Perelel, touting itself to be the first OBGYN-founded prenatal vitamin supplement brand to offer targeted nutrition at each stage of pregnancy, recently announced the completion of a $4.7 million seed fundraise with notable participation from celebrities in business, fashion, and wellness.
The company’s subscription-based business model spans a number of product offerings targeted for the particular life stage the customer is in, including a conception support pack; prenatal packs for first, second, and third trimesters; packs for postpartum and early motherhood; and daily vitamins for women of all reproductive ages. Perelel also has offerings for men, including a multi-support pack and additional supplemental products for iron, libido, and probiotic support.
The Hills star and Cozeco founder Whitney Port recently shared more with Fortune about her own prenatal experiences and subsequent interest to invest in the company.
- Startup: Perelel
- Location: Santa Monica, Calif.
- Year founded: 2020
- Valuation: Declined to disclose
- Investment level: Seed
- Number of employees: Nine
- Other major investors: The seed round was led by Unilever Ventures with additional investors including Willow Growth Partners; Gaby Dalkin, CEO of What’s Gaby Cooking; Marissa Hermer, restaurateur and owner of the Draycott, Olivetta, and Issima; Rocky Barnes, founder of The Bright Side; Julia Hunter, CEO of Jenni Kayne; Joan Nyugen, cofounder and CEO of Bumo; Aimee Song, founder of Song of Style and Two Songs; and Ali Weiss, chief marketing officer of Glossier
Why she invested, in her own words
Since striving for child number two, I’ve become much more conscious about the ingredients I put into my body. In my research on prenatal vitamins, I learned that most supplement brands on the market offer a one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition, which neglects essential dosages and nutrients during the different stages of pregnancy and postpartum. After multiple miscarriages, I learned there isn’t just one answer or one solution to fertility problems. Each miscarriage I’ve had occurred for a different reason.
So, as someone who can intimately relate to these multileveled issues that Perelel is tackling head-on in women’s healthcare, I was immediately drawn to the brand’s innovation and mission-driven business model. After the birth of my son, postpartum presented additional problem areas for me and I needed a boost; Perelel checked all the boxes I needed. Now I know countless women who are struggling similarly and would truly benefit from the product.
Perelel is much more than a business venture for me, and the value proposition goes further than a dollar sign. Its products are intentionally formulated for each stage of womanhood by a team of top women’s health doctors, including my reproductive endocrinologist, Dr. Andy Huang (who formulated their Conception Support vitamin packs).
Also, the intentionality behind building the brand community moved me. It’s much more than a customer base; it’s an intimately supportive network of women where we can lean on each other for emotional support and tap Perelel’s panel of doctors and experts for insight. Finally, for every subscription Perelel donates a supply of their own prenatal vitamins to underserved women in the U.S. who lack access to high-quality prenatal care.
This is an installment of Why I Invested, a series featuring famous investors from all different backgrounds and industries, revealing what inspired them to invest their own money in a new business.
