HYYH / EQUO International - Startup of the Year

Company: HYYH / EQUO International
Company Description: EQUO is a sustainable brand delivering easy solutions for everyday single-use plastic items. First line of products is drinking straws made from grass, rice, coconut and sugarcane that are 100% plastic-free, biodegradable, compostable and non-toxic! Additional categories will include utensils, dishware and stationary. They are easy, no brainer switches so simple, you may not even notice them -
Nomination Category: Company/Organization Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Startup of the Year - Consumer Products Industries

Nomination Title: EQUO

Started operations in Feb 2020.

EQUO is a sustainable brand delivering easy solutions for everyday single-use plastic items. First line of products is drinking straws made from grass, rice, coconut and sugarcane that are 100% plastic-free, biodegradable, compostable and non-toxic! Additional categories will include utensils, dishware and stationary. They are easy, no brainer switches so simple, you may not even notice them - even though Mother Nature does. We at EQUO don't force you to use one material which has limitations in colors, size, use or disposability. We don't ask you to learn or change your actions or behavior. We want you to continue going about your day - except in a way that is better for the environment.

EQUO will help solve the problem of millions of tonnes of plastic waste polluting the earth, people annoyed with having to carry around or wash their straws. It will also help Cities/regions having to deal with global government plastic bans, people who want to go green without a compromise to their lifestyle or changing their behavior, those who hate plastic and paper straws (especially ones that go soggy).

-Successful Kickstarter campaign (funded in 3 days and 160% funded overall). Raised $15,000 from 300+ backers.
-Awarded the SME100 Fast Moving Companies in Vietnam award
-Founder has been named Flik's 21 Womxn Entrepreneurs to Watch in 2021
-Founder featured on the January 2021 cover of Women Business Magazine in Vietnam (Nu Doanh Nhan Magazine)
-Amazon Launchpad featured Women-Owned Business
-Named one of Vegpreneur's 25 Vegan Companies You Need to Know
-First Vietnam-based company to be admitted into the Techstars Program
-Plastic Pollution Coalition Member
-2021 Collision Impact Startup
-Top 9 Semi-Finalist in the 2021 Collision Pitch Competition
-Top 6 Female Founders Collective x Klarna Big Pitch Competition
-Top 12 Pipeline Angles Pitch Summit Competition
-1st Place in the Unicorn Pitches in Singapore Pitch Competition
-6th Place in the Unicorn Battles Southeast Asia / Oceania Pitch Competition
-Associated with NGOs including Raising Earth, Skip the Plastic Straw, Hannah4Change, WWF Vietnam
-2021 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards - GOLD STEVIE®️Award for Innovation in Consumer Products & Services
-2021 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards - GOLD STEVIE®️Award for Innovation in Energy & Sustainability
-2021 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards - SILVER STEVIE®️Award for Most Innovative Startup of the Year - Consumer Product Industries
-Upcoming appearance on Shark Tank Vietnam

EQUO helps to address the UN Sustainable Development Goal #12 – ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.EQUO was started to build a brighter more sustainable future for generations to come, to help create jobs and a sustainable source of income for farmers in Southeast Asia and Vietnam, and to change the perception people may still have about Vietnam as a developing third-world country - elevating the talent and innovation from Vietnam to a world stage, while also changing the planet through sustainable solutions. We are also working towards changing the trajectory of venture capital fundingin sole female founders who experienced a sharp decline in funding in 2020, despite an overall record funding surge.

Attaching a pitch deck which includes coverage in media publications globally about our progress with EQUO as a startup that is shaking up Vietnam and the sustainability industry.