Gut Health Startup The Good Bug Raises INR 100 Cr

Fireside Ventures Goes By The Gut, Infuses $3.5 Mn In The Good Bug

SUMMARY

The Series B funding was led by Susquehanna Asia VC and also saw participation from existing investor Fireside Ventures

The startup said it would use the fresh capital to scale its research in gut microbiome science and expand across India

The Good Bug posted a net loss of INR 19.6 Cr on an operating revenue of INR 43.3 Cr

Gut health startup The Good Bug has raised INR 100 Cr (about $11.8 Mn) in its Series B funding round led by Susquehanna Asia VC. The round also saw participation from existing investor Fireside Ventures.

In a statement, the startup said it would use the fresh capital to scale its research in gut microbiome science and expand across India. The fundraise will also support R&D, marketing, distribution, and hiring across science and tech teams.

Founded in 2022 by Keshav Biyani and Prabhu Karthikeyan, The Good Bug claims to have over 1 Mn customers. It offers a range of gut health and wellness products that help individuals reverse the adverse effects of poor dietary and lifestyle habits. It competes against the likes of Power Gummies, Man Matters, among others.

It recently launched an advanced metabolic 90-day programme for weight loss. The startup claims that the course helps in weight reduction using probiotics and prebiotics.

The Good Bug also offers targeted solutions for women’s health, sleep, stress, and anxiety.

Prior to this round, the startup last raised INR 35 Cr ($4.2 Mn) in its Series A extension round in October last year, led by Sharrp Ventures. Including the latest funding round, The Good Bug has secured about $18.8 Mn (INR 158.5 Cr) in funding till date.

On the financial front, The Good Bug posted a net loss of INR 19.6 Cr in FY24 on an operating revenue of INR 43.3 Cr.

“We have two core focus categories at the heart of our business. The first is digestive health, where we address issues like acidity, bloating, and constipation through a comprehensive portfolio of probiotics and gut cleanses. The second is weight management and metabolic health, led by our Flexion probiotic for metabolic leanness,” cofounder and CEO Biyani told Inc42 last month.

The Good Bug earns about 60% of its revenue from its own website, about 30% from marketplaces, including quick commerce, and the rest from offline channels.

The startup competes against the likes of Power Gummies, Man Matters, among others.