Eleria’s patented portable menstrual cup cleaner – and its five different varieties of cup – makes sustainable period care more convenient, accessible, and affordable.
See our guide to this year’s hottest new businesses and most exceptional founders in the complete 2026 Startups 100 index.
Founders: Kira Goode and Monica Wai
Year founded: 2021
Website: eleria.com
Kira Goode switched to a period cup in 2019. Not only did she save money on menstrual products, she tells us, but her cramps reduced, and the fact she only had to change it every 12 hours meant her days and nights no longer revolved around her period.
Keen to understand why more people weren’t sold on menstrual cups, Goode, who is also a well-known arts and crafts influencer with a following of around half a million people, later worked with co-founder Monica Wai to survey her audience on menstrual cup use.
Results showed that the difficulty of cleaning a cup in public was a significant deterrent. Most people were not willing to sacrifice personal convenience to be more sustainable, so it was essential that Eleria created something more convenient than the alternatives.
So, the idea for Eleria’s patented menstrual cup cleaning case was born. It can be used discreetly anywhere (all you need to do is add water and shake), without the need to use a sink. Plus, it can be used with other menstrual cup brands.
The Bristol-based business also offers five different styles of period cups to suit different flows and cervix heights, available in fun colours. Originally known as Cup Squared, it rebranded to Eleria in 2023.
Fundraising as a female-founded, female-focused, pre-revenue business was extremely challenging for Goode and Wai. A lot of investors loved the idea, but as mostly older men, they couldn’t relate to the problem.
Determined to bring their vision to market, the team cut their raise to the bare minimum, didn’t take salaries, ran with zero marketing budget, and kept unit orders small, even though it lowered margins.
Eleria leaned on grant programmes and accelerator support, and received a £50k grant from Innovate UK, and won one-to-one mentorship with Dragons’ Den’s Deborah Meaden.
Eleria closed its pre-seed funding round in April 2024 and, after a year of manufacturing and development, launched its products in April 2025. They’re now available online, including through Amazon.
Looking ahead, Eleria aims to replicate the same achievements for every environmental disruptor product, making sustainable products convenient, affordable, and accessible for all.
View the full Startups 100 Index for 2026
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