Theya Bambú - The beginnings

Theya Bambú comprising Theya Healthcare and Theya Lingerie was founded by Ciara Donlon, who is an award winning social entrepreneur with over 20 years’ experience in management and marketing.   In 2010, Ciara embarked on her entrepreneurial journey by opening her first business.  

 

In 2012, after a number of years at the helm of a very successful lingerie retail business, the idea for THEYA Healthcare came about. Breast cancer survivors regularly came to the shop looking for post-surgery bras and Ciara quickly recognized a gap in the market as she was unable to find a sustainable product that really met their needs.

This led her to form Theya Healthcare, which designs and manufacturers patented bamboo post-operative garments that are clinically proven to heal and aid recovery & Theya Lingerie which designs and manufactures wireless, seamfree leisure and non competitive sportswear undergarments, all made from naturally anti-bacterial Okeo Tek bamboo material.   Ciara is driven by empathetic innovation and a commitment to sustainability to make positive changes for people via Theya Bambú.

In 2020, when COVID-19 struck, Ciara again created an innovative garment in the form of a seamless, tube design, reusable bamboo mask which is naturally antibacterial, extremely breathable and sustainably produced. The Theya Reusable Bamboo Mask is Irish designed, EU Certified and approved and is made in the EU.

April 2021 – the company underwent a brand refresh and brand architecture restructure. The company also announced it had appointed ISKUS Health to be it’s distribution partner in the UK and Ireland. At the same time the company launched the medical and non medical brands online across a number of ecommerce platforms and marketplaces in partnership with Infinity Blue agency In the UK. The company has plans to launch in the New England region of the USA and on Amazon US in the 2nd quarter.

 

January 2020, Ciara was awarded Entrepreneur of the year at the Irish Women of the Year Awards.
Ciara Donlon has been selected as a mentor on the prestigious NovaUCD/Startup Boost Ireland, which is part of the global Startup Boost initiative, for the Autumn 2020 program, which begins later this month.


In 2017, Donlon was named Laureate for Europe in the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards which awards female entrepreneurs whose business’s have a social impact either on people or the planet.

 

Also in 2017, Ciara was shortlisted for both the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year (Emerging category) and the Matheson WMB Female Entrepreneur of the Year.

 

Theya Healthcare which has raised just under €3 million in investment closed their latest round during the Covid crisis. Their latest investors are The University of Vermont’s Health Network venture arm. This is an important strategic partnership for Theya Healthcare in the US as operations expand into this market over the next two years.

 

Theya Healthcare is an Irish company and is a member of Guaranteed Irish.