Rubi is creating a world where human prosperity is planet-positive by decarbonizing supply chains, starting with the fashion industry.

Inspired by how trees grow, the company uses biochemical processes powered by enzymes at an industrial scale to “eat” carbon emissions and make carbon-negative, resource-neutral textiles for the fashion industry. 

Rubi’s technology has made it one of the hottest startups this year: In 2022, Rubi received a $250,000 grant from the National Science Foundation, raised $4.25m from Talis Capital and Necessary Ventures, won The H&M Foundation’s coveted Global Change Award, was included as a Changemaker in Fashion For Good’s Global Innovation Programme, and secured test plans with global retail and fashion brands (more to come on that!).  

‍Why They Wanted Comms: High Impact, Minimal Legwork 

Fresh off the heels of their Pre- Seed (featured in Vogue Business and TechCrunch), Rubi came to us in need of a partner to craft an inspiring narrative (no greenwashing!) that differentiates and shines a light on companies that acknowledge the full impact of their products on the environment - and take action to ensure true sustainability - in a time when consumers urgently look for brands and products that aren’t damaging the planet. 

Rubi also needed a PR firm that could act as a true extension of their small but mighty team and keep the ball rolling on opportunities with minimal legwork from co-founders Neeka and Leila Mashouf. As a Seed stage company experiencing unprecedented demand for their technology and product, Neeka and Leila have needed to be hyper-focused on scaling the business. And our partnership has enabled that to happen. 

With our 20+ year track record of building alongside tech brands from Seed to IPO, Rubi entrusted us with the job. ‍

What We Did: The “Anti-Spray-and-Pray” Approach‍

We developed a sharp PR strategy minimizing the amount of time Neeka and Leila spent focusing on comms, maximizing the amount of time they spent in the lab, while ensuring their story got in front of those helping to scale – global fashion brands, the scientific community, and top investors. 

Our approach: crisp and impactive messaging to resonate with all stakeholders, hyper-selective media outreach, and brand-defining awards.

‍The Results 

Our thoughtful strategy landed Rubi in The Wall Street Journal, CNN x Fujitsu, NBC, Fashion United, The Industry Fashion, San Francisco Business Times, the Skimm, and more.

In addition to top-tier media placements, Rubi has won Forbes 30 under 30, two Gold Stevie Awards for Most Innovative Company of the Year and Startup of the Year - Business Products Industries, and Inno Under 25. 

As a true extension of their team, we continue to collaborate with them on website design, branding, speaking engagements, social media copy, and more. 

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Building a Planet Positive Future, Together 

Ultimately, Co-founders Neeka and Leila aim to mitigate the global CO2 emissions of the most polluting industries, provide a carbon-removal service to manufacturing facilities, and continue innovating solutions to solve the climate crisis. 

We’re thrilled to continue telling their important story in 2023 and beyond. Rubi’s got a lot in store this coming year, so stay tuned!

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