🍏 Gut Health: Building a Better Microbiome

Gut Health: Building a Better Microbiome

Our latest edition of HackTrends dives into the science, technology and startups behind better gut health. Let’s get to it…

🍏 The big picture

• Interested in high energy levels? Shiny hair? A good mood and healthy skin? Did you know the key to all of these things just might be found in your gut?

• It’s no wonder gut health is trending. 

• Gut health depends on your gut microbiome – the trillions of microbes and bacteria living in your gut. Those teeny tiny living creatures are directly influenced by your diet and lifestyle.

• That’s why prebiotics and probiotics are surging in popularity. They promote a healthy mix of microorganisms in your gut, which can lead to better digestion and overall health. Thanks to the discovery of the gut-brain-axis, we now know that gut health is essential for good brain health, too.

• With such compelling discoveries, it seems this trend is here to stay. From gut-healthy, plant-based fibres to innovative gut health data platforms, startups are targeting a healthier gut.

📈 Interest is on the up

• As Alexandre Bastos at Givaudan tells us, consumers are increasingly becoming aware of the role of the gut in their wellbeing. 72% of consumers say that digestive health is an important aspect of their overall health. But 90% – or 300 million Americans – fall short of the fibre consumption needed, leading to increased demand for innovative nutraceutical and food and beverage products.

• The hashtag #GutTok has been viewed over 1B times on TikTok. Users are captivated by gut-healthy products like sauerkraut, kefir, and sourdough bread.

• With 70% of the immune system located in the gut, it makes sense that consumers are seeking products to help them improve the health of their gut microbiome. The global digestive health market is now valued at almost $52B and projected to grow at an annual rate of 8.3% over the next 5 years.

• 22% of food and drinks products with a digestive health claim also have an immune health claim. Consumers are paying attention and there’s opportunity for brands to innovate further to bring more gut-healthy products and health platforms to market. 

🔍 How is it shaping up?

Probiotics

• According to the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP), probiotics are “live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.” You can find them in foods like yoghurt, kombucha, and sauerkraut. Startups are including probiotics in novel ingredients to support the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.

• One startup in this space, Floré, creates custom probiotics tailored to your gut. How does it work? To get your personalised probiotics, you send in a micro-stool sample. Their world-class team of scientists then extracts and sequences your microbial DNA, and they create a custom formulation tailored to your unique gut microbiome.

• Kingdom Supercultures designs natural microbial cultures that manufacturers can use to create plant-based yoghurts and cheeses that actually taste like dairy, fermented beverages with lower sugar, and to preserve their products without artificial chemicals.

Prebiotics

• The Global Prebiotic Association defines a prebiotic as “a compound or ingredient that is utilised by the microbiota producing a health or performance benefit,” and prebiotic effect as “a health or performance benefit that arises from alteration of the composition and/or activity of the microbiota, as a direct or indirect result of the utilisation of a specific and well-defined compound or ingredient by microorganisms.”

• Prebiotics are typically high in fibre, and are found in foods like bananas, whole grains, greens, and artichokes. Startups are incorporating innovative plant fibres into products to promote gut health.

• COMET is a Series C startup that offers a proprietary line of Arrabina® prebiotic dietary fibres. The fibres are certified upcycled and can be added to any food or beverage application.

• Another startup in this space, Little Inca, uses quinoa and other plant-based ingredients to support gut health in babies and infants. They use bio-based pouches and renewable energy sources in their production processes, which means their products are not only gut-healthy for the tiny humans in your life, but also low-carbon.

• NutriLeads delivers plant-based, upcycled, and low-dose precision prebiotic fibres that are clinically proven to improve health. And Supergut provides science-based and delicious products, including shakes, snack bars, and more, that balance the gut microbiome. They recently rolled out their products at Target – a huge milestone for the company.

Postbiotics

• The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) defines postbiotics as "a preparation of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components that confers a health benefit on the host".

• Postbiotics encompass the bioactive compounds produced when gut bacteria digest prebiotics or fiber. Unlike probiotics (live bacteria) or prebiotics (food for bacteria), postbiotics are the beneficial byproducts that include enzymes, peptides, short-chain fatty acids, and more. They’re known for their anti-inflammatory, immune-boosting, and gut health benefits.

• Postbiotics also include inanimate cells or cell components. The term "inanimate" is used instead of "dead" because these cells must have been alive and inactivated at some point.

• Startups are now turning to postbiotics as an innovative approach to harnessing gut health benefits without the challenges of preserving live probiotics.

