Lia
The business, the turning points, and the decisions behind them.
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Sections to complete：02 · 05
01 / WHAT IT BUILT
What the company did
Lia Diagnostics was a Philadelphia women's health startup founded by Bethany Edwards and Anna Simpson out of the University of Pennsylvania's Integrated Product Design program. It created Lia, the first FDA-cleared flushable and biodegradable pregnancy test: a paper-based test made from plant fibers that disperses in water, offering a discreet, sustainable alternative to plastic tests with over 99% accuracy.
02 / FAILURE REASONS
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03 / EVENT HISTORY
Events in the structured record
- Founded
Founded by Bethany Edwards and Anna Simpson from Edwards' UPenn master's research on sustainable materials.
- FDA clearance and Disrupt win
Received FDA 510(k) clearance for over-the-counter sale in December 2017 and won first place at TechCrunch Disrupt Berlin's Startup Battlefield (42,000 euros).
- Consumer launch
Launched the test to consumers after raising $2.6 million in venture capital from Dreamit, Robin Hood Ventures, Ben Franklin Technology Partners and Pink Ceiling; sold as a two-pack for $13.99.
04 / CONTEMPORARY REBUILD ASSESSMENT
Difficulty of rebuilding this project today
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Overall assessment: Not completed
05 / CAUSAL CHAIN / AFTERMATH
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