Wellory Raises $4.5M to Challenge Diet Culture with Nutrition App

Wellory, a company characterizing its approach to nutrition and wellness as “anti-diet,” has announced the completion of a $4.2 million funding round.

Story Ventures spearheaded the investment, with additional participation from Harlem Capital, the co-founders of Tinder – Sean Rad and Justin Mateen – Ground Up Ventures, NBA player Wayne Ellington, Hannah Bronfman, and other investors.

Emily Hochman, founder and CEO of Wellory, previously held the position of head of customer success at WayUp. She shared that her personal experiences with restrictive dieting during her college years led to health risks, including potential chronic illness and infertility. This prompted her to pursue a deeper understanding of nutrition and personal health, ultimately leading to her certification as a health coach at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

Hochman explained that Wellory aims to provide similar insights to others through a “managed marketplace” that connects users with qualified professionals – licensed nutritionists, registered dietitians, or certified health coaches. These coaches then develop individualized plans to support weight management or other health objectives, offering ongoing guidance as users submit meal photos and other health-related information.

As an illustration, she mentioned that a new mother seeking assistance with postpartum weight loss would be paired with a coach specializing in that specific area.

“A key aspect of our service is the creation of tailored plans,” she emphasized. “We don’t adhere to a standardized diet or a set of ‘10 things we do at Wellory.’ Instead, we empower individuals to develop informed and healthy eating habits.”

Wellory officially launched in September, though Hochman noted that some users had been testing the service for as long as nine, ten, or eleven months prior. She identified the initial customer base as including individuals focused on weight loss, those requiring nutritional guidance due to existing health conditions, and those proactively seeking to optimize their dietary intake.

She also pointed out that clients often continue with the program even after reaching their initial goals, stating, “Because of the strong rapport they’ve developed, they express a desire to maintain their progress and continue building sustainable habits.”

The application is currently available for both iOS and Android devices, with a monthly subscription cost of $59.99. Hochman intends to introduce a range of pricing options, and she indicated that the new funding will be used to expand the technology and marketing teams, as well as to explore potential partnerships.

Jake Yormak of Story Ventures stated, “As an investor specializing in data technology, we regularly evaluate companies in the wearable and diagnostic space. What stood out to us about Wellory was its ability to integrate a human coach into the process of interpreting health data. By focusing on nutrition, Wellory has established a trustworthy connection with individuals who are actively seeking to understand and improve their overall wellbeing.”