• ADM’s flagship BPL1® postbiotic ingredient is clinically proven to support metabolic health and is formulated into a wide range of food and beverage products. Its shelf-stable nature makes it easier for manufacturers to integrate into consumer goods.

• Superbrewed Food creates sustainable, protein-rich ingredients using microbial fermentation. Their Postbiotic Cultured Protein is high in digestible protein, B12, and gut-healthy postbiotics. Versatile and eco-friendly, it enhances plant-based foods like dairy alternatives, meat substitutes, and functional snacks.

Synbiotics

• Synbiotics combine prebiotics and probiotics in a single formulation, working synergistically to support gut health. The prebiotics nourish the probiotics, enhancing their survival and effectiveness in balancing the gut microbiome.

• This duo is increasingly used in functional foods and supplements.

• Seed Health, a leader in synbiotics, offers precision-formulated supplements like their DS-01™ Daily Synbiotic, combining clinically studied probiotics with plant-based prebiotics for gut, immune, and skin health.

• Synbiotic Kitchen empowers individuals to optimise their microbiome through science-backed nutrition and practical meal preparation tips.

Health data platforms

• A number of startups are working on innovative platforms or tools that can measure and improve the impact of gut health. From advanced diagnostics and wearable devices to gut health tests for babies and new drug discovery and development, there is plenty to be excited about in this space.

• BiomeSense is developing novel tools to enable the routine, low-cost analysis of human microbiome data. They believe the gut microbiome is poised to join genomics as a powerful avenue of personalised medicine, with the potential of transforming the lives of millions worldwide.

• Digbi Health uses genetic, gut microbiome, food, lifestyle, and clinical signals to target the root cause of illness. Their specialist coaches deliver data-driven personalised care that they say puts the customer in charge.

• DayTwo is a Series B startup in this space that translates the intricacies of the microbiome into practical solutions. The company is using microbiome data to change the outlook of chronic disease – starting with type 2 diabetes.

• Some other startups in this space include Eagle Genomics, Microba, Tiny Health, veMico, and Viome.

Fermented ingredients

• Have any tasty kombucha lately? If so, you’re likely already familiar with fermented ingredients. Fermented ingredients harness the power of fermentation (the chemical breakdown of a substance by bacteria, yeasts, or other microorganisms) to benefit the gut microbiome. 

• One notable startup in this space is Fermentful – they create fermented plant-based drinks to support mental and physical wellbeing. The company envisions a future where functional plant-based foods are a part of a healthy everyday diet to prevent chronic disease, boost immunity, and relieve stress and anxiety.

👀 Who? (38 companies in this space)

• Alba Health (gut health test for moms and babies, Sweden)

• Alimetry (advanced diagnostics for GI disorders, New Zealand)

• Ani Biome (longevity biotech startup, Croatia)

• Bactolife (enhancing global gut health, Denmark)

• BiomeSense (enabling low-cost analysis of human microbiome data, USA)

• BiotaX (harnessing the power of a natural based microorganism, Israel)

• COMET (dietary fibres, Canada)

• DayTwo (precision nutrition for metabolic disease, USA)

• Digbi Health (platform for digestive-associated illnesses, USA)

• Eagle Genomics (networking microbiome science, UK)

• Elo Health (turning food from the leading cause of disease to medicine with personalized nutrition and AI, USA)

• Fermentful (fermented plant-based drinks, Latvia)

• Floré (custom probiotics, USA)

• Get Nourish3d (personalised, tasty, gummy stack, UK)

• GutSee Health (eliminating gut disorders through groundbreaking Big Data and AI, UK)

• Holobiome (therapies from the human microbiome, USA)

• InsideTracker (combining data from blood biomarkers, DNA, and wearables, USA)

• Kingdom Supercultures (natural microbial cultures with functional benefits, USA)

• Little Inca (smart baby food, UK)

• Metagen Therapeutics (drug discovery and development, Japan)

• Microba (precision microbiome science, Australia)

• Myota (advanced pre-biotic, UK)

• NutriLeads (prebiotic fibres, Netherlands)

• Ombre (lifestyle, diet, and strain-specific probiotics, USA)

• Persephone Biosciences (synthetic biology reimagining patient and infant health, USA)

• resbiotic (physician-developed supplements, USA)

• Seed Health (pioneering microbiome science health, USA)

• Superbrewed Food (postbiotic cultured protein, USA)

• Supergut (clinically-validated, gut-healthy products, USA)

• Synbiotic Health (Ecologically-Advanced™ probiotics for improved health, USA)

