Aruna Revolution

About Aruna Revolution

Aruna Revolution is a women-led fibertech company transforming agricultural waste into high-performance, compostable fibers that replace plastic and virgin tree pulp across hygiene, packaging, and agriculture. Our patented technology is designed to build a regenerative materials economy by turning farm residues — like corn stover and hemp hurds — into advanced functional fibers that outperform conventional alternatives while breaking down safely in 30 days.

Founded by Rashmi Prakash, a biomedical engineer and university lecturer, Aruna combines deep technical expertise, sustainability, and equity-driven design. We are headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and operate with a distributed team of engineers, scientists, and market strategists across Canada and Europe. Our mission is to create materials that heal the planet — not pollute it.

Our Innovation

Aruna's core technology is a proprietary fiber extraction process developed in-house over several years of R&D. Unlike conventional pulping or textile processing, our method uses green chemistry and mechanical processing to extract clean, absorbent, and compostable fibers from agricultural residues. These fibers are engineered to meet demanding performance benchmarks in hygiene (absorbency, fluid retention), packaging (form stability), and hydroponics (moisture control, biodegradability).

We have validated our fibers at the 5,000L pilot scale and conducted third-party testing with laboratories such as Innofibre and the Regenerative Waste Lab. Our menstrual pads have been tested on over 1,000 menstruators and confirmed safe through biocompatibility studies (SGS Human RIPT). Additional certifications in progress include USDA Biobased, TUV OK Compost Home, and CMA (Compost Manufacturing Alliance).

Go-to-Market Strategy

Our commercialization strategy includes both direct product sales and licensing of Aruna fibers to global manufacturers. We launched our first product - Canada’s first compostable menstrual pad — in late 2024 as a go-to-market validation platform. The pad is currently available through e-commerce, institutional procurement (schools, governments), and subscription models. This product not only generates revenue but also drives awareness of our fiber technology.

Beyond menstrual care, our fibers are being piloted in:

• Diapers and incontinence products with hygiene brands
• Compostable wipes and liners with packaging companies
• Hydroponic substrates with agri-tech partners

By licensing our technology and supplying Aruna fibers to these partners, we enable broad market access while maintaining capital efficiency and environmental control over production.

Traction and Achievements

Since launch, Aruna has achieved:

• Over $1.4M in non-dilutive funding from federal and provincial innovation agencies and competitions
• Finalist for the Earthshot Prize, nominated by Oxford and CDL
• Winner of MaRS Women in Cleantech Public and Judges' Choice
• Winner of Octane Medical Innovation Forum – Best Startup
• Letters of intent from major institutions and hygiene brands
• Ongoing pilots with menstrual health organizations, composters, and packaging firms

We are also part of accelerator programs including YSpace, CDL, and the Elevate IP Deep Tech Cohort. Our CEO has spoken at sustainability summits, Women in STEM forums, and university innovation panels across Canada and Europe.

Team and Governance

Aruna is women-founded, women-led, and deeply interdisciplinary. Our CEO, Rashmi Prakash, is a biomedical engineer with academic and industry experience in materials science, health equity, and product development. She also teaches at the University of British Columbia (UBC), where she mentors engineering students on the intersection of circular design, sustainability, and health innovation.

Our team includes mechanical, process, and environmental engineers, alongside advisors from top-tier hygiene companies (e.g., former execs from Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson). We operate with lean staffing and have a growing network of manufacturing, academic, and certification partners to extend our reach.

Why Aruna and Why Now

The disposable hygiene market exceeds $211B globally and is under increasing pressure to eliminate plastic, reduce emissions, and meet consumer and regulatory demands for sustainability. Most “biodegradable” alternatives on the market either greenwash performance or rely on resource-intensive inputs like cotton or bamboo.

Aruna is one of the only companies offering a compostable, verified, and scalable material platform made from waste, not virgin crops, and designed for integration into existing manufacturing systems. Our fibertech model supports localized, circular economies and has application across climate-resilient infrastructure, care systems, and agriculture.

By participating in WE-RISE, we seek to scale our presence in Europe, formalize our licensing model, and grow partnerships with EU manufacturers, composters, and municipalities. We are excited to join a net