German investors back personalised nutrition tech Loewi
The scientific spin-off of the Technical University of Munich uses diagnostic blood parameters and patient data to generate a personalised supplement regimen and dietary advice, monetising it through subscription
Loewi, a technology company based in Munich, has completed its first seed funding round with backing from High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) and a German family office. Details of the funding have not been disclosed. A scientific spin-off of the Technical University of Munich, Loewi pursues the vision of making personalised health and nutrition available to everyone.
The start-up was established in 2018 to work further on proprietary technology. Loewi analyses micro- and macronutrients through finger-prick blood tests, visualises the results through the Loewi platform and offers personalised diet recommendations and personalised supplements to match individual needs.
Since its inception, Loewi has been active in competitive sports and has built a client base including teams competing in the Tour de France and UEFA Europa League. Nowadays, the platform is used by physicians as diagnostic support for overall health.
“The investment is an important step to push the development in the field of personalised nutrition and health and to lead the market out of its niche”, said Adrian Kapsalis, Loewi founder and chief executive.
“The combination of science and technology will continue to be the cornerstone of our business,” he added. “We are very pleased to welcome HTGF as a well-connected partner who supports our long-term vision.”
HTGF is a public-private venture capital investment firm based in Bonn, Germany. HTGF manages €886 million in assets through various funds with a focus on early-stage seed investment in high potential high-tech start-ups.
“The personalisation in nutrition and the potential to leverage user-specific data for novel approaches in nutritional therapy in the future makes the investment in Loewi particularly exciting,” said Marie Asano, HTGF investment manager.
Loewi: How it works
Loewi’s patented concept collects health-relevant data of customers and patients through a blood test. An online anamnesis questionnaire makes this data available via Loewi’s Health Profile, which is a Class I medical software.
With the help of a sophisticated personalisation algorithm, the system creates a personalised nutrient combination that is 100% tailored to the personal needs of each customer and patient.
Philipp Merk, one of the founders and responsible for product development at Loewi, explained: “Every person is unique and has different needs. Loewi now considers more than 9,000 interactions with diseases, medications and allergies for its personalised recommendations.
“Therefore, it doesn’t make any difference whether our customer is a 23-year-old triathlete, a 30-year-old pregnant woman or a 65-year-old diabetes patient. Our personalisation algorithm generates the optimal nutrient supply for each person based on their individual needs.”
Merk said the results of Loewi’s first pilot study are convincing. “On average, more than 75% of customers and patients significantly improved their nutrient balance within the first three months of using the Loewi concept. We are now focusing on making personalised nutrition and health available to everyone,” he concluded.
Loewi took its name from Otto Loewi, a German-born pharmacologist and psychobiologist, awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1936.