CHARLOTTE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Margik Inc., a flexible lighting startup founded and led by Dr. Margaret Kocherga, a Ukrainian immigrant to the United States, today received investment commitments from all seven celebrity startup investors, including former NFL player Cris Carter and former US Treasurer Rosie Rios, on Unicorn Hunters, a pioneering series that connects entrepreneurs seeking funding with millions of potential investors worldwide and offers viewers the opportunity to invest in billion-dollar ideas in the pre-IPO stage, for the first time in the show’s history. The episode is streaming now on UnicornHunters.com, Binge Networks, LinkedIn Broadcast, Facebook Video, YouTube, and Vimeo.
Having noticed that merchandise packaging had not evolved in decades, Margik’s founders invented a new ultra-thin and customizable printed lighting technology that helps brands stand out on the shelves by engaging consumers, effectively turning packaging into programmable computer screens previously only depicted in movies like “Minority Report.” To that end, Margik recently released its first product line consisting of the world’s first fully recyclable, organic LED (OLED)-based lighted stickers and business cards and has launched a Holiday Collection including Halloween stickers.
The Unicorn Hunters show judges, known as The Circle of Money, lavished praise on Margik and Dr. Kocherga as each successively chose to invest. On Margik’s episode, Canadian actor and Unicorn Hunters panelist Chris Diamantopoulos said to Dr. Kocherga, “You have presented something bigger than this stage. If my daughters could look at someone like you as an example of how you just put your head down and do the good work, I’d be a really, really lucky man.” Former White House Advisor Moe Vela added, “I personally think she redefines poise combined with brilliance. In my opinion, she may be the most brilliant person we’ve seen come [onto the show].” Rosie Rios, former US Treasurer, added, “She has grit. She has an instinct. She has an ability to overcome. You can’t put a figure on that, you just can't.”
In addition to the panelists’ investment commitments, Margik has won ten million Unicoins, designed to be a next-generation, asset-backed, dividend-paying cryptocurrency that addresses the volatility of early coins. “This investment will enable us to go from the laboratory bench to get products into the hands of consumers,” Dr. Kocherga commented.
Dr. Kocherga immigrated from Ukraine to the United States at age fifteen, unable to speak English but with a drive and passion to succeed in her new life. After an injury cut short her professional ballet career, she discovered an interest in science at a community college and went on to earn a Ph.D. in Nanoscale Science from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte at age 25 in 2020. Despite the hardships she faced, Dr. Kocherga remained resilient. “Losing something to me is just another chance. That is the one thing immigrants really share: coming with nothing and starting all over. One thing I don’t do is give up,” she said. Determined to leverage her laboratory and commercialization expertise from graduate school, Dr. Kocherga decided to launch Margik so that her research could benefit millions.
Following up on its Unicorn Hunters success, Margik is also raising a community funding round on WeFunder, allowing everyone to invest in the company. To learn more about the innovative technology of Margik, visit Margik.tech.
Margik’s organic, recyclable LED stickers are currently available for pre-order.
Contact investorrelations@margik.tech for investment and product inquiries.
