Bengaluru techie and young mom turns entrepreneur, comes up with solution to tackle toilet woes
While long strides are being taken in the field of women’s health across the world, one of the main concerns that remains unaddressed is ease of taking a toilet break at a public restroom or while travelling. PeeEasy, a stand-and-pee device, is a unisex appliance that makes it easier for both men and women to relieve themselves with more comfort, in a hygienic way and without the fear of infections.
Created by Bengaluru-based techie-turned-entrepreneur Shubhangi Shrivastava, PeeEasy is an affordable, easy to use and carry device, which can be folded to the size of a credit card, and that can help a person while travelling, or those suffering from orthopaedic problems or recovering from surgeries. It also helps women prevent Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) while using public toilets.
Research shows that one in five women will have UTI at least once in their lifetime. Women are more likely to develop UTI than men because it’s easier for bacteria to reach the bladder in females. Diabetics and men with enlarged prostate glands are also at the risk of getting UTI. Therefore, as opposed to the popular belief that only women are at the risk of UTI, the fact is that UTI is not limited to women. If not treated promptly, the infection can travel up to the kidneys and cause more serious problems.
Shubhangi Shrivastava, came up with the idea of PeeEasy in 2018, after she became pregnant. The mother of an eight-month-old daughter quit her job at a US-based technology firm in Bengaluru, and set up Whitenine Innovations Private Limited. Shubhangi says, “My journey from being an employee to an entrepreneur started when I experience a difficult pregnancy. Since my amniotic fluid was less, I had to visit hospitals daily to get an injection, and was also required to drink a lot of liquids. The frequent urge to use the toilet at public places instilled a fear of infections in me. After birth, my baby underwent two surgeries — and the challenge to use the public washrooms with the baby continued. This is where the idea of the startup got seeded, and I came up with an affordable and portable stand-and-pee device. The process involved a detailed closed group research and discussions and guidance from over 20 doctors.”
PeeEasy is:
- Easy to use
- Made up of food grade paper
- Disposable – i.e. it is biodegradable
- Folded to the size of a credit card
- Most affordable product in India in this space.
- Useful in medical departments like Gynaecology, Orthopaedics, Urology, Oncology and HIV, Pathology (for easier collection of urine sample (for testing), and post-surgery
- Especially useful women and the elderly
PeeEasy is now widely available in major pharmacies in Bengaluru. We are also the first firm to come up with a vending machine for PeeEasy (Patent Pending) that can be installed in malls, hospitals, bus stands, railway stations, airports, petrol bunks, offices, restaurants, tourist places, schools and colleges, theaters or any public toilet. The first PeeEasy vending machine has been set up at Forum Mall, Kormangala. Several hospitals and institutes will be utilizing the same in their premises.
PeeEasy is now available online on Flipkart
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