Deep Bajaj & Sirona Hygiene: The Story Behind India's FemTech Pioneer
Meet Deep Bajaj – the Co-Founder of Sirona Hygiene, an award-winning entrepreneur, angel investor (supporting 40+ startups!), and a key figure in shaping India's FemTech landscape. You might know Sirona for groundbreaking products like PeeBuddy or their best-selling Menstrual Cups. But the story behind the brand, and the founder himself, is one of serendipity, relentless hustle, category creation against the odds, and a mission bigger than business. This article dives deep into the journey of Deep Bajaj and Sirona Hygiene, drawing insights from his profile, career trajectory, and a candid conversation on the Founder Thesis podcast.
Check out the video of the conversation here or read on for insights.
🌱 The Early Innings: From Delhi Boy to Serial Entrepreneur
Deep Bajaj describes himself as a "Delhi boy," born and raised, who found his voice and entrepreneurial spark relatively early. After being an introvert until the 9th grade, he blossomed, participating actively in debates, theatre, and school activities.
His entrepreneurial journey didn't follow a conventional path. Around age 18-19, while still in college, he started a small 10-seater domestic call center renewing car insurance policies. Witnessing his father's business journey instilled in him the required toughness.
"I just learned that you know to do business is very very tough and... you just need to be at it."
This "learn by doing" attitude defined his early career:
Education: Masters in Management (Marketing) from The Australian National University (2005-2006). Completed executive programs at ISB (2016-2017) and Stanford (2019-2021).
Events: Partner & Director at Thyme Event Management (2006-2011), scaling it to handle top brands and reaching revenues around ₹10 Cr before exiting.
Luxury Goods: Advisory Board Member at Carpet Couture by Rashi (2009-Present).
HealthTech: Co-Founder (Non-Executive) at Pramati Care (2014-2017), a home healthcare startup servicing 6000+ patient visits/month before his exit.
Through these diverse experiences, Deep honed his skills but realized his core passion was in creating IP and building ventures from "0 to 1."
💡 The Serendipitous Road Trip: Birth of PeeBuddy
The idea for PeeBuddy struck during a 2013 road trip. A casual remark about a European device sparked the concept for a female urination device tailored for India. It resonated deeply due to personal experiences and observations.
"While everybody laughed it off I think for me the world stopped at that stage... I thought I would love to do this."
He discovered similar concepts existed but hadn't scaled in India. He designed his own unique funnel, secured a design patent (one of two patents he holds, the other being PregRX), and PeeBuddy was born – India's first Female Urination Device, now recommended by doctors for challenges during pregnancy and arthritis. It quickly gained attention, featured by major media outlets like BBC, Reuters, Hindustan Times, and YourStory.
🚀 Building Sirona Hygiene: From PeeBuddy to FemTech Leader
PeeBuddy became the cornerstone for Sirona Hygiene Pvt. Ltd., co-founded with his brother Mohit Bajaj around July 2015. The mission expanded: tackle taboo subjects and innovate across women's intimate and menstrual wellness.
Sirona's Impact by the Numbers:
Product Innovation: Launched 10+ India-first products. The portfolio grew to cover Toilet Hygiene (PeeBuddy, Toilet Seat Covers, Sanitizers), Menstrual Hygiene (Cups, Tampons, Pads, Pain Relief Patches, Disposal Bags), Intimate Hygiene (Washes, Wipes), and Hair Removal.
Reach: Trusted by over 4 million women.
PeeBuddy Success: Sold over 3 million units. A key early break involved sending 700 cold emails, getting 1 reply from the Mumbai Marathon organizers, leading to an order for 10,000 PeeBuddy units given free to participants, significantly boosting confidence.
Menstrual Cup Leadership: Became India's highest-selling menstrual cup brand, empowering over 1 million women to switch to sustainable period care.
Team: Built a passionate team, including 3 in-house doctors contributing to product development.
Business Mix (as per podcast): Approximately 70% of revenue comes from Female Hygiene products (Sirona), and 30% from Family Hygiene (BodyGuard brand).
"We want to be known for only female hygiene, puberty to Menopause. We will solve unaddressed issues... If you want to talk about taboo stuff, only Sirona."
📈 Navigating the D2C Journey: Growth, Profitability & The ₹450 Cr Milestone
Sirona's growth prioritized sustainability over vanity metrics.
Bootstrapped Beginnings: Focused on profitability and capital efficiency from day one due to limited initial funding. Remained profitable for at least 3 consecutive years leading up to the podcast recording.
Revenue Milestones:
FY2017: ~₹1 Crore
FY2018: ~₹7 Crore
FY2020: ~₹14 Crore
FY2021: ~₹26 Crore
FY2022 target mentioned: Aiming for ₹40 Crore+.
Funding Journey:
Seed funding from IAN (~₹2.96 Cr).
Series A in April 2021 (~₹20 Cr round initiated).
Strategic Acquisition/Investment: In a landmark deal for Indian FemTech D2C, Sirona was largely acquired by The Good Glamm Group in late 2021/early 2022, providing successful exits for early investors. The deal valued the company at a reported INR 450 Crores.
Reclaiming the Mission: In 2025, Deep Bajaj acquired Sirona back from Good Glamm Group, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to the brand's original purpose.
✨ Beyond Sirona: Angel Investing & Giving Back
Deep actively contributes to the startup ecosystem:
Angel Investor: Supports 40-45+ early-stage startups, including pTal, Beanly, WTF, WhatsUp Wellness, HouseEazy, NU Republic, HaqDarshaq, and more. He was recognized among India's top angel investors.
Sirona Foundation: Drives impact by educating women in underprivileged communities and providing subsidized/free menstrual products. Funded partly by contributing ₹1 from every Sirona/PeeBuddy product sold.
Sharing Knowledge: Shares insights via TEDx talks and Medium articles.
🧭 Vision & The Road Ahead
Deep's entrepreneurial mantra revolves around persistence ("Thousand Day Rule"), protecting founder energy (avoiding "Energy Vampires"), and the thrill of the "0 to 1" build.
Having brought Sirona back under his leadership in 2025, his focus is clear: amplify the brand's impact, stay true to the mission of solving real problems in women's health, and continue breaking barriers in the FemTech space.
"Stay positive... without doing anything on ground, no matter how many books you read, you will not be able to crack it. If you're at it, you will crack it."
🏆 Recognition & Accolades
Deep Bajaj's journey has earned significant recognition:
Fortune '40 under 40'
Economic Times 'ET 40 under 40'
Amazon Sambhav 'Social Entrepreneur of the Year'
National Entrepreneurship Award by MSDE, Govt of India
BW Business World 'Young Entrepreneur Award'
ET 'Start-Up of the Year' (Social Enterprise)
Winner - ET Now Lufthansa Runway to Success
💡 Final Thoughts
Deep Bajaj's story is more than just a business case study; it's a blueprint for building a purpose-driven company in a challenging market. Sirona Hygiene's success underscores the power of identifying unmet needs, innovating fearlessly, building community, and leading with resilience and a clear mission. This profile offers a glimpse into the entrepreneur shaping the future of women's wellness in India.
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Until the next founder's thesis📕,
Your host, AD