MEDU Protection is a Mexican startup that develops sustainable medical apparel to reduce environmental impact, reducing up to 25 kg of waste per garment in an industry that generates up to 5 million tons annually. To continue developing these products, the company has just raised US$4 million in a seed round led by MaC Venture Capital.
This is the first round of financing raised by the startup founded by Tamara Chayo and Alexis Garberis since its inception in July 2021, according to Crunchbase.
The business model seeks a positive environmental impact by generating less garbage and burning of clothing (this is more than 60% of the equipment) and also in the pocket of customers, as it is saving 90% in costs, details Chayo, who is also CEO of MEDU Protection, in a press release.
A growing business proposition
So far, MEDU Protection’s business model has been based on creating gowns, surgical hoods, and coveralls with a resistant fabric that protects against 99.9% of viruses and bacteria. In addition, the garments can be washed 50 times, which is equivalent to more than 450 disposable items.
Each product has an integrated chip with NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, a wireless technology that allows the exchange of data between devices to track the number of washing cycles each piece of equipment has undergone. In this way, through an app, hospitals can keep track of their useful life in real time.
The idea was born out of Tamara Chayo’s need to care for her family, who work in the health sector, while she was studying. Now, MEDU Protection’s apparel is authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Commission for Protection against Health Risks (COFEPRIS) with level 4 biological protection, which means it protects against 99.9% of viruses and bacteria.
“We want the equipment to be comfortable and functional and not require special products or procedures for cleaning. All the clothing can be washed conventionally with soap and water. It is also comfortable, very safe, waterproof, and has the necessary sterility to enter a hospital,” says the CEO.
MEDU Protection is growing at a monthly rate of 6x and, so far this year, has shipped 7,000 kits, equivalent to 3 million disposables, Tamara Chayo told TechCrunch.
Currently, the Mexican company has a presence in hospitals in its home country and others in Los Angeles and New York. With the new capital, it wants to increase its presence in the United States.
In addition, MEDU Protection’s CEO told TechCrunch that by the end of 2022, they want to replace more than 20 million single-use gowns and divert 6,000 tons of hospital waste from landfills or incinerators.
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