Issue No. 323: Brain Gains

A smart ecosystem transforming healthcare through exercise.

Cognitive decline has many causes.

Mental Burden

Coinciding with an aging population, America is facing a brain health crisis.

Over 6M Americans—nearly 10% of seniors—have dementia.
In the US, dementia causes >100K deaths and costs $600B annually.
~12M Americans could have dementia by 2060, with new cases/year doubling to 1M.

Living longer, four in 10 Americans aged 55+ are likely to develop the condition if trends continue — but lifestyle plays a large part.

No Brainer

An umbrella term, dementia manifests as several neurological disorders affecting memory and reasoning, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Modifiable factors account for up to 40% of cases, with diabetes, air pollution, and alcohol shown to have outsized impact, and loneliness raising risk by 31%. Too early to claim cause vs. effect, researchers have also found links between microplastics in the brain and dementia.

While no cures exist, staying active and eating healthy can prevent onset and slow progression. Hope for the genetically predisposed, pharma breakthroughs from Eli Lilly and others could be on the horizon.

Rethinking

Early detection could support preventative lifestyle shifts, but half of people go undiagnosed. Part of the problem, demand for neurologists far exceeds supply — leaving just 24% of those with neurologic conditions able to access care.

Thinking proactively, companies are developing solutions to keep brain health top of mind.

Smart screening. Partnering with providers, Linus offers an AI-powered digital screening platform. Securing $31M in January, Zeto is democratizing EEG diagnostics with its FDA-cleared portable brain monitoring system.

Removing friction from regular testing, Sonde Health analyzes 30-second voice samples on smartphones, using speech as a biomarker for cognitive fitness.

Mindful care. Solving for shortages, Rippl, Synapticure, and Isaac Health deliver specialized virtual cognitive care, easing the caregiver burden with on-demand wraparound support. Another approach, CareYaya pairs top med students with elders needing assistance.

Staying Sharp

Seeking preserved calm and clarity, still-healthy consumers are investing in brain optimization.

Brain food. Harnessing the gut-brain axis, liquid supplements from MagicMind and Graymatter are natural alternatives to Adderall, while Thesis and Qualia pack neuroscience into pills.

Oracles. Making advanced MEG scans available to all, Myndspan’s brain health clinic gives curious consumers a baseline to track future changes.

A glimpse of what’s to come, brain space’s “Brain-Data-as-a-Service platform” turns insights into predictive LLMs, creating a path for hyper-personalized consumer products and services.

Looking ahead: Bringing brain metrics beyond clinical settings, continuous monitoring could unlock new tools for preventing cognitive decline.

🎙 On the Podcast

Source:

[solidcore] president & CEO Bryan Myers discusses the company’s roadmap.

Operating across 27 states, [solidcore] delivers 50-minute reformer-based strength workouts. Now backed by L Catterton, the brand is ramping up expansion.

We also cover: Scaling from 135 to 250+ locations, innovating the reformer-based workout, and building an accessible yet challenging brand.

Listen to today’s episode here

💸 Prenuvo lands $120M Series B

The full-body scan startup plans new clinics and preventative screenings.

Check up. Moving beyond MRIs, Prenuvo unveiled proprietary brain scans, body composition analysis, and labs for hormonal, heart, and immune health.

Screening for cancers, aneurysms, cardiac and neurodegenerative diseases, and more, the enhanced service bundle costs $4K — up $1.5K from its baseline AI-powered MRI.

With $100M in revenue and 110K members across 17 North American locations, the company plans 15 new clinics globally, including in Europe and Australia.

Opt-out. As people seek sick care alternatives, Prenuvo joins a wave of startups making proactive screenings more accessible. Last month, Europe’s Neko Health raised $260M at a $1.7B valuation ahead of US expansion.

Looking ahead: Unwilling to “wait and see,” consumers want all the health insights money can buy — fueling demand for subscription-based preventative care.

Presented by EGYM

🔮 Shaping industry change

EGYM has a clear vision for the future of health and fitness.

With connected fitness equipment, AI-powered gym software, and comprehensive corporate wellness offerings — it’s leading the shift toward proactive, preventative health for everyone.

For corporations. Partnering with companies worldwide, EGYM Wellpass improves employee health by expanding access to premier fitness and health facilities.

