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SALUBATA
Techstars '23Paris, FR · Founded 2021 · 2 employees on LinkedIn · 1 known investors
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Salubata makes wearable art shoes from repurposed ocean plastic waste, combining sustainable materials with fashion design.
Also known as Salubata
Founders & leadership
SALUBATA was founded in 2021 by Yewande Akinse.
Investors · 1
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Company profile
researched Sep 2026Salubata is a footwear and lifestyle-technology company that designs modular, customisable shoes made from recycled plastic waste. Its stated mission is to invent lifestyle technologies that help people and the planet. The flagship product is a 2-in-1 modular sneaker whose upper can be swapped, sold with a white sneaker base and a black knit upper, handcrafted in Portugal and Italy. The company states each pair is repurposed from 25 ocean PET bottles and that its process saves over 70% of manufacturing energy, and it markets an "air bubble" cushioning design.
Beyond footwear, Salubata lists two inventions: modular shoes made from recycled plastic waste, described as globally patented, and a carbon decomposition shoe technology (referred to on its site as "0crb"), described as globally patented and in R&D. The company is categorised under fashion and social impact, is based in Paris, France, and is listed at pre-seed stage with 1-10 employees.
Business model
Salubata sells directly to consumers through its own online store, offering a modular sneaker (listed at $220, reduced from $240) and gift cards from $10, with international shipping supported across a wide range of countries and currencies. It identifies two customer segments: B2C direct sales of shoes to end customers, and a planned B2B retail and franchise channel.
Revenue comes from direct e-commerce sales of shoes and gift cards, with a retail/franchise wholesale channel planned.
Traction
The online store lists two products in stock, a modular sneaker and a gift card. No funding has been announced publicly, and the company is listed at pre-seed stage with 1-10 employees.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
An early-stage, pre-seed company in the sustainable fashion and social impact segment, operating a small direct-to-consumer catalogue with two products listed in its online store.
The offering combines modularity (interchangeable uppers on one sneaker base, marketed as customisable and long-lasting) with recycled ocean PET inputs and European handcrafted manufacturing in Portugal and Italy, alongside patent claims on both the modular shoe design and an in-development carbon decomposition technology.
Technology
Salubata's products are built on two technologies it describes as globally patented: modular shoes made from recycled plastic waste, allowing uppers to be interchanged on a single base, and a carbon decomposition shoe technology branded "0crb", which the company says is still in R&D. Product marketing also cites an air-bubble cushioning construction.
Go-to-market
The company's stated go-to-market approach centres on storytelling that creates an emotional connection with customers, word-of-mouth driven by memorable experiences, partnerships, continuous release of lifestyle technologies and products beyond footwear, digital advertising, and a social and environmental positioning. Customer acquisition channels listed include advertising, PR, social media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat), email, video, the website, online marketplaces, direct sales in stores, sales events, meet-ups, referral and loyalty programmes, partnerships, and a planned franchise system.
Mass-market consumers aged roughly 18-45 with low to median disposable income living in urban and peri-urban areas who seek comfort, quality and service differentiation, plus planned retail and franchise partners.
Geography
Headquartered in Paris, France, with additional locations listed in Delaware and Culver City, California, in the United States. Manufacturing is carried out in Portugal and Italy, and the online store supports multi-currency checkout and shipping across a broad international list, with site content available in English, French, German and Traditional Chinese.
History
Directory listings place the company's founding in 2021, while a separate European startup directory lists 2022; it is based in Paris and appears on the Techstars job board as a pre-seed, fashion and social impact company.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- SALUBATAsalubataofficial.com · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does SALUBATA do?
- Salubata makes patented modular sneakers from recycled ocean plastic and is developing carbon-decomposition shoe technology.
- Who founded SALUBATA?
- SALUBATA was founded by Yewande Akinse in 2021.
- Who are SALUBATA's investors?
- SALUBATA's investors include Techstars.
- Where is SALUBATA headquartered?
- SALUBATA is headquartered in Paris, FR.