A Bristol start-up which has developed an on-the-go cleaning case for reusable menstrual cups has secured £4,000 investment following a Dragons' Den style pitch to hundreds of entrepreneurs.
CupSquared was one of five brands to pitch to buyers from top UK retail outlets, including Boots, George at Asda and Tik Tok Shop, in a bid to win a slice of a £10,000 investment pot, provided by software firm Adobe.
Kira Goode, who co-founded CupSquared alongside fellow University of Bristol graduate Monica Wai, said: “I was really surprised how many people were there to watch. As we’re very early stage, this was about building connections so that when we launch, we have everything in place, including stockists.”
The business, which has surveyed thousands of women during the development of its sustainable period product, said it was expecting production using recycled medical-grade plastic to begin later this year.
CupSquared’s latest raise comes after it won £11,500 funding from the University of Bristol last year.
Also among the winners at the Enterprise Nation StartUp Show was London-based skincare brand Yendy Skin, which sources the superfood ingredients for its products from female farmers in sub–Saharan Africa.
Simon Morris, vice president of international marketing at Adobe, said: “Business owners face many hurdles when starting out, whether it’s struggling to get investment or having the opportunity to get in front of decision makers.
“We are delighted to have opened these doors for budding entrepreneurs. We hope that with this additional funding, alongside the support from buyers across some of the UK’s top retailers, we will be able to give these entrepreneurs the boost they need to scale their business.”
Enterprise Nation founder Emma Jones added: “It’s been so wonderful seeing these innovative start-ups compete on the stage for this incredible opportunity. Getting a brand in front of buyers from major retailers can be a life-changing experience for a business.”
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