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Libra Health, which develops supplements tailored to female athletes' menstrual cycles, announced on the 20th that it has secured seed investment from domestic venture capital firm The VC. The investment amount was not disclosed.
Libra Health is a healthcare startup that develops customized supplements by focusing on the condition fluctuations and injury risks experienced by female athletes according to their menstrual cycles. Targeting the U.S. market for female athletes, the company is planning to convert into a U.S. entity within this year.
Female athletes may face varying injury risks depending on their menstrual cycles. A study by researchers at University College London (UCL) tracking 26 elite players from England's Women's Super League (WSL) over three seasons found that the risk of muscle injuries was six times higher in the pre-menstrual phase compared to the menstruation period, and five times higher in the early to mid-luteal phase (the period from after ovulation until the next menstruation begins).
Libra Health noted that existing sports supplements fail to adequately reflect the physical changes women experience during their menstrual cycles. Accordingly, the company is developing products for female athletes with the menstrual cycle as a primary design standard. Its first product, 'Golden,' focuses on managing condition fluctuations that occur during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.
Considering doping and regulatory risks, Libra Health excluded ingredients that directly act on hormones from its products. Instead, it utilized kimchi-derived probiotics and plant-based raw materials to address condition changes linked to the menstrual cycle by approaching them through gut health and inflammation management. The company is currently evaluating local U.S. production facilities and research partners with the goal of obtaining doping safety certification for athletes.
The company is led by Lee Yul-ui (CEO), a serial entrepreneur who has been active in marketing and PR for over 15 years. From its inception, Libra Health has kept the U.S. market in mind and prepared systems to respond to local regulations.
Libra Health's strategy for entering the U.S. market relies on actual usage experiences from female athletes rather than large-scale marketing. The company plans to verify and improve its products through communities of female athletes at U.S. universities and professional leagues, then expand its customer base to include general women participating in recreational sports and consumers.
The investment funds will be allocated to product development, certification, initial production, and the operation of trial programs for athletes. A pilot supply program targeting U.S. university sports teams is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of this year, with a formal product launch planned for the first quarter of next year.
Kim Cheol-woo, CEO of The VC, stated, "While the market related to women's sports is growing rapidly, there has been a lack of dedicated supplements tailored to the physical characteristics of female athletes." He added, "Libra Health is a team that will seize the global market for women-specific sports supplements based on Korea's fermentation technology."
Lee Yul, CEO of Libra Health, said, "Female athletes suffer monthly from luteal phase symptoms, yet no one has properly addressed this issue." He explained, "We have resolved the periodic discomfort experienced by female athletes from the perspective of inflammation management."
[MoneyToday startup media platform Unicorn Factory]
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