The Flex Company

Lauren Schulte created The Flex Company after years of health issues that, unbeknownst to her, had come from inadequate menstrual products. When she dove into the problem, she learned that period products had not seen innovation in nearly a century. In fact, one of the most compelling aspects of her pitch showed that tampons today look almost exactly the same as tampons from the 50s. It was clear that feminine health has been underfunded and under innovated. This is an area we saw as important to innovate.

This is another instance of investing in not just an idea, but the people leading them. We were very impressed with Lauren — she supported herself and her sister through college, and pulled off a ton in a 3 month period at Y Combinator. While there, she completed a leveraged buyout of a competitor, and got her product FDA approved. She displayed incredible urgency and willpower, and compelled us as a leader.

Flex is interesting because not only is it a great product that uses smart technology to make a much better product, but they’re creating a brand that women can count on, turning taboo topics into valuable knowledge and supportive communities.