About us

Turning personal struggle into meaningful solutions

Our Name: Aegeliss

Aegeliss (pronounced ay-juh-liss) is our unique take on the word "ageless."

We chose this unique spelling to reflect a simple truth: there is no "standard" way to age. Your life’s journey is one-of-a-kind, full of its own beautiful variations.

Our logo captures this spirit, blending the petals of a thriving flower with the curve of supportive hands. It represents our mission: to uplift your loved ones and help them blossom.

Together, Aegeliss represents our commitment to you - helping families find independence, joy, and connection when it matters most.

Our Product Design Philosophy  

Our five-pillar framework is built on empowering caregivers with accessible, easy-to-use tools.

Inspired by Montessori principles, we believe every activity should have a meaningful purpose and capture interest, free from the pressure of a "right or wrong" outcome. We prioritize design that honors what the person can do, offering choices and beautifully blended visual cues to promote independence.

For us, true engagement is the key to connection.

Discover Aegeliss products

Meet Aegeliss

Founded in 2024, Aegeliss enhances the quality of life for individuals living with dementia, seniors, and caregivers, such as our parents and grandparents, through practical tools and engaging physical activities. Developing the best for our elders, knowing that every step we take helps create a brighter world today and builds a future filled with care, dignity, and love for generations to come

Our Vision

To create a world where every elder feels valued, supported, and empowered to live their life to the fullest

 
 
 
  • Ju tu, Aegeliss CEO and Founder

    Ju Tu

    Founder & CEO

  • Evan Shelton

    Gerontologist, Expert in Montessori Principles in Dementia Care

  • Natasha Hemani

    Speech-Language Pathologist

  • Alex Dakin

    Alex Dakin

    Head of Product

Aegeliss is my love language to my family and to the underserved memory community.

People living with dementia still have the same emotional needs as all of us. They want to be seen and respected. They want to contribute. They want to experience beauty, connection, and joy.


It’s an incredible honor to create tools that make space for their dignity, creativity, and everyday joy.

As a gerontologist, I’ve had the privilege of working closely with Aegeliss and witnessing their commitment to designing tools that reflect what research and practice tell us about strengths-based dementia care. The development process is exceptionally rigorous: products are created in collaboration with professionals and then reviewed and tested by people living with dementia to ensure every design is both respectful and genuinely useful.

In a field where many offerings can feel juvenile, lack durability, or overlook preserved abilities, Aegeliss takes a thoughtful, evidence-informed approach that honors dignity and supports autonomy. I deeply value their emphasis on creating environments and materials that reduce cognitive load, promote independence, and affirm personhood.

Aegeliss represents a model for how dementia-supportive products should be conceived and developed. And I’m proud to be part of this team.

I’m deeply passionate about my role as a Product Advisor at Aegeliss. As a licensed speech-language pathologist, I’ve had the privilege of supporting many individuals and families navigating life with neurological conditions—but it’s my experience as a daughter that makes this work especially meaningful. My father has dementia, and walking alongside him through this journey has profoundly shaped how I understand care, connection, and communication.

I’ve seen firsthand the difference Aegeliss products and resources can make. They’re more than just tools or activities—they create moments of connection, comfort, and joy, even on the most challenging days. Being part of a team that designs with such purpose and empathy allows me to bring together my clinical expertise and personal experience. It’s a way to honor my dad and help other families feel more supported, understood, and seen.

Despite the growing number of people affected by dementia, this community remains widely underserved and lacks products that truly meet their needs. The right, thoughtfully tailored solutions have the power to profoundly improve the daily lives of millions. I’m proud to be part of the Aegeliss team, where compassionate design and purposeful innovation come together to make a real difference.

Strategic Partner

We are proud to co-develop products with CARD, turning evidence-based Montessori dementia care into beautifully designed, dementia-friendly tools for home, communities and beyond

Read on

Our Start

Aegeliss begins with a personal need at home - to bring joy to my grandparents and keep my grandfather engaged.

- Ju, Founder of Aegeliss

A Letter from Our Founder

"I don’t really know what to do with your grandpa every day. Just meeting his physical needs is already mentally exhausting."

My grandmother’s quiet confession revealed the emotional weight that so many dementia caregivers silently carry. It’s a feeling of being responsible for everything, yet struggling to find meaningful ways to connect in a world where stigma persists.  

