Fintech
Travel Tech
Electric Vehicle
Health Tech
Edtech
IT
Logistics
Retail
Ecommerce
Startup Ecosystem
Enterprise Tech
Clean Tech
Consumer Internet
Agritech
India’s $156 Bn health and wellness market is set to reach $256.9 Bn by 2033 with an increase in awareness and demand for healthier food supplements
Seven out of every 10 people in urban India struggle with digestive or gut health issues, according to industry reports
The Good Bug cofounder Keshav Biyani believes that platforms like Startup Mahakumbh will help shape the future of health and wellness in India
The gastronomic Indian hardly bothered about planning the meal or setting the diet. Seasonality and convenience ruled the kitchen in any Indian household until the internet opened the floodgates of information. The Indian kitchen has transformed ever since with health, diet and fitness becoming a rage that couldn’t be shrugged off any longer.
Today, we are a lot more aware of what we eat and how it affects our bodies.
Yet, seven out of 10 people in urban India suffer from digestive issues, blame it on the increasing exposure to processed and packaged food and fast food that take a toll on the gut, causing acidity, bloating, and even long-term digestive disorders.
This has also been spiced up by a surge in per capita income to INR 1.88 Lakh (around $2,500) in 2024 from INR 1.69 Lakh a year ago, with foods claiming a 47% slice of the INR 6,996 monthly consumption pie of an urban Indian, according to the Press Information Bureau.
Startup Mahakumbh cannot ignore such a reality staring at the home of the world’s largest populace.
As Bharat Mandapam gears up to host one of the world’s biggest showcase of innovation from April 3 to 5, health and wellness innovators are expected to turn up with their solutions crafted towards a healthier India and aimed at a share of the country’s $156 Bn health and wellness market that’s expected to reach $256.9 Bn by 2033.
Ahead of Startup Mahakumbh, Inc42 was joined by Keshav Biyani, who cofounded The Good Bug, for a discussion on India’s probiotic market, the significance of wellness brands, and how platforms like Startup Mahakumbh are emerging as massive enablers for the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem.
Here are the edited excerpts from the interview…
Inc42: How has your experience in traditional retail influenced your strategy in the gut health space?
Keshav Biyani: The fundamentals of brand building remain the same, but the medium has evolved. In traditional retail, distribution and mass communication were key drivers. In consumer health, credibility is everything, working closely with doctors, healthcare professionals and microbiome scientists has been critical.
Building a category from scratch required assembling the right research-backed formulas, securing robust supply chains and shifting how we communicate health solutions to consumers. The biggest shift was moving from traditional marketing to community-driven education, empowering people with knowledge about gut health and why it matters.
Inc42: How would you sum up some of the biggest challenges and key insights that shaped The Good Bug’s startup journey?
Keshav Biyani: My seven years of experience at Future Group taught me how important it is to stay close to the consumer, understand their needs, track the consumption trends and anticipate market demands before they go mainstream.
One clear insight was that people were not merely looking for temporary relief from issues like bloating, indigestion, and obesity, they wanted long-term solutions. We pinned down on gut health and it turned out to be a game-changer.
Pioneering a new category comes with its own set of challenges. Educating consumers, building awareness around gut microbiome science and shifting mindsets from symptomatic treatments to root-cause solutions take time. We are constantly innovating how we communicate these benefits – through content, packaging, and collaborations with experts to accelerate this shift.
Inc42: How does The Good Bug
Keshav Biyani: Science is at the heart of everything we do. Every formulation undergoes rigorous R&D, drawing from clinical data, scientific literature, dosage studies and efficacy research. We have built a strong scientific advisory board of doctors and researchers to validate our approach.
Beyond that, we have taken a pharma-grade approach, investing in large-scale clinical trials for our key products. Our goal is to make gut health solutions effective as well as accessible. This commitment to scientific rigor ensures that while we scale, we remain a trusted, credible brand in the long run.
Inc42: How do you think events like Startup Mahakumbh strengthen the connection between scientific research and innovation for Indian startups?
Keshav Biyani: Bringing the entire system at one place creates invaluable opportunities. Scientific research, policy discussions and entrepreneurial innovation rarely happen in the same room. Events like Startup Mahakumbh help bridge that gap, allowing startups to connect with researchers, regulators and industry experts to drive meaningful collaboration.
Our goal is to encourage partnerships between startups and research institutions, ensuring that health innovation in India is backed by strong clinical evidence. This synergy between science and entrepreneurship will be key to unlocking the next wave of functional wellness solutions.
Inc42: The Indian probiotics market is projected to grow from INR 260 Cr in 2021 to INR 770 Cr by 2027. With growing competition from pharma giants and global brands, how does The Good Bug retain its edge?
Keshav Biyani: A growing market attracts competition and that is a good thing as it helps drive education and awareness, which ultimately benefits the category. The demand for gut health solutions is vast and we are focused on solving key health problems with a differentiated, science-backed approach.
Beyond clinical validation, our edge lies in three aspects. First, personalisation. Our formulations are tailored for the Indian microbiome, taking into account dietary habits and gut health challenges unique to our population.
Second, accessibility. We make high-efficacy gut health solutions convenient and easy to integrate into daily life, whether through probiotics, prebiotics, or functional foods. Third is innovation. We are constantly exploring new product formats and delivery mechanisms, ensuring that our solutions remain at the cutting edge of gut health science.
By combining deep research with real-world usability, we continue to build a brand that people trust.
Inc42: As a member of the Startup Mahakumbh organising committee, how do you think the event can support health and wellness startups?
Keshav Biyani: Startup Mahakumbh provides a unique platform that brings together government bodies, policymakers and industry leaders. This convergence is crucial for startups from any sector. It helps foster regulatory clarity, drive industry-wide education, and create a conducive environment where innovation and compliance go hand-in-hand.
At the event, we aim to highlight the need for science-backed claims, ethical branding and better regulatory pathways for functional health products. Platforms like these will help shape the future of health and wellness in India.
Inc42: What regulatory clarity do you believe is most critical for functional wellness brands in India?
Keshav Biyani: For any brand addressing health concerns, clinical trials must be the gold standard. Regulatory frameworks should allow label claims based on company-led clinical trials, ensuring that consumers receive truthful, evidence-based information.
Ethical claims and transparency should be the industry norm, preventing exaggerated or misleading health promises.
