Forerunner Ventures

Forerunner Ventures, established in 2010 and based in San Francisco, is a venture capital firm specializing in early-stage investments in the consumer sector. The firm focuses on identifying and supporting entrepreneurs who anticipate and meet the evolving needs of modern consumers, thereby transforming industries and driving cultural change. Forerunner invests in a range of consumer-focused segments, including offline-to-online commerce, e-commerce, social and mobile commerce, internet marketplaces, and supporting tools and services. The firm typically invests $250,000 to $500,000 initially, with the potential for follow-on funding in top-performing companies. While preferring investments in the Bay Area, Forerunner also considers companies based in New York and Los Angeles, and often co-invests with active local investors when companies are not based in the Bay Area. Notable portfolio companies include Dollar Shave Club, Warby Parker, and Hims & Hers.

Jason Bornstein

Partner and Head of Research

Fawzi Itani

Principal

Nicole Johnson

Partner

Eurie Kim

Managing Partner

Priyanka Suri

Investor

Past deals in Wellness

Fay

Series B in 2025
Fay is a company that connects individuals with dietitians covered by their health insurance, promoting improved dietary habits and overall well-being. It offers consulting services focused on medical nutrition therapy, enabling clients to select a dietitian and arrange either virtual or in-person consultations. Fay designs personalized nutrition plans tailored to each client's needs and works with insurance providers to ensure that these services are accessible and affordable. By facilitating customized nutrition counseling, Fay aims to enhance food-related health outcomes for its clients.

Fay

Series A in 2024
Fay is a company that connects individuals with dietitians covered by their health insurance, promoting improved dietary habits and overall well-being. It offers consulting services focused on medical nutrition therapy, enabling clients to select a dietitian and arrange either virtual or in-person consultations. Fay designs personalized nutrition plans tailored to each client's needs and works with insurance providers to ensure that these services are accessible and affordable. By facilitating customized nutrition counseling, Fay aims to enhance food-related health outcomes for its clients.

DUOS

Series A in 2022
Duos is a company founded in 2020 and headquartered in New York, focused on enhancing the independence of older adults through a personal assistance platform. The platform offers a variety of services that support the elderly in daily activities such as transportation, errands, shopping, and nutrition. By fostering trusted relationships and facilitating community engagement, Duos enables older individuals to live fulfilling lives at home while maximizing their autonomy. The company's emphasis on technology and community connections aims to create a supportive environment for seniors, ensuring they receive the assistance needed to maintain their independence.

Oura

Venture Round in 2022
Oura is a Finnish company that specializes in the development of a smart wellness ring designed to monitor and track various biometric data related to health and well-being. The ring incorporates advanced sensors to measure key metrics such as heart rate, sleep cycles, and activity levels, providing users with insights into their physiological and behavioral responses to sleep, rest, and recovery. This data is accessible through the accompanying Oura application, which enables users to understand their overall health status and make informed lifestyle choices. Oura operates within the health and wellness industry, focusing on enhancing the user's understanding of their body and promoting better health outcomes.

Alkeme Health

Seed Round in 2021
Alkeme Health is a digital health platform established in 2020 by Ryan Mundy, aimed at promoting mental well-being within the Black community. The platform features content from Black practitioners and wellness experts, focusing on areas such as psychology and mindfulness. Alkeme Health seeks to normalize mental health discussions and make them accessible and aspirational. It offers online courses that educate users on various mental health topics, addressing issues like intergenerational trauma, systemic racism, anxiety, and microaggressions. The organization's mission is rooted in the belief that a healthy life begins with a healthy mind, positioning itself as a universal healthcare provider for the Black community.

Calibrate

Series B in 2021
Calibrate Health, Inc., established in 2020 and based in New York, specializes in digital metabolic health services. It offers a virtual program for sustainable weight loss, combining FDA-approved metabolic medications, a holistic curriculum, and one-on-one virtual coaching. The company's approach, designed by leading obesity and nutrition experts, targets the root causes of weight issues, aiming to improve metabolic health and drive lasting behavior change.

