BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--TOP the organic project (TOP), a women-owned, organic period product startup, has extended their seed round to raise $2 million as they expand their presence in nationwide retailers and product offering. The funding will enable TOP to capitalize on strategic expansion and partnerships, bolster marketing initiatives and grow their team as they seek to provide women and girls with better and healthier products for themselves and the planet. The round was led by Massachusetts-based Mass Mutual through the MM Catalyst Fund, The Impact Seat, Maine Angels and Dirigo Angel Fund.
Since its founding in 2018, TOP has raised $3M and expanded into 1,500 retailers nationwide, including Sprouts, HEB, Fresh Thyme, Wegmans, Fresh Market, Erewhon and many more, leading to triple digit growth year over year. This week, TOP launched their best-selling First Period Gift Box with Target.com to address Target’s mom and teen shoppers. The company recently launched a partnership with Imperfect Foods to further deepen its connection to consumers seeking to live more sustainably.
“For too long, the feminine category and female-founders have been overlooked when it comes to investment in innovative, effective and sustainable solutions for girls and women,” said Thyme Sullivan, co-founder and CEO of TOP. “As former corporate executives and mothers to daughters, we plan to leverage this new capital to re-invigorate the category with the introduction of functional organic period products that bring joy and also support our goal of giving back to our communities.”
A community-built and minded brand, TOP also addresses the growing issue of period poverty in the U.S. by donating products to local organizations with every purchase made. To date, the company has donated nearly 750,000 period products to menstruators in communities across the U.S. Additionally, TOP supports food banks and school districts through partnerships with philanthropic donors who enable organizations to purchase TOP products at community pricing.
“This funding is not only an investment in TOP but in all the women and girls who deserve access to period products that are healthy for their bodies and for the environment,” said Denielle Finkelstein, co-founder and president of TOP. “With a mission to end period poverty in the U.S. built into our business model, we are poised for growth that will enable us to donate more products and create new partnerships that increase accessibility to TOP organic products.”
TOP is committed to designing tampons and pads that are healthiest for girls, moms, menstruators and the planet. All TOP tampons and pads feature 100% certified organic cotton free from synthetics, toxins, pesticides, dyes and fragrances. TOP tampons feature TOP’s trademarked Planticator®, a plant-based tampon applicator, to replace the traditional plastic applicator design.
“TOP is poised to lead the category forward with innovative and effective solutions in feminine care,” said Susan Morris, investor at both Maine Angels and Dirigo Fund. “We’re proud to partner with two of the boldest women in the business who are also motivated mothers as they set a new standard in feminine care and create access to sustainable period products for all menstruators.”
With best-sellers like the First Period Gift Box, TOP empowers teens and their parents to start the conversation about their periods so they can be educated, prepared and more confident to understand the power their bodies and minds can have on the world around them.
"From our first meeting, we were extremely impressed by TOP and the team's experience in consumer goods, brand building and supply chain,” said Barbara Clark, founder and president of Impact Seat. “We haven't seen a team with this capability in a while, and I am sure my fellow investors would agree. We are super excited about this opportunity!"
Investors in this round of seed funding include: 37 Angels, Charlottesville Angel Network, Dirigo Fund, Maine Angels, NU Impact, Spacestation Investments, Warfield Capital Partners, Valedor Partners and individual angel investors.
About TOP the organic project
TOP the organic project is an emerging, women-owned period product company that educates and empowers women to make better choices about products they purchase and the impact they have on their bodies and the environment. TOP offers 100% organic cotton, plant-based, hypoallergenic tampons and pads with a give-back model that drives awareness of period poverty in the U.S., working to increase access to better-for-you period products in all communities. Visit toporganicproject.com for more information.
