Berlingeri and Kaps started HigherDose in 2016 after seeing a white space in the wellness tech space, growing it into a market leader

Katie Kaps and Lauren Berlingeri founded HigherDose in 2016 to bring high-tech recovery tools to the masses. Some of the brand’s most popular products include its infrared sauna blanket, red light face mask and infrared PEMF mat. HigherDose also recently inked a deal with Sephora, and a has a brick-and-mortar presence in New York City.

As it continues to grow, HigherDose is looking toward strategic partnerships and activations at major events, including the upcoming Paris Olympics.

Athletech News spoke with Berlingeri and Kaps to discuss the early days of HigherDose as well as how the brand has grown and evolved since its founding. 

The following conversation has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

Athletech News: Can you each tell us about your backgrounds and how they have influenced the decision to found HigherDose?

Katie Kaps: My career prior to founding HigherDose lies heavily in the business world. I studied at the London School of Economics and spent over a decade on Wall Street working as an investment banker for Merrill Lynch. I then led business development for Tough Mudder and am proud to have held a role in growing the company at an exponential rate. Both Lauren and I are passionate about wellness, entrepreneurship, and innovation, so founding a company of our own felt like a natural next step for us. 

Katie Kaps (credit: HigherDose)

Lauren Berlingeri: My background is rooted in the lifestyle and fitness space. I had a successful career in modeling and hosting, and decided to expand my expertise and earned my certification in nutrition and health coaching from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. Through my experience in the wellness industry, I discovered the power of infrared technology and saw an opportunity to bring this technology to the masses.

Since founding the brand, we’ve experienced meteoric success, and we attribute this to bringing a fresh perspective on biohacking and the cutting-edge innovations we’ve been able to develop that are transforming the spa business. Our combined areas of expertise have been a real asset when it comes to growing the business: I oversee product innovation, brand storytelling and education, which is complemented by Katie’s business and marketing acumen.

ATN: What gap did you see in the market that made you confident HigherDose would become a success?

KK: In 2016, the white space for wellness technology was massive. While infrared therapy existed in European spas, there was no accessibility through products or distribution in United States spas. We recognized the value in healing-heat therapy for longevity and took a bet that consumers would as well. Furthermore, biohacking has been a primarily male-dominated industry for many years, so coming in with a fresh perspective from a female lens has certainly earned us an edge in the market. 

LB: HigherDose offers premium products inspired by the healing power of nature with science-backed infrared, PEMF and red light therapies developed to boost longevity and vitality from the inside out. The “Dose” in HigherDose signifies dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins, so we’re able to consistently grow our product offerings by harnessing these technologies in innovative ways and educating consumers about their benefits. 

Lauren Berlingeri (credit: HigherDose)

What has HigherDose’s growth and evolution been like since its founding? 

KK: From 2016 to 2019, we focused on brick-and-mortar growth through seed investment and strategic hospitality partnerships with the likes of Equinox and 11 Howard in New York City, which allowed the brand experience to scale throughout the tri-state area.

Quickly, we saw the development of a cult-like following of celebrities, athletes, medical professionals and biohackers who championed the efficacy of “getting high naturally” and catalyzed viral social media posts with HigherDose’s iconic neon-meets-nature aesthetic.  While locations were hot, we also saw potential to take the brand’s mission of accessible longevity even further by developing at-home, portable technology.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, we made a decision to pivot and accelerate the DTC business, developing further products that allow consumers to “Dose” anywhere they are. This proved to be incredibly successful, resulting in 10x sales growth year-over-year, while opening the door to retail partnerships including Sephora, Harrods, Blue Mercury, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Best Buy.

Today, not only are we extremely proud of the retail partnerships we’ve spearheaded but also the awards and accolades we’ve received from customer testimonials and our media coverage. The brand continues to grow exponentially through e-commerce, retail and wholesale while maintaining the position of the #1 self-care “lifestyle” brand with a passionate community via content, events and ambassador programs.

credit: HigherDose

ATN: What are the biggest challenges and opportunities for at-home wellness companies?

LB: Since we’re pioneering products that harness emerging technology, we experience challenges educating the mass consumer concisely about our science-backed efficacy and how each unit works.

The opportunity is bringing wellness technology to the masses. HigherDose’s mission is inspired by the fact that there are more saunas than people in Finland because that country’s residents are educated about well-being.  The opportunity here is expanding upon that notion, making empowered self-healing and longevity accessible to the masses with efficacious products.

credit: HigherDose

ATN: What’s next for HigherDose? 

