07.07.21
Changing the cycle: Start-up company led by UA alumna aims to destigmatize menstruation and end period poverty
The University of Akron News
Excerpt
Savannah Daniels, a 2021 graduate of UA’s School of Law, has an impressive resume. She has interned for several law firms and was involved in student organizations, even starting one of her own — the Cybersecurity Privacy & Technology Law club. But Daniels is not only a lawyer, wife and public figure — she’s also an entrepreneur and the brain behind a new, game-changing menstrual product called Courtesy Cups.
Menstrual cups are a more environmentally friendly and cost-effective alternative to single-use products like tampons and pads. But what makes Courtesy Cups unique is that the products are made of medical-grade silicon and collapse to fit in a special carrying case designed to clean each cup on its own. This makes menstruation while active or mobile more convenient and sanitary.
Courtesy Cups is currently in the discovery phase, meaning Daniels is still researching and analyzing the needs of her product and customer base. But the product has gained recognition by placing in two entrepreneurship competitions: the Zip Pitch competition organized by UA’s EX[L] Center and Stark Tank, Stark State College’s version of the reality business pitch TV show “Shark Tank.” The product also completed the regional I-Corps Med Tech & Healthcare Accelerator through the National Science Foundation.
