Essential Ingredients Podcast 049: NASA's Dental Care Secret: Saving Teeth with Eco-Friendly Space-Age Tech with Belinda Lau
"I had to find that niche, that core community of people who were trying to solve the same problems that I was and who were passionate about the solution. But if I hadn't found that, I think it would be tough to try to keep promoting your product and your brand without actually knowing where it fits." —Belinda Lau
Every toothpaste tube and toothbrush we've ever used might still be existing somewhere on this planet! Plastic dental care products are silent environmental destroyers, with each toothbrush lingering for about 500 years in landfills and oceans.
Belinda Lau, a biomedical engineer with 15 years in medical device innovation, co-founded Elims with her dentist husband to transform oral care through sustainable, science-backed products. Motivated by the environmental impact of traditional dental care and her background in medical technology, she developed a breakthrough toothpaste using nano-hydroxyapatite that delivers clinical effectiveness while dramatically reducing plastic waste.
Tune in as Justine and Belinda explore NASA's nano hydroxyapatite technology, sustainable oral care packaging, TerraCycle's recycling innovation, clean ingredient alternatives to fluoride, bootstrapping a CPG business, growing business as a couple, flavor development strategies, dental professional insights, plus much more.
Meet Belinda:
With a background in biomedical and material science engineering and over 20 years of experience in the medical device industry, Belinda brings deep science and heart to every product. Inspired by a mission to create better-for-you, planet-friendly health care, she leads ELIMS with purpose, innovation, and impact. Belinda was named to the Forbes Next 1000 list and recognized by the Los Angeles Times as a Visionary CEO for her leadership in driving innovation and impact in sustainable consumer health.
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Episode Highlights:
02:24 ELIMS: Bridging Sustainability and Dental Health
09:07 Nano Hydroxyapatite: An Alternative to Fluoride Developed by NASA
16:44 TerraCycling: Sustainability Beyond Product
24:29 Flavor Innovation: Making Toothpaste Fun Again
36:42 Power Couple Entrepreneurship
45:21 Funding Mistakes
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