For gyms. Upgrading fitness floors, EGYM equips operators with smart equipment and AI tools to create hyper-personalized training plans for every exerciser.

All together, its ecosystem is transforming healthcare through exercise.

Learn more about its intelligent solutions at EGYM.com.

🥼 Level Zero Health readies hormone-tracking tech

The biosensor startup added $6.9M in pre-seed funding to develop a continuous hormone monitoring wearable.

Replacing blood draws, its microneedle patch is undergoing clinical efficacy trials, with use cases supporting women’s IVF journeys, men’s TRT treatment, and more.

Missing link. Affecting every aspect of well-being, hormonal health remains overlooked.

As continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) expand beyond diabetes, Level Zero envisions a similar trajectory for its device, translating progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone levels to real-time management.

On track. Not alone, from Mira’s at-home pod to Eli Health’s “hormometer” to Persperity Health’s microfluidic patch, hormonal healthtech companies are analyzing urine, saliva, and sweat to provide personalized insights.

Punchline: With levels shifting through life, continuous hormone monitors (CHMs) represent a breakthrough for men and women optimizing their well-being.

📰 News & Notes

Nike, SKIMS launch women’s activewear.
Gyms pursue full-stack wellness strategy.
London longevity club Surrenne plots Paris site.
Consumers “protect” health spending at all costs.
Study finds alarming microplastic buildup in brain.
TrainerRoad syncs with Zwift on cycling training plans.
Peloton opens campus training studio at University of Texas.
Startup Q&A: Carry CEO Esther Sedgwick on women in rucking.
amp, Flex enable HSA/FSA funds for smart strength machines.
Shed Nutrition taps Truemed for HSA/FSA supplement purchases.
Lifeforce, Pause launch integrated longevity-wellness membership.
InsideTracker, Arete Health partner on insurance-backed preventative care.
Apple launches open health study examining data’s effect on health outcomes.
Consumer Health Summit announces annual gathering of wellness founders in May.

💰 Money Moves

US 🇺🇸 / Canada 🇨🇦

Prebiotic soda maker OLIPOP secured $50M in a Series C round led by J.P. Morgan Private Capital, reaching a $1.85B valuation.

Preventative scan clinic Prenuvo closed a $120M Series B co-led by Left Lane Capital, Forerunner Ventures, and Felicis.

Integrated wellness company FitLab acquired NY-based treadmill studio chain Mile High Run Club.

Longevity biotech company Juvenity added $10M in a seed round led by Goldcrest Capital and Godfrey Capital.

Youth sports company Rocket Youth raised $100M in a funding round led by sports industry veterans Maverick Carter and Daniel Sillman.

The Enhanced Games, an athletic competition permitting performance-enhancing drugs, added Series B funding.

Boutique franchise JETSET Pilates secured undisclosed funding from Purchase Capital.

Performance golf apparel brand Greyson Clothiers added $20M in a Series A round.

Men’s fertility platform Posterity Health secured $14M in a Series A round led by Georgetown Equity Partners.

Calorie and activity tracking app MyFitnessPal acquired AI meal planning platform Intent.

Padel operator Epic Padel raised $4.5M in funding.

Tru, a functional beverage brand, closed $4.6M in a funding round.

Sol Health, a platform connecting Gen Z patients to therapists in training, added pre-seed funding.

Europe 🇪🇺

Level Zero Health, developers of a continuous hormone monitoring wearable, secured £5.5M ($6.9M) in a pre-seed round led by redalpine.

Ella Mills, founder of vegan food brands Deliciously Ella and Plants, acquired plant-based food brand allplants out of bankruptcy.

Pure Energy Music, UK-based workout music streaming platform, secured £500K ($630K).

The UK’s IMPOSSIBREW, creator of nootropic-infused nonalcoholic beer, raised £1.57M in crowdfunding.

Asia 🌏

Singapore-based longevity clinic Chi Longevity acquired neuromuscular fitness concept SPARKD.

Australia 🇦🇺 / New Zealand 🇳🇿

OVUM, creator of an AI women’s health assistant, added A$1.7M ($1.06M) in pre-seed funding.

Africa 🌍

Egypt’s Motherbeing, creator of women’s digital health assistant Daleela, secured $200K from Madica.

Today’s newsletter was brought to you by Anthony Vennare, Joe Vennare, Ryan Deer, and Jasmina Breen.