An inspiring and moving conversation with the co-founders of Saathi; a groundbreaking impact startup based in Ahmedabad, India that manufactures 100% biodegradable and compostable sanitary pads made from banana and bamboo fibres. Saathi is also an OIO overachiever! Finalists, Runners Up, and Plastic Pollution Spotlight Award Winners in the Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2021, as well as Ocean Impact Accelerator Program 2022 participants. The only startup in our ecosystem to achieve this so far. Driven by their personal experiences and backgrounds, Kristen Kagetasu and Tarun Bothra built a startup with both social and ocean impact. Kristin - a graduate of MIT - was passionate about making a product that impacted women and was sustainable, using natural materials. Tarun - deeply influenced by his mother’s experience facing menstrual hygiene taboos in India - was driven to use his business background in renewable energy and materials to make people’s lives better. Saathi's mission is to create hygienic products that are good for the body, community and environment in a sustainable and responsible way. Addressing the combined challenges of plastic pollution, circular manufacturing solutions, accessibility to sanitary pads, education around menstrual hygiene, female empowerment and even helps alleviate poverty - by employing women and providing farmers with an additional income stream. Did you know: Saathi Pads degrade within only six months – 1,200 times faster than conventional pads, which take around 600 years to degrade and contribute to the approx. 8 million tons of plastic entering the ocean each year. → To learn more visit: https://saathipads.com → Follow Saathi on IG: https://www.instagram.com/saathipads/ → Follow Saathi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/saathipads → Get the show notes here: https://www.ocean-impact.org/podcast