A smart ecosystem transforming healthcare through exercise.
Lifestyle and sleep need a sync.
Up All Night
Despite record spending on rest, 77% of Americans don’t sleep enough, and 93% wake up tired.
Ignoring safety concerns, 27% of adults take melatonin, and nearly half give it to their kids — fueling a $8.6B category.
But the sleep crisis might be avoided by following the body’s natural cues.
Keeping time. Disrupted by work, screens, and stress, circadian rhythms are misaligned, impacting hormone release, immune response, metabolic function, and cellular repair.
Dictated by light-dark cycles, the consequences of altered internal clocks compound, contributing to obesity, diabetes, depression, gut disorders, and early death.
Rewiring the brain, a study of 86K people showed nighttime light exposure increased the risk of mood disorders and self-harm, while daytime light reduced it.
A matter of life and death, another study of 20K adults deemed circadian disruption a stronger predictor of mortality than metabolic syndrome.
Feel the Rhythm
Chasing longevity, consumers are trying to recalibrate.
Illuminating. Tools like SunSeek track sun exposure, while Innerscene and KUMUX recreate natural light indoors. Sunrise alarm clocks from Hatch, Loftie, and Lumie ease the wakeup cycle.
Dark mode. Taking back the night, ROKA’s red-lens glasses block blue and green light. Eliminating sky glow, The Shade Store’s motorized blackout shades and Inactivators’ temperature-regulating eyemask enhance darkness.
In transit. Apps like Timeshifter and Flykitt help travelers beat circadian nemesis jet lag. Equinox Hotels and Sensei tap sleep rituals and wearable data, while Heckfield Place uses light, sound, and scent to restore natural rhythms.
Clock in. Turning biorhythmic data into actionable health insights, Oura’s Body Clock personalizes recommendations based on chronotypes, while WHOOP advises against evening workouts.
Eliminating sleep debt, Rise Science monitors screentime to maximize energy levels. Reading HRV, Eight Sleep pairs its thermoregulating mattress with data-driven supps.
Shut down. The anti-nightcap, late snacking disrupts the cycle, and erratic mealtimes cross hormonal signals. A known fix, time-restricted eating resets the body, while L-Nutra’s circadian fasting protocols reduce biological age.
Watch out. Soon, platforms will integrate wearables, light sensors, and food logs to adjust your environment and routine automatically. Expect chrono-scores, performance windows, and time-based health optimization to go mainstream.
Punchline: Stable sleep-wake cycles are essential for health and longevity. But, despite awareness, rewiring circadian rhythms requires sacrifices consumers struggle to make.
🎙 On the Podcast
Eternal co-founder Alex Mather discusses high-performance healthcare.
Redesigning care for the physically active, Eternal combines bloodwork, DEXA scans, VO2 max, a dedicated MD, coaching, and more to support peak performance at every age.
We also cover: Offensive vs. defensive care, the future of personalized health, and Alex’s experience at Strava and The Athletic.
Listen to today’s episode here
🥊 David’s controversial key ingredient
Last week, David raised $75M at a $725M valuation and bought fat alternative maker Epogee. Now, it’s being sued for cutting off competitors.
Big bet. Founded by RXBAR’s Peter Rahal, David exploded by tapping the high-protein trend. Its flagship bar delivers 28g of protein and no sugar — thanks to EPG, a rapeseed oil-derived fat replacer with fewer calories.
Polarizing. The brand’s use of EPG has split the health world. Advocates (and David investors) like Andrew Huberman, Peter Attia, and Layne Norton say it’s a smart way to boost protein. But critics like Mark Hyman, Justin Mares, and Gary Brecka argue ultra-processed ingredients, no matter the macros, undermine health.
Still, with $140M in projected first-year sales, it’s clear the product—and the marketing—are resonating.
Power play. A new lawsuit alleges David quietly bought up two years’ worth of EPG, leaving other brands scrambling. Plaintiffs say it wiped out smaller companies that relied on the ingredient, and they’re asking the court to force David to reopen access.
Moats. With Epogee dependent on David, locking in supply was more than a safeguard — it’s a strategic moat. As Rahal told TBPN, defensibility through IP and ingredient control helped secure the company’s valuation. But this playbook is now raising questions about monopolistic tactics.
Looking ahead: David doesn’t just make a bar; it’s building a macro-first food empire. But, its science and strategy will be tested as it scales.
🏋️ Reimagining the gym
EGYM is bringing intelligence to every fitness floor.
Cutting-edge. EGYM’s Genius AI integrates data across smart machines, apps, and services from 200+ partners to create hyper-personalized training plans for every exerciser.
