Dear Two Moon Readers,
I’m Rucha - a STEM girl and former engineer and tech consultant turned creator and entrepreneur.
I’ve always loved using technology to create real impact. For years, I struggled with something deeply personal: acne. I knew first hand how frustrating it was to navigate skincare advice. Dermatologists pushed expensive treatments. Influencers promoted one size fits all solutions. And well-meaning friends recommended routines that worked for them but not for me. So I thought: What if AI could help?
Many AI tools focus on finance, crypto, or automation, but why not skincare? It’s something nearly everyone deals with, and the industry is overdue for innovation grounded in real science, not just marketing.
Let Me Tell You a Story
So this past February, I pitched an idea at Fierce Foundry’s FemHack hackathon -held at Techstars’ NYC office - for an AI-powered skincare tool that could give users personalized insights to make better decisions about their skin. The idea was born from my own journey: navigating skincare as a teenager with bad acne and low self esteem and later, as a woman with a background in STEM frustrated by how skincare didn’t really center diverse user needs, especially for women of color.
Once my pitch was accepted, I had to convince like-minded people to help me build this, delegate tasks, and make strategic product decisions - all within a limited timeframe. I brought together two engineers and a product designer. As the product lead and ML engineer, I focused on building something functional, data-driven, and truly user-first.
Why FemHack Felt Different
Fierce Foundry’s FemHack stood out to me because it was a space intentionally created for female entrepreneurs in STEM. That support mattered. STEM spaces can feel isolating as a woman, especially when you don’t see yourself reflected in leadership or feel pressure to shrink your personality to "fit in." But at FemHack, being surrounded by ambitious, creative women reminded me why our voices matter - especially in industries like health and beauty, where we deeply understand the problems and are highly motivated to build better solutions.
One of the biggest challenges during the hackathon? Aligning our vision under time pressure. In any hackathon, it’s easy to get lost in complexity, but I made sure we stayed focused on the core user problem. We needed something bare bones that could provide personalized skincare insights based on real data - not marketing gimmicks.
AI is changing the game by making it more accessible for women founders to create smart, scalable products without needing massive resources upfront. It’s a powerful tool - but paired with lived experience and a strong support system? That’s when the real innovation happens.
Through strong communication, decision-making, and problem-solving, we built a working prototype and developed a business case for our product at Fierce Foundry’s FemHack. And it paid off - we won second place at the hackathon!
I almost didn’t pitch my AI idea. I worried it wasn’t good enough. But I’m so glad I did. If you’re sitting on an idea, my advice is simple: don’t judge it. Start. You don’t need to know everything. You just need to move.
My Origin Story
My path to a STEM career began when I enrolled in engineering school. To be honest, I didn’t really know what I wanted at the time. I initially thought I’d become a doctor - mostly because that was the messaging I grew up with. Medicine felt like the “right” path. That changed after taking my first chemistry class (spoiler: I hated it).
When people talk about “women in STEM,” the conversation usually focuses on external challenges - being underestimated, being the only woman in the room. And while that’s real, what hit me harder was the internal pressure: the idea that you have to fit a specific mold to belong. Be quiet. Dress a certain way. Act like you’re not too much. I never fit that mold, and for a while, that made me question if I belonged in this space at all.
That’s why support systems for women in STEM are so important. When I started joining hacker communities and building alongside other women and allies, I realized how much community matters. My fellow hackers didn’t just share code - they shared encouragement, late-night Slack messages, resources, and belief in each other’s ideas. That kind of support made a huge difference.
As for role models, I’ve always looked up to women like Fei-Fei Li for her work in AI and for demonstrating compassionate leadership. Also, any woman breaking norms and owning herself in ANY male dominated industry inspires me - because visibility matters, and every one of us helps shift the mold.
At times, I felt out of place when I looked at the broader engineering community. However, my own friend group was nothing like the stereotypical engineering crowd. My roommate, who was also an engineer, never conformed to those expectations, and that inspired me. Seeing her thrive on her own terms made me realize that I didn’t have to change who I was to succeed in STEM.
Of course, I faced moments of being underestimated - especially by the “tech bro” persona that can dominate these spaces. But rather than dwelling on those barriers, I focused on myself and my goals. That mindset helped me push forward, even when I felt like I didn’t belong.
After engineering school, where I built a strong foundation in data science through internships and research labs at Temple University, I went into tech consulting. My journey into work experience began while I was still in school, balancing research lab work at the engineering school and running my art business, and being immersed in my role as a data scientist at the FCC. I worked on a lot of product and data-focused projects with biotech, healthcare, and media-tech clients at Slalom Consulting. Though this was exciting, deep down, I knew I wanted to build something of my own.
Let’s Dive Into the Nitty Gritty
That’s when I started my journey as a founder for the third time. Over time, I have worked in multiple industries - biotech, arts, and eventually fashion. My fashion company, Aashiqi Studio, an Indian-inspired minimalist streetwear brand, evolved into a media company where I collaborated with brands like Shopify and even participated in New York Fashion Week. Through my podcast and community, I had the opportunity to speak with founders, influencers, and women in tech about personal and professional growth in an unfiltered, real way.
A model at New York Fashion Week modeling one of my designs for Aashiqi, my prior startup - a minimalist Indian streetwear fashion brand.
Talking to these incredible women helped me so much in my own journey. And while I was growing my business, I also knew I wanted to stay involved in tech and product development - I wanted to build, innovate, and push the boundaries of what was possible. That’s how I found myself at a hackathon.
At the FemHack presentation, I met Terry, one of the founders of Two Moons, who was attending as an observer and invited me to write this blog article. We felt very aligned as Two Moons has created an innovative new supplement, the first of its kind, which client testimonials are indicating is reducing their hormonal acne, with a similar purpose-driven goal of empowering women and fueling their confidence to be their best selves.
If you’re thinking about getting into tech, AI, or entrepreneurship - especially to build something like a skincare app - know that you don’t need to have it all figured out. I didn’t. I took a few courses, but honestly, I just started playing around and building. I leaned on mentors and online communities when I got stuck. Skincare needs more AI because everyone’s skin is different - AI helps personalize and democratize solutions instead of relying on one-size-fits-all advice. Looking back, the biggest lesson I’ve learned is this: just go for it, even if you fail. That’s part of the process.
Now, we’re continuing to refine the app and are launching our MVP soon! This is for anyone struggling to learn what works for their skin, tired of the same dermatologist recommendations, and don’t have time for the 10-15 step skincare routines. Our app holds your hand through the process of learning about your skin and creates a path toward healthier, clearer outcomes - all using AI.
And if you want to be one of the first to try our AI skincare app, join the waitlist! We’re offering beta invites to a small group of users first.
And if you're curious to hear more unfiltered stories, make sure to tune into Brown Girl Unscripted for your weekly pick-me-up on unscripted professional and personal growth, plus my platform for bite-sized bits on leveling up in life.
Lastly, we’d love to hear from you: What’s one AI tool you wish existed in the beauty or wellness space? We’d love to hear your thoughts! Head to the comments on our Instagram post on @twomoonshealth and let us know!
About the Author
Rucha Dave is a tech founder who blends tech, beauty, community, and innovation. With an engineering and consulting background, she’s built ventures, launched digital products for global brands, been featured at NYFW, and founded Brown Girl Unscripted to start real conversations on personal and professional growth with an unscripted tone. Her latest project, Skinsights.AI, is an AI skincare tool born from her own acne journey and passion for tech. Rucha champions women in tech and reminds us that you don’t need to have it all figured out to start.
