INVENT 2025 Finalist: Mude Clothing

Founders name: Ben Sloan and Thomas Lowry

What was the “aha” moment that sparked your idea?

The idea for Mude was born from a deeply personal moment. Kat’s best friend, Weronika, lives with Type 1 diabetes and relied on an insulin pump. One day, with no comfortable or discreet way to wear her device, Weronika pulled her pump out of her clothing. Seeing that her friend would rather remove a life-saving device than endure the discomfort of wearing it was a turning point for Kat. Beyond the physical risks, Kat saw how much the lack of suitable clothing eroded Weronika’s mental health, confidence, and freedom of expression.

That was the “aha” moment: realising Weronika’s struggles weren’t unique, but shared by millions of people across different medical devices... from stoma bags to catheters. Existing options were bulky, clinical, and focused only on function. We knew clothing could, and should, do more by safely integrate devices while still looking and feeling like fashion. With Mude, we are solving the problems of safety, comfort, and discretion for people who rely on medical devices, giving them the freedom to dress confidently and live fully.

What is your background?

Aidan McGeary (Co-founder & CEO) has a background in Business Management and previous experience running a small clothing startup. At Mude, he leads strategy, operations, and fundraising, driving the company’s growth and positioning in the adaptive fashion and healthcare markets. Recognised as an award-winning entrepreneur for innovation in accessibility, Aidan brings both commercial expertise and a strong commitment to creating inclusive solutions.

Kat Pohorecka (Co-founder & Chief Product Officer) is a product designer with hands-on experience as a Product Manager at a medical device startup. She combines her design expertise with fashion training from the University of the Arts London, leading all product research, development, and innovation at Mude. Her work ensures Mude’s garments are functional, stylish, and centred around user needs.

Tell us a bit about your solution

Mude creates adaptive base-layers that discreetly and safely integrate medical devices into everyday life. Designed with patients, healthcare professionals, and charities, our garments provide comfort, security, and practicality without compromising style.

By functioning as underlayers, they give people complete freedom to wear whatever they want on top, while discreetly securing devices like insulin pumps, stoma bags, or catheters underneath. Unlike bulky or clinical alternatives, Mude’s clothing looks and feels like fashion, reducing the risk of disconnection, discomfort, and stigma while restoring confidence and choice in how people dress.

What first impression do you want users to have when they experience/use your product?

We want users’ first impression to be one of relief and empowerment; relief that their device finally feels secure, discreet, and comfortable, and empowerment that they can dress however they want without compromise. From the moment they put on a Mude base-layer, they should feel confident, supported, and stylish, like it’s a piece of clothing designed for them, not a medical workaround.

Where do you hope to be in five years?

In five years, we aim for Mude to be the leading adaptive fashion brand globally, recognised across both the healthcare and fashion sectors. Our products will support a wide range of medical devices, sold internationally through our e-commerce platform, healthcare partnerships, and retail collaborations. We want to be the go-to solution recommended by clinicians and charities, while also being embraced by mainstream fashion as a brand that empowers choice, comfort, and confidence.

By then, we envision ten's of thousands of people worldwide wearing Mude daily, proving that adaptive clothing can be both life-changing and stylish.

What’s the best piece of feedback you’ve received so far?

One of the best pieces of feedback we’ve received came from a mentor who told us, “If you truly solve a real problem for people, the business will take care of itself.” That stuck with us, because every time we put prototypes in the hands of users, we’ve seen how transformative the solution is. The fact that people are wearing them daily, asking to buy multiple at launch, and sharing how much it improves their confidence and comfort proves that the problem is real, and solving it is what drives both our impact and our business growth.