HealthMatters
About two-thirds of adults within the U.S. drink alcohol, however about one in three try to drink much less. Sunnyside, which introduced it raised $11.5 million in Collection A funding final week, goals to assist folks reduce on their ingesting with out having to give up altogether.
The San Francisco-based startup affords an app for shoppers. At $99 a 12 months, customers of Sunnyside have entry to drink monitoring, each day reminders of their objectives, personalised suggestions, group assist with different customers of the app and one-on-one peer assist.
“This strategy gives a much-needed various for these seeking to change their relationship with alcohol, however who aren’t open to quitting ingesting fully,” stated Nick Allen, CEO and co-founder of Sunnyside, in an e mail.
The Collection A funding spherical was led by Motley Idiot Ventures and included participation from Will Ventures, Uncork Capital, Offline Ventures, Joyance Companions, Knowledge Ventures, Eudemian Ventures, Adjoining, Scribble Ventures, Cooley LLP and MyFitnessPal founder Michael Lee. Sunnyside has raised $14.6 million since inception.
A Motley Idiot Ventures investor selected to put money into Sunnyside due to its deal with serving to folks drink moderately and create more healthy habits.
“Sunnyside has a singular alternative into a large new vertical within the wellness trade,” stated Kristine Harjes, vp of the agency, in an announcement. “By making a non-judgmental strategy the place steadiness is the aim, the Sunnyside group expands the addressable viewers to anybody seeking to enhance their well being by taking extra management over their ingesting habits.”
With the funding in hand, Sunnyside goals to deal with three key areas: product, model and group, Allen stated. The corporate just lately employed Steve Lloyd, former chief product and know-how officer at health firm Strava. Lloyd will probably be taking up the identical function at Sunnyside and can lead the product and engineering group in creating a brand new characteristic that can supply challenges for shoppers, in addition to an AI ingesting coach named “Sunny” that can present personalised teaching for members.
The cash can even be used to spice up advertising and marketing efforts. Lastly, the startup will make investments extra closely in group constructing, Allen stated. For instance, its app affords each day journaling prompts that permit members to replicate on their expertise, and customers can work together with each other round these prompts.
“Key to eradicating stigma round proactive alcohol administration is to make this a journey of connection, moderately than loneliness,” he stated.
The corporate was born out of Allen and co-founder Ian Andersen’s experiences. Allen grew up in a house with two mother and father recovering from alcoholism, and Andersen misplaced his mom on the age of 11 due to liver failure from alcohol abuse.
Allen beforehand informed MedCity Information that a couple of years in the past, he determined to make a change to his ingesting habits, however didn’t wish to go the complete abstinence route like his mother and father did. Nevertheless, he struggled to seek out options that will assist him reasonable his ingesting. That led to the founding of Sunnyside.
Different corporations within the house embody SoberBuddy and I Am Sober, however these principally deal with sobriety moderately than slicing again on alcohol.
“It’s clear that the choice to give up fully is the fitting alternative for some drinkers, however there are lots of tens of millions extra who’re turned off by the all-or-nothing strategy,” Allen stated this week. “Sunnyside fills the hole for this inhabitants, increasing the addressable market for individuals who may benefit from more healthy habits round alcohol.”
Photograph: fizkes, Getty Pictures
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