Meet the founders of Waiū by VHM.

Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Hilinaʻikamakanaliʻiliʻi Kane

Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Hilinaʻikamakanaliʻiliʻi Kane is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Waiū by VHM. She is a Native Hawaiian mother, entrepreneur, student, and community advocate whose leadership is grounded in faith, ʻohana, culture, and service.

Her vision for Waiū grew from her experiences with pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, caregiving, and raising her children. In 2022, while families struggled to access infant formula, Hilinaʻi donated breast milk to nourish the babies of three mothers she had never met. That experience deepened her commitment to maternal health and inspired Waiū, a wearable breast pump concept created to better support mothers through the responsibilities they carry.

Since founding VHM Enterprise, Hilinaʻi has led the company’s vision, governance, operations, community engagement, manufacturer and vendor relationships, and development toward manufacturing and the medical device regulatory process. Her professional background spans insurance, executive support, regulatory compliance, document management, client relations, and hospitality.

She is also the Founder and President of Hoʻōla ʻŌiwi Foundation and is pursuing studies in Political Science and Hawaiian Studies. Through her business, education, and community work, Hilinaʻi is committed to responsible, culturally rooted solutions that strengthen mothers, uplift families, and create lasting opportunities for future generations of Hawaiʻi.

Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer

Mahie Kalamau

Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer

Mahie is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Waiū by VHM, helping guide the company’s day-to-day development from early concept toward a strong and sustainable maternal health platform. Her work centers on regulatory planning, research, grants, healthcare partnerships, and building the internal systems needed to move Waiū forward responsibly.

With more than six years of professional experience in healthcare, Mahie brings firsthand knowledge of patient care, clinical environments, and the importance of creating products that are practical, thoughtful, and easier for families to access. Her background allows her to approach Waiū from both a healthcare and operational perspective.

At Waiū, Mahie helps oversee the FDA pathway, technical documentation, funding preparation, organizational planning, and future hospital and DME partnerships. She works closely across each area of development to help ensure the company grows with intention while remaining aligned with the people it was created to serve.

Her perspective is also shaped by her own experiences with motherhood and breastfeeding, giving her a clear understanding of how cost, convenience, and access can influence a mother’s options.

For Mahie, Waiū represents more than creating a breast pump. It is about using innovation as a way to expand access, support maternal health equity, and create better possibilities for mothers throughout their journeys.

Executive Operations Specialist

Grace Kane

Younger sister of the founders and University of Hawaiʻi student

Grace Kane is the younger sister of Waiū’s founders and a student at the University of Hawaiʻi. As Executive Operations Specialist, she supports the company’s regulatory and grant preparation through research, information gathering, document organization, project scheduling, deadline tracking, and administrative coordination.

Grace assists with reviewing FDA guidance and federal grant requirements, identifying supporting documentation, organizing source materials and project records, and helping prepare early drafts and supporting content for future submissions. Her work supports the Principal Investigator and Chief Operating Officer while helping the Waiū development journey remain organized and moving forward.

Through her role, Grace is gaining valuable experience in maternal health innovation, federal grant preparation, regulatory research, and the development of a Native Hawaiian women led company alongside her older sisters.

Three sisters contributing their individual strengths toward one shared mission for makuahine.