The future of brain care is here.
👋 Quick note: This week, we’re back with another long-form report.
You can read past editions exploring Movement Health and AI x Well-being.
Today, we’re unpacking the opportunity in sexual wellness — with implications for longevity, social cohesion, and family-wide health outcomes.
You’ll find a preview below and the full report here. It’s 100% free to read, with no email sign-up or download required.
Sexual wellness is shedding its stigma.
Long dismissed as taboo, young people are challenging outdated norms as aging cohorts link hormones to healthspan.
Adding urgency, declining birth rates are skewing the population older, prompting warnings of economic stagnation and “mass extinction.”
Mired by ideological debate, the sector is gaining momentum — projected to reach $115B by 2030. From hormone therapies and fertility treatments to supplements, intimacy apps, clean hygiene products, and specialized care platforms, companies are capitalizing on rising demand.
What’s happening: Because sex ed is geared toward pregnancy prevention, many adults don’t understand how or why sex hormones function in their bodies, creating care delivery gaps.
But with voices like Attia and Huberman separating science from creed, people are starting to connect hormonal and reproductive factors to longevity.
Why it matters: Irrespective of politics or family plans, reproductive and hormonal conditions have real ramifications on well-being. Add sex’s role in personal relationships and social cohesion, and everyone has a stake.
The more companies bridge sexual and general wellness, the more normalized care becomes.
Looking ahead: VCs once steered clear due to vice clauses blocking funding of “bad” industries like gambling, cannabis, and psychedelics. But blanket vilification of categories is changing.
Sports betting is now legal in most states. Psychedelics are considered medicine. Cannabis is a functional ingredient. Nicotine is a biohack. And sexual wellness is healthcare.
Read the full report for an in-depth breakdown of the sexual wellness opportunity, and where it goes from here.
🎙 On the Podcast
Force of Nature co-founder & CEO Robby Sansom discusses ethical meat production.
Setting a new standard for the industry, Force of Nature delivers pasture-raised, 100% grass-finished, nutrient-dense proteins that prioritize animal welfare and soil regeneration.
We also cover: The real cost of cheap food, reshaping consumer habits, and climate-friendly farming.
Listen to today’s episode here
🏰 Moss plans NYC leisure & rec club
The five-story social wellness club is set to open in Manhattan this fall.
Another level. Blending design, performance, and culture, Moss’s Upstairs membership features a restaurant and lounge, while its All Access tier unlocks its reimagined rec centers.
- Bedrock Athletics: State-of-the-art gym complemented by group fitness, reformer Pilates, golf simulators, and a pickleball court.
- Bedrock Aquatics: Thermal circuit with hot/cold plunges, pool, hammam, and spa treatments, plus a longevity clinic with IV drips and wellness consults.
New due. Coining the term “intelligent leisure,” Moss combines the elegance of old-world social clubs with cutting-edge health optimization, offering a place to train, recover, and connect.
Ahead of launch, founding members get early access to a Moss Studio pop-up for curated events like supper clubs and longevity symposiums.
On trend. Moss will join the likes of Remedy Place, Zero Bond, and Equinox Hotels in elevating the social wellness experience.
Punchline: In a world of burnout and biohacking, Moss is betting wellness, community, and high-touch hospitality will define the next era of status.
🧠 The Future of Brain Care is Here
Cognitive decline begins long before you feel it — but now, proactive brain care is finally within reach.
Lifeforce’s Brain Protection Program makes advanced tests accessible to online consumers for the first time.
Combining brain-specific biomarkers with ongoing 1:1 clinical support, they’re pioneering the future of preventative cognitive health.
Staying ahead of decline, members can measure genetic risk, catch presymptomatic conditions, gauge neuroinflammation, and track progress.
Ongoing clinician support and health coaching centers on personalized, science-backed, lifestyle-first approaches to boost brain function — plus exclusive access to supplements and pharmaceuticals targeting root causes of Alzheimer’s.
