The Story of Flow Free – How to win a 2500€ scholarship
Five third-year International Business students turned a familiar everyday problem into a powerful business idea.
Semini, Iresha, Nilmini, Biyanca, and Kehinde are the founders of Flow Free, a company addressing period poverty and accessibility to menstrual products. An issue that affects millions of women globally.
Nilmini and Biyanca, who were interviewed for this story, both moved from Sri Lanka to Finland in recent years, while Kehinde is originally from Nigeria and has a background in accounting. Despite their different journeys, the three students quickly formed a strong team dynamic. Having worked together previously, they already understood each other’s working styles and communication preferences.
-Maybe it was destiny that brought us together again,” the team reflects.
Mutual respect, open communication, and a shared commitment to the project helped navigate disagreements. According to the team, putting “heart and soul” into the work and genuinely caring about team members was key to their success. Kehinde also humorously adds that good baking skills and a shared love for cake helped the team spirit.
Rather than assigning strict roles, the team worked mostly as a collective. Responsibilities were shared throughout the process. This collaborative approach supported creativity and kept everyone equally invested.
The idea for Flow Free emerged from a simple everyday question
Why are menstrual products still so difficult to access, even though periods affect half of the population regularly?
The students recognized period poverty as a global issue affecting an estimated 500 million women. This realization became the foundation of their business concept.
Flow Free provides menstrual care product dispensers that offer free products to end users. Companies pay a fixed monthly fee covering installation, maintenance, and refills. The model is comparable to existing restroom services like hand dryers or condom dispensers, but with tampons and pads.
– The dispensers also feature a QR code that allows users to donate toward ending period poverty, further amplifying the social impact.
– For companies, Flow Free offers a tangible way to demonstrate corporate social responsibility.
Support from HAMK played a crucial role
During the Business Innovation module, the team pitched Flow Free in an internal classroom competition. This led to the opportunity to apply for the Linna Business Tournament, where they continued refining their business plan and pitching skills. The project spanned from August to December, with further development and pitch preparation continuing through the spring.
Senior Lecturer Mukhammadyusuf Shaimardanov encouraged and supported the team from the early stages, helping them commit to tackling the issue seriously. Additional guidance from Senior Lecturers Simona Chilba and Melanie Kirwa strengthened the project further. What started as a school assignment soon evolved into a real entrepreneurial journey, with teachers actively encouraging the students to bring Flow Free to life in Finland.
By the time of the tournament, the team felt confident. After extensive practice at school, their final three-minute pitch required only minor adjustments from the original five-minute version—a challenge that became a valuable learning experience. Competing against 18 strong business ideas, Flow Free was selected as one of six winners, receiving a 2,500-euro scholarship.
What does the future of Flow Free look like?
The prize money will be used to support company registration and to launch Flow Free’s first pilot. For the founders the most rewarding part of the project was seeing their idea transition from concept to reality. Their goal extends beyond financial success. The goal is to actively fight period poverty globally but also locally.
Looking ahead, Nilmini, Biyanca, and Kehinde are focused on making Flow Free a visible and normal part of everyday life. Their vision is ambitious but clear: a future where Flow Free dispensers are found in every bathroom, ensuring accessibility for all.
