Evidose, a Polish startup facilitating decentralized effectiveness trials for dietary supplement and wellness products, raised €455k from Inovo VC and 500 Emerging Europe. The funds will aid in the further development of the platform, including automation and expanding its offering to include functional foods, cosmetics, and wellness devices and apps. Evidose is now conducting pilots with its first Polish customers and aims for a launch on the European markets early next year, starting with the UK, Germany, France, and Benelux countries.
Evidose, co-founded in 2023 by Anna Litwińska as CEO and Kacper Zambrzycki as COO, is at the forefront of innovation in the wellness industry. The company is developing a unique platform that allows manufacturers of dietary supplements and other wellness products to scientifically validate the true effects of their products on consumer well-being. This brings a giant leap from the current state, with the whole industry relying on the claims approved by EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) or presumed, often unverified effects.
Anna Litwińska, co-founder and CEO of Evidose, said: “Understanding the true effectiveness of supplements is crucial for both consumer trust and industry credibility. While we often rely on generalized scientific research or EU regulatory approvals to gauge effects, the actual effectiveness of a supplement is influenced by multiple factors. These include not only the source of the substance and its chemical and physical properties but also individual differences such as genetics, lifestyle, and existing nutrient deficiencies. For instance, magnesium, which exists in at least 12 different forms, each with unique bioavailability, can be found in various formats like liquids, tablets, and capsules, offering different levels of absorption. We take all these factors into account to accurately assess each supplement’s effectiveness.”
Evidose handles every aspect of the testing process. This includes designing the studies, recruiting participants, supervising tests, and analyzing results. Their comprehensive approach provides manufacturers with scientific evidence of product effectiveness and valuable consumer insights. The company utilizes advanced statistical algorithms to compare supplement effectiveness against placebos, taking into account factors such as demographics and lifestyle.
Taking part in this study contributes to greater transparency in the supplement industry, while also offering insights into how supplements affect one’s body. Participants are provided with the supplement for testing, along with access to a platform to log ongoing activities and periodically answer health and well-being questionnaires. Evidose provides and integrates with wearables like Apple Watch, Fitbit, Whoop, and Oura Ring and also uses blood test outcomes and home cognitive tests to gather objective data. At the end of the study, participants receive a personalized report on the supplementation’s efficacy and other key data from the tests.
Kacper Zambrzycki, co-founder and COO of Evidose, commented: “The supplement industry is facing a big challenge, as there’s not enough clear and reliable information regarding the true effectiveness of these products. Consumers add supplements to their diets based on perceived benefits, only to discover through firsthand experience that many simply fall short of their promises. Brands that genuinely want to prove that their supplements work are in a tough spot. They have the option to test their products in clinical trials, just like pharmaceuticals, but this route is often prohibitively expensive and time-consuming. We plan to introduce a new kind of effectiveness study for supplements, one that is truly useful and trustworthy.”
Anna Litwińska, leveraging her data science background, excels as a data expert, combining scientific approaches with real-world business applications. Her prior roles include positions at OpenSignal, BOLD, Zety, and Royal Bank of Scotland. Kacper Zambrzycki’s expertise lies in operational management, with a notable assignment as Head of Operations at AhoyConnect, along with experience at Inovo VC and a Growth Manager role at Tidio. The advisory panel features specialists like Balázs Szigeti of Imperial College London and UCSF as a scientific advisor and Maria Samolińska-Hojda, a partner at BLSK Legal, serving as a legal and pharmaceutical counsel.
Tomasz Swieboda, Managing Partner at Inovo VC, added: “Our decision to invest in Evidose stems from our confidence in the team’s capability to innovate a distinctive product. The combination of Anna and Kacper’s skills, coupled with their in-depth market insight, positions Evidose to potentially transform the use of supplements and wellness products by both consumers and manufacturers.”
Read the orginal article: https://www.eu-startups.com/2023/11/warsaw-based-evidose-bags-e455k-to-help-validate-effectiveness-of-dietary-supplements/
