Top functional nutrition startups to watch in 2025: Brands transforming health through science-backed wellness

As the global wellness economy continues its exponential expansion, functional nutrition is rapidly emerging as one of the defining growth categories of 2025. Focused on using scientifically formulated foods, beverages, and supplements to support targeted physiological functions—particularly digestive, metabolic, and cognitive health—functional nutrition is no longer confined to niche consumers or boutique health stores. Instead, it has become a mainstream movement, powered by precision science, digital platforms, and health-conscious consumers across the United States, United Kingdom, India, Canada, and Australia.

In 2025, what separates the most promising startups in this space is their ability to combine validated science with scalable consumer models. From microbiome testing and glucose response tracking to next-generation probiotics and prebiotic beverages, these companies are reshaping wellness by offering functional benefits aligned with daily routines. As funding flows into the category and consumer demand intensifies, the startups featured here have demonstrated standout potential in brand traction, clinical rigor, or international growth.

Why Poppi Is Leading the Gut Health Beverage Revolution in 2025

Poppi, the Texas-based prebiotic soda brand, has become a standout name in functional beverages. Known for its use of apple cider vinegar and fruit juices to support gut health, the brand has gained widespread popularity among Gen Z and millennial consumers seeking digestive wellness without the sugar load of traditional soft drinks. Poppi’s brightly packaged cans have seen placement in major U.S. retailers such as Target, Whole Foods, and Walmart, with strong direct-to-consumer sales further boosting its footprint.

Recently, PepsiCo completed its acquisition of Poppi in a deal valued at $1.95 billion, signaling the strategic importance of functional wellness beverages to big food and beverage companies. This deal affirms Poppi’s rise as a category leader. The brand exemplifies the shift toward accessible gut health, combining flavor, clean labels, and clinical positioning in one compelling product line.

What Is Levels Health and Why It’s Changing the Metabolic Health Narrative

Levels Health is a U.S.-based metabolic tracking platform using continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) to help users understand how their dietary choices impact blood sugar levels in real-time. By integrating CGM hardware with an intuitive app, Levels offers personalized insights on food and activity, making it a popular tool for consumers focused on energy optimization, weight management, and metabolic resilience.

As of Q1 2025, Levels had moved beyond its waitlist model and was scaling its availability across North America. The company maintains partnerships with device manufacturers like Abbott and has established itself as a go-to platform among performance-focused individuals, nutrition coaches, and health-conscious professionals. While not a direct provider of CGMs, Levels’ software-based layer on top of medical devices is reshaping how functional nutrition is delivered at the intersection of wearables and diet.

How Zoe Is Personalizing Gut Microbiome Nutrition Globally

Zoe is a London-based personalized nutrition startup co-founded by scientists from institutions like King’s College London and Harvard. Its core offering—the Zoe Program—uses microbiome sequencing, blood lipid testing, and AI to create individualized dietary plans based on how a person metabolizes food. The platform gained prominence after the publication of the PREDICT studies, some of the largest personalized nutrition trials globally, conducted in partnership with academic collaborators.

In 2025, Zoe continued its expansion into the U.S. market while preparing launches in additional regions, including India. The company’s emphasis on clinical-grade science, combined with consumer-friendly digital onboarding and nutrition education, has allowed it to stand out in the competitive wellness landscape. Zoe remains one of the few startups to publish peer-reviewed data on its interventions, positioning it as a trusted leader in microbiome-informed dietary personalization.

Why Seed Health Is Dominating the Probiotic Innovation Race

Seed Health, headquartered in Los Angeles, is a microbial sciences company focused on next-generation probiotics and synbiotics. Its flagship product, the Daily Synbiotic, combines specific probiotic strains with a patented delivery system to enhance survivability and bioavailability through the gastrointestinal tract. Unlike many generic probiotic brands, Seed Health operates at the intersection of biotech and consumer health, with a strong emphasis on scientific transparency and systems biology.