Adaptable. Adjusting to individual goals, fitness levels, and available equipment, its unique ecosystem meets gym-goers and operators where they are.
Effective. Ushering in a new era of workouts, EGYM’s tech makes trainers more efficient, analog machines smarter, fitness more fun, and members more motivated to come back.
It’s AI for the entire gym. It’s the future of fitness. And it’s available now.
Learn more at EGYM.com.
💰 Consumers are priced out of wellness
54% say high prices are a barrier to healthy choices, per NielsenIQ.
Priced right. People want high-impact solutions that don’t break the bank. While 55% are willing to spend more on wellness, there’s a shortage of effective products across income levels.
Equal access. Nearly 40% of global consumers believe companies have a responsibility to make healthier products as accessible as unhealthy ones. Thinking of themselves and others, respondents think wellness shouldn’t be a luxury and expect brands to step up.
Low-cost, high-trust. From fitness tech to personal care, shoppers want affordable options they can believe in. Flexible pricing models, everyday utility, and ingredient transparency are key to assurance.
Takeaway: Wellness is now a daily essential. Brands that democratize access—without compromising trust—will unlock mainstream adoption and lasting competitive advantage.
📰 News & Notes
- London plans £2B wellness district.
- Pvolve, Tally Health partner on longevity stack.
- AG1 launches sleep supps, hits Costco shelves.
- Switzerland’s KEEN opens somatic wellness club.
- SIRO debuts fitness & recovery hotel in Montenegro.
- Longevity startups raise $8.5B in 2024, up 220% YoY.
- Rally launches orbital recovery tool to rival massage guns.
- Calm expands B2B mental health platform to UK and Canada.
- Muse explores brain diagnostics with new EEG/fNIRS wearable.
- Rêve Health adds Galleri cancer testing to integrated TCM platform.
- Equinox, SoulCycle ordered to repay $600K for hard-to-cancel memberships.
- Momentous adds female-focused supplements, invests in women’s health R&D.
- Hiring? Fitt Talent Partners offers specialized recruiting for health and wellness companies.
💰 Money Moves
US 🇺🇸 / Canada 🇨🇦
David, maker of high-protein foods, secured $75M in a Series A led by Greenoaks and acquired food ingredient business Epogee.
Preventative health platform Superpower acquired at-home diagnostics company Base.
Digital health platform Hims & Hers acquired UK-based telehealth company ZAVA.
Fitness and leisure operator Bay Club acquired 425 Fitness, operator of three Seattle-area facilities.
Psychedelic biopharmaceutical company atai Life Sciences merged with UK-based psychedelic therapeutic developer Beckley Psytech.
Produce subscription brand Misfits Market acquired The Rounds, a last-mile delivery platform for household essentials.
Pro softball league Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) received an “eight-figure” investment from the MLB ahead of its debut.
Better-for-you energy drink maker Lucky Energy landed a “six-figure” investment from InvestBev.
e.l.f. Beauty acquired skincare brand rhode for $1B
Bereavement support platform Empathy secured $72M in a Series C round led by Adams Street Partners.
Stack Athletics, apparel brand of pickleball operator The Picklr, acquired pickleball assets of Vulcan Sporting Goods, with support from Chaifetz Group.
Moment, maker of mood-boosting functional beverages, landed $5M from Btomorrow Ventures.
Better-for-you CPG brand builder Next in Natural acquired organic kombucha brand Rowdy Mermaid.
Sports video analysis platform Hudl acquired GPS-enabled performance data company Titan Sports.
Europe 🇪🇺
RoxFit, a UK-based training platform for fitness racing, landed £800K ($1.08M) in a pre-seed round led by DSW Ventures.
Ray-Ban maker EssilorLuxottica acquired European eye clinic operator Optegra in a med-tech play.
Italian premium mineral water brand Acqua Filette secured a minority investment from Wellness Holding, investment office of Technogym founder Nerio Alessandri.
Asia 🌏
UAE-born electrolyte mix maker Humantra secured undisclosed funding from JamJar Investments.
Australia 🇦🇺 / New Zealand 🇳🇿
Australia’s Vively, a CGM-enabled metabolic health platform, raised A$1.6M ($1M) in a seed round led by Archangel Ventures.
Latin America 🌎
Mexico’s Medsi AI, a preventative health diagnostics platform, secured $3M in a seed round led by Sanfer Farma and General Atlantic.
Brazilian club management platform Next Fit raised R$50M ($8.8M) in a round led by Cloud9 Capital.
Today’s newsletter was brought to you by Anthony Vennare, Joe Vennare, Ryan Deer, and Jasmina Breen.
