Asian women-founded sustainability label based in Vietnam, EQUO, secures US$1.3 million in a seed funding round led by NextGen Ventures alongside Techstarts and East Venture.
EQUO, the Vietnam-based sustainable startup label founded by Marina Tran-Vu in 2020, commits to a 100% plastic-free, compostable line of products replacing everyday single-use plastics. An external funding round raised US$1.3 million, led by NextGen Ventures to enable their eco-friendly solutions.
Jimmy Quach, the CEO of NextGen Ventures, mentioned, “As a purpose-driven company EQUO has a clear mission to rid the world of single-use plastic, and NextGen is pleased to support Marina and her team in their trailblazing effort to drive her sustainability mission with reach and scale.”
Techstars and East Ventures also funded the seed round, along with angel investors Luke Vigeant of Shed Capital, Jack Tai, the CEO & Co-Founder of OneClass, and many more.
With a vision to provide easily accessible and convenient solutions for customers to adopt into their livelihoods, the label proudly differentiates itself via strategic branding that encapsulates consumer attention and drives sustainable change through education and smart product development.
The funds secured will be used to further aid the expansion of its product line as well as innovate in their technical capacities to upscale its startup model, and effectively measure its impact and exposure on a global scale.
The Founder and CEO of EQUO, Marina Tran-Vu stated, “In our hopes to replace all single-use plastic on the planet, we are excited to launch the new products this year to show the world all the things we can do without single-use plastic and (in some cases) paper.”
Innovation is held at the highest regard at EQUO, which is adding an upcoming line of utensils made of eco-friendly solutions such as coffee, wood, and sugarcane to its sustainable portfolio. The product line includes food containers, cups, compostable bags, and reusable totes, and many more that are designed for everyday use for grocery, retail, and home.
“The best way for us to make an impact is not to recycle or upcycle single-use plastic, but to stop its production altogether. EQUO will help do that by offering products made from alternative materials,” added Tran-Vu.
The sustainable startup has also recently won the UNOPS S3i Innovation Center Sweden Global Challenge, awarded among eight other winners, and was among the Top 18 Finalists in the Ending Plastic Pollution Innovation Challenge by the UNDP.
Featured Banner Image: equo.com
Related Articles
Vietnam to Open Up to International Flights on February 15