KK: We will continue to expand DTC portable wellness technology products that support longevity, vitality, sleep, skin, recovery and detoxification. Stay tuned for announcements coming this spring!

LB: We’re also expanding through strategic partnerships with top retailers, brands, and talent. With markets like wellness tourism growing 30%-plus year-over-year, our portable products allow the HigherDose experience to travel well!. Look for us at this year’s Paris Olympics hosting recovery activations for female Olympic athletes.

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The U.K.’s premier corporate wellness platform is now integrated with EGYM Wellpass, bolstering the fit tech giant’s health plans across Europe

Global fit tech company EGYM has made a deal to elevate the corporate wellness experience for employees across the U.K. 

EGYM has acquired Hussle, a leading corporate wellness platform in the U.K., and will integrate Hussle into EGYM Wellpass, its corporate fitness network.

With a single discounted pass, EGYM Wellpass will now provide employers with unlimited access to a network of up to 1,500-plus gyms, pools and spas in 96% of U.K. regions in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The acquisition news follows EGYM’s showcase at IHRSA 2024, which featured BioAge, a cutting-edge and measurable approach to fitness and health that assesses wellness across strength, cardio, flexibility and metabolism. 

Launched in 2011, Hussle has forged successful B2B partnerships with companies such as AXA Health, Bupa and IWG and has served almost one million U.K. residents. The company has seen impressive growth, with its corporate sales increasing over 250% last year.

EGYM co-founder and CEO Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer said that from initial conversations with Hussle CEO Jamie Ward and chief operating officer Neil Harmsworth, it was clear that the two wanted to genuinely enhance the industry.

“Their enduring entrepreneurial spirit, particularly evident during the pandemic, is commendable,” Roesch-Schlanderer said. “Their track record in establishing an outstanding employee wellness company is truly inspiring. The NHS’s prioritization of prevention over repair provides significant opportunities. We wholeheartedly share this belief and are excited to begin this journey together.”

Employers who sign up for EGYM Wellness or Hussle will provide their staff with immediate access to roughly 14,500 fitness facilities in Germany, Austria, the U.K., France and Belgium, as well as online courses. Employees pay a participation fee to access the program, but as EGYM and Hussle point out, usable tax benefits can reduce the cost. 

Corporate Wellness Grows Globally

Corporate wellness has been a hot topic globally, and in the U.K., it is projected to reach a market size of nearly £3 billion ($3.8 billion) over the next five years. 

Proponents of corporate wellness programs praise systems like EGYM Wellpass and Hussle for their ability to help firms drive employee engagement and attract and retain top-tier talent. Corporate wellness programs can reduce absenteeism and burnout while promoting overall health and well-being. For fitness brands, the platforms can help drive attendance and brand recognition.

“As I understood EGYM’s products better and listened to their vision, I realized I was looking at the future and wanted Hussle to be a part of it,” Ward said. “We started Hussle back in 2011 to make fitness easily available to everyone. Our vision has always relied on a super strong fitness industry, and the EGYM team shares that core belief. We’re delighted to help evolve EGYM’s vision into reality.”

EGYM, which raised $225M in July 2023, makes fitness equipment along with software (credit: EGYM)

EGYM Targets Europe

For EGYM, which raised $225 million last summer and is in full expansion mode, joining forces with Hussle marks the next evolution in the Munich-based company’s plans to expand Wellpass across Europe.

“Our mission is to foster health and well-being in every workplace,” said Nicolas Stadtelmeyer, Wellpass managing director. “With over 32 million employees and a €2.5 billion corporate wellness market, stepping into the U.K. market was a logical and strategic move. Following our entry into France, we now encompass the three largest European economies. The future holds great excitement for us.”

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Colleen Cutcliffe co-founded Pendulum to help people like her daughter unlock better health by improving their microbiome. Today, the probiotics brand stands at the forefront of the gut health craze

Eating right, exercising and keeping tabs on your mental health are important, but they’ll only take you so far if your gut microbiome is out of whack. 

Enter Pendulum, a supplement provider focused on improving gut health via cutting-edge probiotics. The California-based company – dubbed the “next generation of probiotics” – offers natural bacterial strains that address a variety of imbalances in the microbiome, leading to improved health from the inside out. 

The Microbiome Era Is Here

After noticing the microbiome’s potential while working for a DNA sequencing organization, Pendulum CEO and Co-Founder Colleen Cutcliffe, PhD, felt compelled to launch the company. A personal connection to the subject then reinforced those feelings. 

