondation H hosted eight training modules, featuring contributions from the exhibition's curators and participating artists. The sessions benefited over 100 artists and cultural professionals. Hounkpatin and Seror contributed to various Ainga training modules in 2024 and 2025. Hounkpatin conducted portfolio review sessions for some local artists and also led a masterclass titled The to-do list of a curator. Franco-Algerian artist Dalila Dalléas Bouzar led a session on building an artistic approach, featuring an open studio with emerging artists. South African artist Mary Sibande conducted the masterclass regarding the artistic approach to the artwork production. To close the exhibition, a final training module on publishing in the art world, led by Seror, took place from February 26 to 28, 2025. Marking the closing of the exhibition, Fondation H hosted a special event on March 1. It featured a discussion between Professor Jacqueline Ravelomanana, historian and lecturer specialising in the history of education, and Seror. Titled Des Mémoires silencieuses a I'Histoire partagée (From silent Memories to a shared History), the discussion explored key themes of the exhibition. Following the discussion, the public was invited to take part in the workshop Collecter et partager les mémoires sur post-it (Collecting and sharing memories on post-it), inspired by Pensées au carré, a piece by French-Malagasy artist Barbara Portailler. From April 11 to February 28, 2026, Fondation H has invited British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare CBE RA for a carte blanche titled Safiotra (Hybridités/Hybridities), marking his first major showcase on the African continent. The exhibition will occupy the 2,200 square-metre Fondation H building in downtown Antananarivo. The solo features artwork spanning 20 years of Shonibare's career, including The African Library (2018), part of Fondation H's permanent collection. The monumental installation comprises 6,000 books wrapped in Dutch wax print fabric, each embossed with the name of a personality who shaped postcolonial Africa. The installation is complemented by a digital interface providing historical and biographical information about these figures. The exhibition also presents a series of iconic sculptures by Yinka Shonibare, such as Refugee Astronaut X (2024), created by the artist in the context of Madagascar. It also includes works from his series Hydrid Mask and Hybrid Sculpture, three Decolonized Structures from Yinka Shonibare's 2024 solo show at the Serpentine (London), and earlier works like Alien Man on Flying Machine (2011) and Alien Woman on Flying Machine (2011). Safiotra is enriched by a curated selection from the Fondation H collection, chosen by Shonibare.
