IdeaNaturista - planet and health friendly coffee pods

Naturista - the world’s first coffee pods that dissolve in water, offer a variety of health benefits, and biodegrade entirely within just days. The key is pullulan - a plant-based and FDA-approved biopolymer already being used in medicinal capsules. Now, imagine bringing all the clean, safe, and science-backed qualities of those capsules into your morning coffee. Pullulan breaks down within days to weeks without leaving any toxins or microplastics behind. It keeps coffee fresher, helps fight bacteria, and even adds dietary fiber to every sip. Naturista offers two versions. First, the instant pod. No more cutting plastic packets with a big coffee mess on your counter. Just drop it in hot water and watch it dissolve within seconds without any need for a machine. Then there’s the coffee machine pod that stays intact during brewing, then fully breaks down within days in your trash or even your yard. No microplastics, just pure coffee. Whether you're a student on the go like we are, or simply using a coffee machine at work, Naturista makes sustainable coffee effortless. As high school innovators and daily coffee drinkers, we are solving a problem we experience. We firmly believe in the triple bottom line principle of People, Planet and Profit. Together, we built Naturista from the ground up—creating and testing functional prototypes in our kitchens using silicone molds, our own pullulan gel, and an oven. With guidance from engineering and business mentors, we’ve raised over $1,000 in early-stage funding, and are currently pursuing a provisional patent to protect our formula and design. Our initial target market is the $10 billion compostable segment, where demand exists but current options severely disappoint. From there, we’ll scale to the general coffee pod market valued at $38 billion, with the instant coffee market contributing another $8 billion. We’re also targeting hotels, office spaces, universities, and co-working hubs—anywhere sustainability matters and coffee is served daily. These institutions stand to benefit not only from reducing waste but from boosting their environmental credibility. To grow our reach, we’re leveraging licensing, launching direct-to-consumer sales, targeted TikTok and Instagram campaigns, and partnering with eco-conscious influencers to build traction where it matters most—online. Rather than build a manufacturing plant, we plan to license Naturista’s technology to existing pod manufacturers, such as Keurig and Nespresso. This decision allows our pods to be used in existing coffee machines found in every household, which will accelerate adoption across the industry without requiring customers to buy a new machine. Adopting Naturista doesn’t just make sense sustainably, it makes financial sense too. Our pullulan pods cost around the same as plastic (4-9 cents per pod to make), yet offer far greater perceived value, allowing these mainstream brands to maintain or even increase profit margins while delivering a safer and sustainable pod. Naturista is still in its planning stage, but we’ve built a foundation for real impact. If awarded seed funding, we’ll fund advanced and final prototyping, conduct professional lab testing to validate biodegradability under multiple brewing conditions, and complete our provisional patent filing with legal counsel. Funding will also support the development of branded packaging mockups and outreach to potential licensing partners, setting the stage for our first pilot launch. At Naturista, we aren’t just changing what’s in your cup – we’re changing what’s left behind.

My co-founder and I bring entrepreneurial experience from multiple business competitions and national programs, and also deep STEM and biotech expertise through lab research and technical work.