A Talk with Dr Olivia Ahn, Co-founder of Fluus

During Biology Week, we were fortunate to welcome Guild member Dr Olivia Ahn, who spoke about her inspiring journey from CLC to medical school, and ultimately to creating the world’s first flushable sanitary pad.

With candour and insight, Olivia shared her motivations for studying medicine and reflected on her time at medical school. She explained how she and her partner “fell in love with the problem”, the lack of fully biodegradable sanitary products, and set out to develop a sustainable solution. Their innovation won several university competitions and grants, enabling further research and development.

Despite their project’s growing success, Olivia began her foundation training in medicine. However, balancing clinical work with running a business proved unsustainable, leading her to commit full-time to her company. This decision allowed her to refine the product, leading to Fluus pads being stocked by major retailers such as Boots and Tesco.

I found Olivia’s determination, openness about failure, and reminder that it’s okay to change directions to be deeply inspirational. Her engaging talk not only deepened my understanding of biology and sustainability but also offered an unexpected insight into the world of business, an area that was entirely new to me.

Laurie (SFC2)