Learn more at mylifeforce.com/brain.
💸 Wellness consumers have $1T to spend
US consumers prioritizing well-being wield $1.1T in spending power, per Circana’s latest report.
Building blocks. Physical health remains foundational, with exercise and nutrition leading the way. Reflecting consumer goals, sales of protein, energy, weight management, and gut health supplements rose YoY.
Mind matters. 77% of Americans prioritize mental health, with desire for better sleep and work-life balance top of mind. Elevating emotional well-being, women are investing in self-care—like beauty and skin products—for daily mood boosts.
Good vibes. Aligning with the rise of run clubs and preventative health, community and agency were recurring themes. More are turning to sports for social and mental wellness, while books on menopause, healthy cooking, and chronic disease saw 2–3x sales growth in 2024.
Punchline: Consumers are willing to pay a premium for holistic well-being. Tapping cross-industry collabs—like beauty x fitness—brands meeting physical, mental, and emotional needs can shape the future of this trillion-dollar market.
📰 News & Notes
- On x Zendaya unveil lifestyle collection.
- Alchemy Springs preps SF thermal wellness club.
- Westin Hotels taps goop for sleep training content.
- UK fitness sector hits record membership, revenue.
- Proper Hotels debuts wellness concept in Santa Monica.
- ABC Fitness integrates EGYM tech across gym mgmt platforms.
- Zwift redesigns Companion app for IRL activities, fitness metrics.
- Startup Q&A: Muse co-founder Ariel Garten on cognitive performance.
- Viome unveils AI-powered molecular diagnostics and nutrition platform.
- RXBAR co-founder launches high-protein candy bar Hormbles Chormbles.
- Onnit founder Aubrey Marcus launches Px energy supps. [Re-read: Amped Up].
- Hiring? Fitt Talent Partners offers full-service recruiting for health and wellness companies.
💰 Money Moves
US 🇺🇸 / Canada 🇨🇦
Premium health club operator Life Time acquired High Performance Lifestyle Training, operator of immersive fitness events.
Leonard Green & Partners acquired a majority stake in Crunch Fitness.
Crunch Fitness franchisee CR Fitness Holdings acquired nine 24 Hour Fitness locations in Florida.
Bay Club, operator of sports & leisure clubs, acquired Seattle-area Harbor Square Athletic Club.
Supplement company Wellkasa acquired Peak + Valley, maker of adaptogenic brain health supplements.
Cofertility, an egg freezing and fertility platform, secured $7.25M in a Series A round led by Next Ventures and Offline Ventures.
illumicell AI, creator of a portable male fertility scanner, secured $2M in a pre-seed round.
The Ryl Company, creator of a functional iced tea beverage, raised $15M in a Series B round.
Probiotic soda maker Culture Pop landed $15.1M in funding.
Europe 🇪🇺
Fitness technology company WithU acquired full ownership of fitness content platform Mvmnt from partner Sky.
Dairy company Müeller acquired UK-based kefir maker Biotiful Gut Health.
UK-based prebiotic soda brand XOXO closed a £4M ($5.3M) round led by Lever VC and Slingshot Ventures.
UK-based weight loss platform Habitual added £1M ($1.3M) from Lexham Partners.
Swedish B2B mental health platform Sakura raised SEK 3M ($310K) in a pre-seed round led by 8 Media Ventures.
Asia 🌏
Indian wearable brand Noise secured $20M from Bose Corporation.
Mosaic Wellness, Indian operator of Man Matters and Be Bodywise digital platforms, raised Rs 175 crore ($20M) from Think Investments.
Singapore’s Moom Health, maker of women’s health supplements, secured S$3.5M ($2.66M) in a pre-Series A round.
Chinese sportswear group ANTA Sports acquired outdoor technical outfitter Jack Wolfskin from Topgolf Callaway Brands.
Today’s newsletter was brought to you by Anthony Vennare, Joe Vennare, Ryan Deer, and Jasmina Breen.