DUOS

Seed Round in 2021
Duos is a company founded in 2020 and headquartered in New York, focused on enhancing the independence of older adults through a personal assistance platform. The platform offers a variety of services that support the elderly in daily activities such as transportation, errands, shopping, and nutrition. By fostering trusted relationships and facilitating community engagement, Duos enables older individuals to live fulfilling lives at home while maximizing their autonomy. The company's emphasis on technology and community connections aims to create a supportive environment for seniors, ensuring they receive the assistance needed to maintain their independence.

Calibrate

Series A in 2021
Calibrate Health, Inc., established in 2020 and based in New York, specializes in digital metabolic health services. It offers a virtual program for sustainable weight loss, combining FDA-approved metabolic medications, a holistic curriculum, and one-on-one virtual coaching. The company's approach, designed by leading obesity and nutrition experts, targets the root causes of weight issues, aiming to improve metabolic health and drive lasting behavior change.

Alkeme Health

Pre Seed Round in 2020
Alkeme Health is a digital health platform established in 2020 by Ryan Mundy, aimed at promoting mental well-being within the Black community. The platform features content from Black practitioners and wellness experts, focusing on areas such as psychology and mindfulness. Alkeme Health seeks to normalize mental health discussions and make them accessible and aspirational. It offers online courses that educate users on various mental health topics, addressing issues like intergenerational trauma, systemic racism, anxiety, and microaggressions. The organization's mission is rooted in the belief that a healthy life begins with a healthy mind, positioning itself as a universal healthcare provider for the Black community.

Calibrate

Seed Round in 2020
Calibrate Health, Inc., established in 2020 and based in New York, specializes in digital metabolic health services. It offers a virtual program for sustainable weight loss, combining FDA-approved metabolic medications, a holistic curriculum, and one-on-one virtual coaching. The company's approach, designed by leading obesity and nutrition experts, targets the root causes of weight issues, aiming to improve metabolic health and drive lasting behavior change.

Oura

Series B in 2020
Oura is a Finnish company that specializes in the development of a smart wellness ring designed to monitor and track various biometric data related to health and well-being. The ring incorporates advanced sensors to measure key metrics such as heart rate, sleep cycles, and activity levels, providing users with insights into their physiological and behavioral responses to sleep, rest, and recovery. This data is accessible through the accompanying Oura application, which enables users to understand their overall health status and make informed lifestyle choices. Oura operates within the health and wellness industry, focusing on enhancing the user's understanding of their body and promoting better health outcomes.

Oura

Series B in 2019
Oura is a Finnish company that specializes in the development of a smart wellness ring designed to monitor and track various biometric data related to health and well-being. The ring incorporates advanced sensors to measure key metrics such as heart rate, sleep cycles, and activity levels, providing users with insights into their physiological and behavioral responses to sleep, rest, and recovery. This data is accessible through the accompanying Oura application, which enables users to understand their overall health status and make informed lifestyle choices. Oura operates within the health and wellness industry, focusing on enhancing the user's understanding of their body and promoting better health outcomes.

Hilma

Venture Round in 2019
Hilma is a New York-based company founded in 2019 by Hilary Quartner, Lily Galef, and Nina Mullen, dedicated to creating quality natural remedies that support health. The business focuses on developing clinical herbal products that combine scientific research with natural ingredients, ensuring that each formulation is backed by clinical studies and a scientific advisory board of practicing clinicians. Hilma's offerings are gluten-free, vegan, and soy-free, catering to consumers seeking effective health solutions without adverse side effects. The company emphasizes the synergy between science and nature, aiming to provide consumers with safe and reliable health remedies.

Ritual

Series B in 2019
Based in sunny Los Angeles, Ritual is a direct-to-consumer health brand that believes it’s crucial to know not just what you’re putting into your body, but why you need it in the first place. We’re transparent about our ingredients, where they're sourced from, and have spent years conducting extensive research behind each of the premium nutrient forms we use. Our products are simple, effective, and backed by science. Our mission is simple: to empower people to feel their best by turning healthy habits into a ritual. We have built a team of curious skeptics, world-class scientists, unconventional artists, expert marketers and analytical strategists that are on a mission to reinvent an entire industry. We’re well-funded, growing quickly, and committed to our mission. If you’re a team player who refuses to settle for the status quo, we want you. Welcome to your new daily Ritual.

