Indy startup recognized for ‘World Changing Idea’
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An Indianapolis-based period care startup has been named a finalist in Fast Company’s 2023 World Changing Ideas Awards in the Consumer Products category. Sunny, which has developed a novel menstrual cup and applicator, is included on the list that features big names such as Xfinity and Pandora.
The Consumer Products category “recognizes items that are designed with accessibility, equity, or sustainability top of mind, that fundamentally alter outdated business models or supply chains, or that show it’s possible to create meaningful change at scale,” according to Fast Company.
Sunny was co-founded by CEO Cindy Belardo and Chief Marketing Officer Drew Jarvis, who developed what Belardo calls the first beginner-friendly menstrual cup that inserts like a tampon.
The menstrual cup is reusable for about a year and Belardo says it creates an eco-friendly alternative to tampons.
“Compared to tampons, you’ll use 15,000 in one period’s lifetime, and the menstrual cup can replace 528 tampons for every one use,” Belardo said in a May 2022 interview with Business of Health Reporter Kylie Veleta.
The company gained much recognition last year after a viral video on TikTok led to $130,000 in sales in just five days. The company is continuing to take pre-orders and plans to begin shipping orders in September, according to its website.
Sunny did not respond to multiple requests for comment on being named a finalist in the World Changing Ideas Awards.
The winner of the Consumer Products category is Diamonds by Pandora, a line from the Danish jewelry retailer featuring only lab-grown diamonds.
You can learn more about the awards by clicking here.