Egal Pads

Egal Pads, Inc., which markets its product as Pads on a Roll, makes menstrual pads supplied on a roll so they can be stocked inside restroom stalls next to the toilet paper rather than in vending machines by the sinks. The rolls are compatible with existing toilet paper dispensers, and an optional Egal dispenser is designed to install in under five minutes with restocking taking seconds. The company positions the format as cheaper to maintain than vending machines and as fitting the existing logistics of restroom paper supply.

The product is deployed in schools, libraries, museums, zoos, parks, stadiums and, more recently, airports. As of January 2025 the company reported Pads on a Roll in more than 1,700 schools, in restroom stalls throughout the largest concourse of Denver International Airport and in all bathrooms serving that airport's 40,000 employees, and available to employees at London Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham and Newcastle airports in the U.K., with plans to expand to U.K. traveler restrooms and to announce further U.S. airport partnerships during 2025.

Egal has filed three patents: two covering variations of sanitary pads on a roll (filed 2019 and 2021) and one for sanitary pads in a dispenser box (filed 2022). Design priorities cited include sustainability through minimal packaging, nesting vending components that reduce size and shipping volume, and plant-based wrappers.

Founding story

According to NEMIC, the company originated with serial entrepreneur Tom Devlin, who asked why menstrual pads could not be delivered on a roll and installed in restrooms worldwide. After patenting the idea, Devlin recruited his colleague Penelope Finnie — whose background includes brand building and fundraising, including developing the Ask Jeeves character — to lead the new company as CEO. NEMIC dates the founding to 2019; Finnie is described elsewhere as co-founder and CEO and Devlin as founder and CTO.

Business model

Egal sells its pad rolls and optional dispensers to institutions and facility operators — schools, libraries, museums, zoos, parks, stadiums, airports and employers — which provide the products free to restroom users. Distribution mirrors toilet paper supply chains, using the same distributors, including Staples, Grainger and HD Supply.

Sales of consumable pad rolls, with an optional dispenser, through existing janitorial and facilities distribution channels; the company states its refillable rolls are less expensive to maintain than vending machines.

Traction

As of January 2025: Pads on a Roll in more than 1,700 schools plus libraries, museums, zoos, parks, stadiums and airports; installed across the largest concourse and all employee bathrooms at Denver International Airport (serving 40,000 employees); available to employees at six U.K. airports. Products sold in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, Germany, Poland and South Africa, with the UAE planned. The company won the 2024 Mass Innovation Health Tech Award and the 2024 Innovation Award at the Women's Health Innovation Summit Europe in Basel.

Latest developments

In January 2025 Egal announced a $4 million Series A led by the Bauer Family Office's Technology for Humanity, with Slater Technology Fund, the Catalytic Impact Foundation, Princeton Alumni Angels and others participating, to fund hiring, wider distribution and global expansion. Concurrently it announced airport deployments at Denver International and employee access at six U.K. airports, with additional U.S. airport partnerships to be announced in 2025 and plans to extend U.K. coverage to traveler restrooms.