October 23, 2026

Wearables Get Dressed Up, Protein Snacks Snag Capital, MAHA Faces Setback

Listen On:

Presented by

Wearables turn to jewelry

Wearable tech companies are making devices designed to stand out, not disappear.

Following an $8M round this summer, Nirva has raised another $25M in a pre-Series A round to launch an AI pendant designed to interpret moods and support self-reflection.
Pairing form with function, WHOOP has introduced jewelry-inspired accessories, Oura has added ceramic finishes, and Garmin and expanded its premium watch designs.
Meanwhile, other startups are building wearables into earrings and necklaces to track everything from strength progress to UV exposure.

As wellness becomes part of personal style, wearable makers are looking to combine useful health data with products people actually want to wear.

WILDE scales protein snacks

The maker of chicken-based protein chips raised $40M from S2G Investments to expand distribution and develop new snacks.

WILDE turns chicken breast, egg whites, and bone broth into chips and crackers, with more than 10 grams of protein per serving.
Now sold across 30K+ retailers and generating over $100M in sales last year.
The company is expanding production with a new 130K-sq-ft facility that will increase capacity sixfold.

As protein moves beyond shakes and bars into mainstream snack foods, meat-based brands are competing for shelf space by offering familiar formats with higher protein content and different ingredient profiles.

MAHA faces a setback

Calley Means, a key architect of the MAHA movement, has resigned from the Trump administration.

The move comes after growing frustrated with stalled progress on food policy, including efforts to define ultraprocessed foods.
Means helped shape initiatives targeting artificial food dyes, UPFs, and soda in federal food assistance programs. He also worked on nutrition education and a revised food pyramid.
Tensions grew further after the administration backed increased glyphosate production, a position at odds with a major MAHA priority.

Playing a key role in advancing RFK Jr.’s agenda, Means’ departure raises questions about the movement’s ability to turn its food and chronic disease agenda into policy.

Up Next

View All

October 22, 2026

NFL Teams With General Atlantic, OpenAI Backs Cancer Tech, Hims Expands TRT

3:06

October 21, 2026

TikTok Blocks Peptide Searches, Oura Adds Fitness Metrics, Orangetheory Confronts Closures

3:02

October 20, 2026

White House Elevates Women’s Health, Gyms Add Clinical Services, Hormone Testing Comes Home

2:57

October 16, 2026

Reservoir Banks Immune Cells, Lume Tracks Hormones, Brady Brings Recovery to Aescape

2:53