Nasal strips are becoming performance enhancers.
What’s happening: Intake Breathing, maker of magnetic nasal strips, secured $62M in funding from KIND creator Daniel Lubetzky’s Camino Partners as it scales across competition and general wellness.
Lifted. Born in motocross, Intake’s magnetic skin adhesives and a reusable bridge band manually opens the airway to improve respiration. Positioning better inflow as a competitive edge, it’s now campaigning against mouth-breathing for improved sleep and wellness.
Inhale. The majority of Americans have a deviated septum, and ~60% primarily mouth-breathe — a reliance linked to issues like high blood pressure, poor oral health, and sleep apnea. A known endurance-inhibitor, fitness competitors are taking a legacy category to new heights.
Air bud. Acquired for $1B+ this summer, nasal strip leader Breathe Right has grown 60% YoY since ’22, with revenues near $200M. But, with three-quarters of Intake customers first-time strip users, the category has a new cool, with adhesive brands like HiStrips, Pneuma, and Dream Recovery also winning over HYROX athletes.
Tackling upstream issues for overall well-being, mouth tape brands like Sleep or Die and Wellnesse retrain breathing overnight, while Wizard Wellness remedies allergy issues and Climatic clears contaminants.
Punchline: Consumers are seeking new aids for the war on mouth-breathing. Winning with viral social marketing and organic fitness race adoption, Intake’s path is wide open.
