When Zeynep Ekemen ’06 began developing Silver Defender in 2018, she had no idea how timely it would prove. The antimicrobial protected film developed for high-touch areas launched in January 2020, and was immediately in high demand as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) global health pandemic. “It was literally like fate,” says Ekemen. “We went from zero to 100 overnight. The product sold out before it was even available for sale.” With manufacturing and packaging based in rural Wisconsin, and silver sourced in Texas, Ekemen and her partners have been able to keep up with production and shipping over the past few months. The biggest challenge has been having enough time to handle all aspects of the business from accounting to fulfillment to customer service since she has been unable to hire and train additional employees in this “new normal” environment of remote business and social distancing measures.
Initially a budding photographer, Ekemen decided that she wanted a more stable career path and obtained her MBA in public accounting from the Lubin School of Business. Ekemen, a member of Beta Alpha Psi and first-generation student landed an accounting job through the honor society’s mock interviews. She next became managing principal at Z Realty Group, one of New Jersey’s only woman-owned commercial real estate development and brokerage firm. Yet throughout her studies and career trajectory, Ekemen knew that she wanted to invent something of her own. A friend’s comment about the lack of cleanliness of public door handles resonated with Ekemen. Her research led her to silver, a known natural antimicrobial for centuries. The silver ions in her product, Silver Defender, protect the stretchable film from deterioration for 90 days. The film is non-toxic and chemical free, and is activated by the salt in one’s hand and air pressure. It is the only product of its kind to have initiated the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) pesticide registration process. “My hope is that this becomes as common as Purell,” she says. “I want Silver Defender to be on every door, minimizing the transmission of germs and diseases. I also want to pay it forward. In addition to giving back to Pace, we are donating products to special education schools: the Manhattan Star Academy and the International Academy of Hope. We have also donated products to community-based food rescue distributor, Table to Table and their agency partners.” Silver Defender is already being used in airports, stadiums, national parks, zoos, schools, banks, office buildings, and more. Ekemen has even seen the film in use at rest areas along the turnpike in New Jersey. “I love seeing Silver Defender used across so many different industries. The most rewarding thing is that it’s on all the doors at the World Trade Center (WTC).” When asked why that location was sentimental, Ekemen shared, “Maybe that means the most to me because the WTC is so close to Pace. I loved Pace. The education was superior. I actually really miss it.”
Next on the horizon: expansion into retail outlets, and an antimicrobial mask for doctors and teachers that includes a clear window over the mouth area. Learn more about Silver Defender.