“Every problem you encounter can spark innovation”
For Dr. Jacqueline Krieger, years of witnessing preventable infections in the emergency room planted the seed for a solution that could change lives. As the founder of UraGuard, she’s now leading a bold transformation in women’s health, starting with one of the most overlooked pain points: urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women who use adult incontinence products.
UraGuard’s flagship product is the UraGuard® Shield, a thin, science-backed liner that fits inside any adult diaper or disposable brief. Unlike most incontinence solutions that focus solely on absorbency and odor control, UraGuard is engineered to reduce exposure to moisture and bacteria at the urethral opening, where UTIs begin.
The mission? To help vulnerable women and their caregivers feel more protected, more confident, and better supported.
“I saw this problem again and again in the ER”
Dr. Krieger’s idea didn’t come from a boardroom, it came from a hospital floor. As an emergency medicine physician, she routinely treated elderly and immobile women who were suffering from recurring UTIs. Many were already battling other conditions, such as dementia or limited mobility, and the cycle of infections only made their situations worse.
“I realized these infections weren’t just painful,” she says. “They were lowering quality of life, keeping people out of their homes, and in some cases even causing hospitalizations.”
Yet despite the wide availability of adult briefs and incontinence pads, none addressed the core bacterial risk. That realization led Krieger to ask a simple but powerful question: what if there was a way to block the bacteria directly at the source?
The result was UraGuard, a product born from frontline medical insight, built to solve a real-world problem.
“Starting a company with a medical background was a whole new challenge”
Krieger is the first to admit she wasn’t trained in business. But that didn’t stop her. Instead, she dove headfirst into understanding how to manufacture a product, communicate with customers, and build a brand from scratch.
“I had to learn everything, design, supply chain, marketing,” she says. “It was humbling, but I knew the product could help so many women. That made the learning curve worth it.”
Despite the steep climb, her medical training gave her a unique advantage: clarity of purpose. Every decision at UraGuard is rooted in improving health outcomes, not just boosting sales. That authenticity has helped the company earn the trust of caregivers, customers, and clinicians alike.
“What I’m most proud of are the messages from families”
UraGuard has quietly become a game-changer for thousands of women and their families. For Krieger, the most rewarding moments aren’t press features or sales milestones, they’re the emails from daughters, granddaughters, and caregivers who have seen real improvements.
“Some tell me their moms are finally more comfortable. Others say the infections have slowed down or stopped altogether,” she says. “That’s when I know this is making a real difference.”
This grassroots word-of-mouth has fueled UraGuard’s growth across the U.S., with the brand now looking to expand into senior care facilities and exploring broader healthcare partnerships.
“We just launched a new version, and we’re not stopping there”
UraGuard recently released its second-generation Shield, a thicker, and more protective version of the original. The product was shaped directly by user feedback and clinical testing, embodying Krieger’s commitment to continuous improvement.
But the innovation doesn’t end there. Over the next three years, she plans to expand UraGuard’s offerings in two bold directions: integrating the technology directly into briefs and creating a specialized version for men. The company is also seeking partnerships with senior care providers and healthcare systems to make its protection more widely available.
“Our goal is simple,” she says. “We want this level of protection and comfort to be the standard.”
“I started UraGuard during maternity leave”
Behind the scenes of product development and ER shifts, Krieger was also navigating a personal milestone, becoming a first-time mom. UraGuard was launched during her maternity leave, with feedings and naps scheduled between manufacturing calls and product development meetings.
“It wasn’t easy,” she admits. “But I was driven by the belief that if I didn’t build this, no one would.”
That resilience, both as a physician and founder, has shaped the company’s culture and mission. UraGuard isn’t just a product, it’s a personal promise to do better for women everywhere.