By early 2025, Seed had expanded its portfolio to include pediatric formulations and new products targeting the skin and oral microbiomes. The company maintains research collaborations with leading universities and has published in peer-reviewed journals, a rarity among wellness startups. Seed’s ecosystem-first mindset and attention to ecological and sustainable sourcing make it a unique entrant in a market crowded with unverified claims. It continues to set the bar for credibility in consumer probiotics.

What Sets Care/of Apart in the Personalized Supplement Market

Care/of is a personalized vitamin and supplement brand acquired by Bayer AG in 2020. Known for its online quiz-based recommendation engine and daily supplement packs, Care/of offers consumers tailored vitamin plans based on lifestyle, diet, and health goals. The company emphasizes clean-label ingredients and transparency, displaying sourcing and scientific backing for each nutrient recommendation.

As of 2025, Care/of had begun integrating wearable and health app data into its personalization algorithms, enhancing its platform’s relevance for digitally engaged consumers. With Bayer’s global distribution infrastructure, the brand has scaled beyond the U.S., entering markets like Canada and Australia. Care/of’s success underscores a broader trend toward convenience-based wellness tools that blend science with habit formation.

Why Thorne HealthTech Is a Top Functional Nutrition Stock to Watch in 2025

Thorne HealthTech, listed on the NASDAQ under the ticker THRN, offers both consumer wellness products and health diagnostics. Its NSF-certified supplements are widely used by professional athletes, while its digital health division offers biomarker testing and longevity insights. Thorne’s unique blend of clinical partnerships and consumer branding has positioned it as a leading player in performance wellness.

As of May 2025, the company had continued to expand its direct-to-consumer diagnostics offerings, including biological age testing and gut health kits. It has partnerships with the Mayo Clinic and various sports organizations, boosting its credibility across healthcare and athletics. With institutional investors tracking its stock performance, Thorne remains one of the few companies successfully commercializing functional nutrition at scale while maintaining regulatory and clinical rigor.

What to Expect from Cymbiotika in 2025’s Wellness Supplement Boom

Cymbiotika, a California-based supplement brand, emphasizes nutrient bioavailability and absorption, with products delivered in formats like liposomal gels, liquid sachets, and capsules. The company blends modern nutraceutical formulation with holistic traditions, drawing on ingredients such as shilajit, glutathione, and magnesium L-threonate. Its aesthetic packaging and influencer-driven marketing have helped it build a loyal following in the wellness space.

By 2025, Cymbiotika had broadened its product line to include detox formulas, adaptogens, and performance enhancers. While hard financial metrics are not publicly disclosed, the company has been expanding its retail footprint and gaining attention from both mainstream health consumers and wellness professionals. Its formulations are often backed by published studies on key ingredients, helping it differentiate in a crowded field.

Why Needed Is Disrupting Prenatal Functional Nutrition

Needed is a U.S.-based prenatal nutrition brand founded by health practitioners to address evidence gaps in conventional prenatal multivitamins. Its product line includes prenatal multivitamins, omega-3 DHA + EPA blends, collagen for postpartum recovery, and nutritional powders for fertility and lactation. The brand is known for its practitioner-vetted formulations and community-led education on maternal health.

As of Q1 2025, Needed had raised venture capital funding and was collaborating with midwives, doulas, and OB-GYNs across the U.S. Its approach is grounded in nutrient density and clinical relevance, aiming to serve women throughout the reproductive health journey. Needed’s business model—focused on both DTC and practitioner distribution—has made it one of the most credible challengers in the prenatal wellness space.

Recap: What to Watch in Functional Nutrition’s Next Phase

The functional nutrition category in 2025 is being shaped by science, personalization, and consumer empowerment. Brands like Poppi are bringing gut health to the masses through beverage aisles, while Zoe and Seed Health push the boundaries of clinical-grade personalization and microbiome research. Platforms like Levels Health and Care/of integrate tech and daily routines, enabling users to act on real-time physiological data. Meanwhile, players like Thorne HealthTech and Needed are demonstrating how science-first business models can scale in both retail and clinical environments.

As demand accelerates across demographics and regions, these startups represent the vanguard of what food-as-function can become. With continued interest from institutional investors, wellness professionals, and multinational acquirers, the category is likely to see further consolidation, innovation, and geographic expansion in the coming quarters.