As a caregiving partner for my grandfather, I experienced this firsthand. I searched for high-quality, non-overwhelming tools to support him, but the options felt limited and often undignified. From this need, Aegeliss was born.

But I knew passion alone wasn't enough. I dove headfirst into what truly works, taking training in Montessori principles for dementia care and collaborating with the world's leading experts in the field. I also had to learn... well, everything else!

There were countless late nights and moments of uncertainty. It was mostly a lonely journey, and I often heard, "Why create brand new products for elders?" But I never let the doubt win. My reason was always clear: I wanted elders, like my own grandfather, to enjoy the best quality supportive tools and healthy brain activities. I wanted them to feel loved and deeply connected to the world.

And then, prototypes would finally click, and I’d see it in action: smiles on elders’ faces. Positive feedback started pouring in. Those smiles are worth every single challenge.

We are building something new here—a new category dedicated to cognitive wellness for elders. My dream is for Aegeliss to become a generational brand, one that restores dignity, sparks joy, and empowers everyone to live their lives to the fullest.

With love and gratitude,

Ju

Granddaughter, mom of two, and founder of Aegeliss

Our Startup Journey

  •  

    May 2024: The spark

    It all began with a personal need: a desire to reconnect with my grandfather and ease the daily strain on my grandmother.
  •  

    July 2024: The home trials

    I brought a few elder-friendly activities and fun intergenerational activities home. He expressed interest and spent days completing a 36-piece puzzle. Surprisingly, my grandma enjoyed them too. From there, the spark officially turned into a leap of faith and action.
  •  

    Sep 2024 - Ongoing: The Listening

    We didn’t assume we had the answers. We spent months in conversations with people living with dementia and the true experts—their caregivers—listening closely to their challenges, hopes, and needs. Becoming a Dementia Friends Champion deepened this work and helped turn their insights into the blueprint.
  •  

    Oct 2024-Jun 2025: The immersion

    We're obsessed with creating the best elder-friendly products, and that requires hands-on experience. Our founder volunteered weekly at Elderwise, becoming deeply involved with the memory care community.
  •  

    May 2025: A Partnership of Purpose

    Huge milestone alert! We formalized a strategic partnership with the Center for Applied Research in Dementia, the world's leading experts in applying Montessori principles to dementia care. This collaboration ensures every Aegeliss product is built on a foundation of proven, evidence-based methods.
  • Aegeliss product development advisor - Natasha
     

    June 2025: Adding Depth to Expertise

    We were honored to welcome Natasha Hemani to our advisory team. As both an experienced Speech-Language Pathologist and a family caregiver, she brings deep expertise in communication and cognitive pathways, adding another layer of scientific rigor to our product development.
  •  

    June 2025: Getting prototypes

    Receiving our first puzzle prototype was a magical moment. It was exactly what we'd hoped for, and more. It looked and felt premium, and our signature barrier-free packaging makes it easy to open. While we still found a few areas to improve, the first round of feedback was overwhelmingly positive.
  •  

    Ongoing: The Unseen Work

    The learning curve was steep: hand-sketching ideas, navigating IP, and meticulously refining the product with design and factory partners.
  •  

    July 2025: Collecting feedback

    When we brought the puzzles for elders to try, we instantly noticed a problem: they had to look down while playing, adding strain to their necks, hands, and eyes. We immediately worked with our product expert to design an essential accessory—an adjustable bamboo stand—to make the experience more comfortable and enjoyable.
  •  

    Sep 2025: Testing more prototypes

    After months of iterations and hundreds of design files, we finally received the samples of the Home & Routine Labels. When a caregiver replaced her DIY signs with our labels, her husband placed all kitchen tools error-free. It was a massive validation.
  • The 2-in-1 Breathtaking Mountains puzzle book, closed.
     

    Oct 2025: Getting shipment ready

    We’ve officially placed our first PO, and now we hold our breath. It’s a nerve-wracking waiting game—reviewing production docs, checking production updates, and ironing out global logistics.
  •  

    Dec 2025: Preparing for our launch

    Prototypes are done; manufacturing is in motion. Now we’re building the webstore and prepping for launch—ready to bring these tools to the families who need them.

A person living with dementia wants the same things that you and I want: a reason to get out of bed in the morning, quality social connections, opportunities to do things they enjoy, privacy and independence, and a sense of accomplishment.