5 startups that help Indians access sexual wellness solutions
Several direct-to-consumer (D2C) startups now offer products and solutions, including diagnostics and consultations, to help customers improve sexual and reproductive health.
The global sexual wellness market size, which was valued at $74 billion in 2019, is estimated to reach $108 billion by 2027, registering a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 4.62 percent from 2021 to 2027, according to Valuates Reports data.
The growth of ecommerce coupled with discreet delivery systems and discounts have helped users in India explore products and solutions related to sexual wellness.
YourStory has curated a list of five startups that have seen growth in this segment.
Bold Care
Men’s sexual health and wellness startup, was launched in July 2020 by four friends Rajat Jadhav, Rahul Krishnan, Harsh Singh, and Mohit Yadav. The Mumbai-based startup claims to provide lab-tested products for sexual health, hair care, and daily nutrition.
The D2C (direct-to-consumer) healthcare startup offers free digital consultations with physicians and promises discreet two-day delivery.
From 100 customers initially, it claims to have scaled to 25,000+ monthly users as of January 2022.
With 20 SKUs across three verticals, sexual wellness, hair care, and daily nutrition, the startup claims to be completing 900-1,000 orders daily across platforms.
Apart from its own website, the products are available on popular ecommerce marketplaces like , , , , as well as e-pharmacies.
Its product prices range from Rs 350 to Rs 750. It has generated a revenue of Rs 2.24 crore in FY21, and is on track to generate over Rs 9 crore in FY22, the startup says.
In February 2022, it raised an undisclosed amount in a Pre-Series A round of funding from Sharrp Ventures, Anthill Ventures, Stanford Angels and Entrepreneurs, ShipRocket, along with participation from existing investors NB Ventures and Huddle. The capital will be used for product development and the company’s growth plans focused towards raising a Series A round.
ThatMate
Launched in 2020 by Madhavi Jadhav and Nishant Neeraj, is an app that helps teenagers make informed choices. The app helps users navigate issues related to puberty, relationships, self-image concerns, peer pressure, stress and more.
The Pune-based startup is on a mission to bridge the gap in sexual and mental health of teens across the world.
According to the founders, the app imparts knowledge through interactive comic books, gamified user journeys, knowledge quizzes and age appropriate unlocks based on the user’s behavioural insights. It is used by more than 8,000 teenagers and has tied up with over 100 schools in three states.
Last year, it raised $140,000 in angel funding from Rebalance Angel Community and a clutch of angels.
Janani
Launched in 2020 by Nilay Mehrotra, provides solutions around sexual and reproductive wellness.
In September 2021, the startup announced the launch of its new website and verticals.
Its new packages include solutions around concerns like poor sperm health, low ovarian reserves, PCOD, stress, chronic lifestyle disorders, and other factors that contribute to trouble conceiving.
The startup makes online consultations with medical experts and proprietary nutraceuticals available to individuals around the country.
Additionally, Janani offers home diagnostic tests that are currently available in Bengaluru and Mumbai, and will soon be available in more cities in India.
Mosaic Wellness
, which runs digital-health clinics, aims to provide holistic wellness solutions to Indians. Mosaic currently operates two clinics -- Man Matters for men’s health and wellness and Bodywise for women’s health and wellness.
The platform claims to conduct more than 100,000 telehealth consultations a month around various therapeutic areas and serves more than 150,000 users a month with the products and services.
Founded in May 2020, the startup has already attracted well-known investors like Sequoia Capital, Elevation Capital, and Matrix Partners India, among others. In November 2021, the company announced raising its Series A funding of $24 million led by Sequoia Capital India.
The Mumbai-based startup had raised $10 million in seed funding in December 2019. Mosaic Wellness was founded by Revant Bhate and Dhyanesh Shah.
Gynoveda
Founded in 2019 by the husband-wife duo - Rachna and Vishal Gupta, was launched with the vision to help Indian women find solutions for their reproductive and intimate health care needs with the help of ayurvedic treatments.
According to the Mumbai-based startup, one in every 10 women in India suffer from acute PCOS disorders which can lead to various health-related problems in women ranging from excessive weight gain to diabetes.
Another outcome of PCOS is infertility, about 11 percent of Indian women suffer from the inability to bear children. With this in mind, Gynoveda was launched, using ayurvedic proprietary medicines to help treat the root cause of period disorders like PCOS, irregular periods, heavy flow, period pain, abnormal vaginal discharge and itching, infertility, menopause and more.
Gyoveda is a Fireside Ventures-backed startup and has raised $1 million in 2019.
Besides reproductive health, the startup also caters to a wide range of both skin, fitness, and wellness needs that women might need addressing. It is a D2C platform for women's reproductive and overall wellness needs which provides professional consultations to women and allows them access to products that the brand manages to deliver to Indian women across the length and breadth of the country.
In a bid to normalise conversations related to women's intimate health and well-being, Gynoveda has started a social media platform called "Circle Of Sisterhood" which has over 22 million followers and encourages women to open up about their menstrual and reproductive health.