“My first daughter was born preemie,” said Cutcliffe. “She was almost eight weeks premature. She was on a bunch of antibiotics in the hospital and this paper came out that showed babies who are on lots of antibiotics are more prone later in life to things like diabetes, obesity, ADHD, allergies, asthma, celiac disease and all these crazy things that are founded from a big disruption to the microbiome early in life.”

“I felt like I could start a company that could create products that help millions of people, including my own daughter,” she added.

Colleen Cutcliffe (credit: Pendulum)

Pendulum’s launch was a well-timed venture. Probiotics and gut health have soared in popularity over the past few years. The market has experienced year-over-year growth and is expected to continue increasing at a compound annual growth rate of 14% from 2023 to 2030.

“I used to have to keep repeating to my parents what I do,” said Cutcliffe. “Now, I have my dad, who I just was on a call with, where he was talking about this book he read about the microbiome. I think words like ‘microbiome,’ which were science vocabulary words just 10 years ago, are now words that lots of people understand. People know that gut health is super important and they’re starting to look for products that can help them.”

As gut health gains mainstream recognition, Pendulum is too. In 2023, the company added actress Halle Berry as its Chief Communications Officer. Berry is also an investor in Pendulum.

“I wish I could say that we were clever enough to be glomming on to these trends, but the truth is that it just is coincidental,” Cutcliffe said of her brand’s well-timed launch. “I thought the microbiome was a great opportunity from a scientific and clinical standpoint. I had no way of knowing that the general public was going to start to understand that gut health was so important at the same time that we were going to be releasing these products. But we’re happy to ride that trend.”

Go With Your Gut

Cutcliffe sees four pillars of health: diet, exercise, mental health, and finally the microbiome. Without the latter, the former three are dragged down, as Pendulum’s products address issues such as blood sugar spikes and crashes, low energy levels, digestive issues, slow metabolism of sugar and carbs and weak gut lining, just to name a few. 

“If you want to have a high-performing car, you have to put in top-notch fuel, but you better have a top-notch engine also,” Cutcliffe said. “So if you want your body to be high performing, you better be putting in the best fuel, which is the best diet and nutrition, but also have the best engine, which is your microbiome.”

credit: Pendulum

Although the brand continues to research all aspects of the microbiome, Pendulum is primarily focused on metabolism at the moment. Pendulum recently released GLP-1 Probiotic, which empowers people to take control of their metabolic health by naturally increasing GLP-1, a satiety hormone that the body naturally produces when you eat. Participants in GLP-1 Probiotic consumer research reported significant reduction in food cravings after 6 weeks. 91% Reported reduced overall food cravings and 88% reported reduced sugar cravings. 

“Everything you eat is metabolized in your gut,” said Cuctcliffe. “It’s like a manufacturing plant itself. There are all these different workers that are responsible for making different things and some people are missing a particular department. That’s the problem. The idea is, if we can give them back people to man that department, we can enable the manufacturing plant to be fully operational. That’s really what we’re doing to help people metabolize their foods better.”

Pendulum started out assisting people with Type 2 Diabetes. However, the brand has since moved on to helping anybody looking to support a healthy metabolism.

“Who doesn’t want to optimize their metabolism? We’re excited to be able to help lots of people with that,” Cutcliffe added.

How To Find the Probiotic for You 

While education on probiotics has increased in accordance with rising demand, Pendulum still aims to take it a step further. Doctors are providing a helping hand on that front, with over 5,000 currently recommending Pendulum products. 

“When you’re a patient, you go to your doctor and they’re talking to you about your metabolism, or your A1C, aging healthily, things like that and then they recommend this probiotic,” said Cutcliffe. “We can give the doctors all the papers that we have, the publications, the mechanism of action and then they can distill that down for their patients.”

Working with your physician while conducting your own detailed research on probiotics is the key to finding the right formula, says Cutcliffe. 

“There are a lot of probiotics and supplements out there if you’ve ever stood in the aisles of a grocery store,” she noted. “You may have walked past those and be like, ‘Man, that is a morass. I don’t know how anybody picks what the right thing is for them.’ I would encourage those people to talk to their doctors and then do the research.” 

Above all, people should be attentive to their body’s response to probiotics in order to find the right one.

“Ask yourself, ‘Are there things and outcomes that I will be able to see and feel when I take this thing?’” Cutcliffe said. “If you’re doing all those things, you will hopefully be able to make good choices about which probiotic is right for you.”

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