• Synbiotic Kitchen (microbiome in health maintenance following synbiotic nutrition principles, Sweden)

• TargEDys (detecting, transposing and making available innovations for the microbiome, France)

• Tiny Health (microbiome health platform, USA)

• Ummino (consumer-facing health and biosciences firm, USA)

• veMico (therapeutics discovery platform, UK)

• Viome (at-home RNA test for precision nutrition, USA)

• ZBiotics (the world's first genetically engineered probiotics, USA)

• ZOE (combining scientific research with cutting-edge AI to improve the health of millions, UK)

Recently Funded: Alimetry

🗓 Founded: 2019
👋 Founders: Greg O’Grady, Armen Gharibans
🇳🇿 Country: New Zealand
💸 Raised so far: $28M+
👀 Investors: GD1

• Alimetry develops breakthrough diagnostic solutions for disorders of gastrointestinal function and motility through a ‘gut health wearable.’

• Why: The startup wants to make gut health accessible. Nearly 10% of the population suffer from chronic gut symptoms, but the current diagnostic process is slow and poor for patients.

• How: The company’s Gastric Alimetry system is a wearable medical device intended to record, store, view, and process gastric electrophysiology to help with diagnosis.

• Unfair Advantage: The device auto generates reports that showcase objective, data-driven insights that can inform a clinician’s interpretation regarding gastric function, motility, and electrophysiology.

Startup to Watch: Alba Health

🗓 Founded: 2022
👋 Founder: Eleonora Cavani
🇸🇪 Country: Sweden
💸 Raised so far: €2.6M

• Alba Health has developed a pioneering gut health test for children.

• Why: The startup is on a mission to improve the health of next generations by fighting the chronic disease epidemic from childhood.

• How: After analysing your family’s lifestyle and your child’s gut health, they send you detailed insights into your child’s gut microbiome, an action plan with simple strategies to boost your child’s gut microbiome, and a 1:1 consultation with a certified Nutrition & Health Coach to support you in reaching your objectives.

• Unfair Advantage: The team held the largest study on child gut health in Sweden, with 300,000+ data points and also has a research collaboration with one of the world’s largest studies on child gut health. 

🚀 Opportunities

• The market is nowhere near saturated. Demand for gut-healthy products and supplements continues to grow, driven by an aging population, increasing numbers of gastrointestinal disorders, and greater awareness in consumers of the link between gut health and overall health.

• Opportunities beyond gut health - 79% of consumers recognize the link between their immune and gastrointestinal health, which means there’s room for startups to lean into this broader market of claims.

• Proactive approach - not all trends are good trends, but there’s no doubt that a trend in which consumers take a proactive approach to their health is good not just for the broader startup ecosystem but also for the health of people and the planet as a whole.

❗️Risks and remaining questions 

• Adverse side effects - for probiotics, there’s a small risk of side effects for people with weaker immune systems, like people with chronic illnesses, prematurely-born infants, and people who take immunosuppressant drugs. It’s possible for the wrong kind of microbe to slip in under the radar if a product isn’t rigorously tested.

• Digestive symptoms - some may experience a temporary increase in gas and bloating, and those consuming yeast-based probiotics may experience constipation and increased thirst.

• Rigorous testing - To make validated health claims, it’s important that probiotic or prebiotic content in products is accurate and verified.

• Complexity of research - Despite advancements, the science of the microbiome remains complex and evolving. Many findings are context-dependent, and there are still unanswered questions about long-term effects and the intricate dynamics of the gut microbiome.

 💡The bottom line

The gut health market is ripe with opportunity, driven by growing consumer awareness and demand for proactive health solutions. Startups innovating in this space are well-positioned to capitalise on this trend and shape the future of wellness.

 🐾 What’s next 

If you (or know someone you know) are working on a better-for-you solution in FoodTech then it’s time to submit your application and enter the FoodTech World Cup.

Following its thrilling debut in 2024, where Italy’s Foreverland Food, Ghana’s Legendary Foods and Argentina’s Nat4Bio were crowned winners, the FoodTech World Cup returns. 

This year’s edition promises to be the ultimate tournament to showcase the world’s best startups in Food for Health as we team up with Givaudan and Nestlé Research and Development Lausanne.

A global search for the boldest solutions across Healthy Ageing, Glucose Management, Improved Immunity, Weight Management, Gut Health and Energy has begun.

Apply today for the chance to be shortlisted as one of the 40 Semi-Finalists or 10 Finalists.

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