Nécessaire

Venture Round in 2018
Nécessaire Inc. is a manufacturer based in Culver City, California, specializing in body and sex care products. Established in 2017, the company offers a range of items including body deodorants, lotions, serums, washes, exfoliators, and treatment sets, alongside sex gels. Nécessaire emphasizes the importance of clean and effective ingredients, utilizing plant-based surfactants in its formulations to ensure safety and compatibility for skin health. The company operates primarily through online sales, aiming to elevate personal care into a holistic self-care experience rather than an afterthought.

Prose

Series B in 2018
Prose is a custom hair care brand that specializes in creating personalized hair and scalp products tailored to individual needs. Consumers begin with a holistic online consultation that assesses various factors, including hair type, texture, lifestyle, environmental influences, and dietary habits. This information is processed through a proprietary algorithm, resulting in unique formulations crafted in Prose's New York City lab. Each product is made-to-order, allowing for customization based on personal preferences such as vegan, gluten-free, or fragrance-free options. Prose's offerings are available nationwide through their website and select stylists, ensuring that customers receive effective nourishment tailored to their specific hair care requirements.

Prose

Series A in 2017
Prose is a custom hair care brand that specializes in creating personalized hair and scalp products tailored to individual needs. Consumers begin with a holistic online consultation that assesses various factors, including hair type, texture, lifestyle, environmental influences, and dietary habits. This information is processed through a proprietary algorithm, resulting in unique formulations crafted in Prose's New York City lab. Each product is made-to-order, allowing for customization based on personal preferences such as vegan, gluten-free, or fragrance-free options. Prose's offerings are available nationwide through their website and select stylists, ensuring that customers receive effective nourishment tailored to their specific hair care requirements.

Ritual

Series A in 2017
Based in sunny Los Angeles, Ritual is a direct-to-consumer health brand that believes it’s crucial to know not just what you’re putting into your body, but why you need it in the first place. We’re transparent about our ingredients, where they're sourced from, and have spent years conducting extensive research behind each of the premium nutrient forms we use. Our products are simple, effective, and backed by science. Our mission is simple: to empower people to feel their best by turning healthy habits into a ritual. We have built a team of curious skeptics, world-class scientists, unconventional artists, expert marketers and analytical strategists that are on a mission to reinvent an entire industry. We’re well-funded, growing quickly, and committed to our mission. If you’re a team player who refuses to settle for the status quo, we want you. Welcome to your new daily Ritual.

Ritual

Seed Round in 2016
Based in sunny Los Angeles, Ritual is a direct-to-consumer health brand that believes it’s crucial to know not just what you’re putting into your body, but why you need it in the first place. We’re transparent about our ingredients, where they're sourced from, and have spent years conducting extensive research behind each of the premium nutrient forms we use. Our products are simple, effective, and backed by science. Our mission is simple: to empower people to feel their best by turning healthy habits into a ritual. We have built a team of curious skeptics, world-class scientists, unconventional artists, expert marketers and analytical strategists that are on a mission to reinvent an entire industry. We’re well-funded, growing quickly, and committed to our mission. If you’re a team player who refuses to settle for the status quo, we want you. Welcome to your new daily Ritual.

MoveWith

Seed Round in 2016
MoveWith, Inc. is an online platform that connects users with fitness activities and instructors, allowing individuals to discover, book, and participate in various fitness classes. The platform offers a personalized audio fitness experience, featuring a diverse range of categories including running, strength training, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), yoga, and meditation. Users can access audio classes led by professional coaches, which aim to enhance their fitness levels and overall well-being. Founded in 2014 and based in San Francisco, California, with an additional location in Boston, MoveWith provides an innovative solution for those seeking to engage in fitness training both indoors and outdoors.
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