Viaka #12 - UAE nutrition and keto leaders expand their health startup
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Hi everyone, this is Hani. This week, we’re shining the spotlight on ingfit, the UAE’s one-stop shop for all things Keto diet. I spoke with Lee Sandwith, co-founder and CEO of ingfit.
ingfit Quick Stats
Founded: 2013
HQ: Dubai, UAE
Key Individuals: Lee Sandwith, co-founder and CEO; Antonios Kouris, co-founder and COO
Raison d’être: ingift is the UAE’s leading expert on all things keto nutrition. They seek to provide the country’s best one-stop shop for keto health — including health coaching.
Ask: ingfit are launching their “first investment round and are actively seeking investors and strategic partners”.
I got the chance to chat with Lee about ingfit’s story, and their goals for the future. Here are some of the insights from our chat.
What is ingfit and how/why did it come to life?
We are the UAE’s expert on keto nutrition, supporting people on their keto journey with our online store and our own brand of keto-friendly products. The business started back in 2018 as we identified a major gap in the market for keto products. I had been into keto for a while and was frustrated at the lack of keto products in the UAE and started the project to resolve that problem.
What is your personal story and relation to the problem (alongside your founders)
Since I was in my late teens I had always struggled with my weight and things compounded until my late twenties when I hit my peak. When I turned 30, I decided enough was enough and made the decision to deal with the issue. That’s where my wellness journey started. I educated myself on the nutrition basics and lost the weight relatively quickly. By making a few small changes to my way of eating, and getting serious about exercise, I lost almost 20kg within 6 months. Since then I have taken my education to the next level by obtaining a Master’s Degree in nutrition.
What market are you attacking? Are you adding on or trying to replace current offerings?
Our proposition solves several problems.
Firstly, keto is a very powerful tool for weight loss and is a proven intervention for Type 2 Diabetes. The prevalence of obesity and diabetes (sometimes referred to as diabesity) is very high in the region, and well over 50%. We’re looking to expand our services outside of the UAE and into the GCC which is our primary target during this phase of our venture; however, we also have an eye on the wider global markets.
Secondly, we cater to other dietary choices, not just keto, and offer a great service for anyone interested in healthier nutrition. Shopping healthy the traditional way is extremely challenging as the supermarket shelves are packed with products with long lists of ingredients which is confusing, even for a nutritionist like me. The majority of products and companies that claim to be healthy are simply not. We solve that problem through the curation of the healthiest brands in the UAE. We are zero compromise on our high standards for what constitutes clean and healthful.
What are you looking for from the Viaka community?
We’re at an inflection point and need financial and strategic support to take things to the next level. As such, we have formally kicked off our first investment round and are actively seeking investors and strategic partners. We love what you guys [Viaka] are doing and we’re hoping to use your platform to build our network of investors and founders.
Where will that take you?
Our strategic objective is simple: we aim to be the number one keto brand and the healthiest healthy food marketplace in the GCC. Not only will this drive investor value, but it will also be our legacy to play a role in supporting the GCC in overcoming its diabesity epidemic.
Promising Opportunities from Our MENA Partners
Below are a list of opportunities curated from the Viaka’s MENA partners.
For Founders
Plus.vc invests in early-stage founders (up to Series A) that have a MENA background or connection, but are founding their companies outside of MENA.
For Investors
Huupe, the world's first smart basketball hoop, is raising a seed round and connecting with SportTech and Entertainment investors.
Desert Farms is also looking for a senior advisor with D2C startup experience, preferably in the food & beverage space, and with knowledge of the FDA approval process. This opportunity can be compensated.
For Advisors
Klangoo, an AI-startup providing Natural Language Processing (NLP) to media and software companies, is looking for an advisor familiar with NLP use cases in the world of financial services, particularly in underwriting and risk management. This opportunity can be compensated.
If you would like to get involved with any of the opportunities above, please fill out the form below and indicate what opportunity you are interested in in the “Reason for Joining” section.
Exciting Announcements From Our Network
Below are a list of updates, wins, and asks emanating from members of the Viaka Network in the “West.”
BuildPalestine, a group that aims to connect supporters around the world to social impact projects in Palestine, has announced its Third Annual BuildPalestine Summit. The Summit will be held from October 7th-8th, 2022. This year’s design and theme is “Designing for Unity” – a theme that covers unifying Palestine and beyond crossing economic, political, and geographic divides. For more information, check out their site!
Startup Boston has launched the registration of its five-day Startup Boston Week. The program will be held from September 19-23rd, 2022, and will have over 80 events and 250 speakers. The week is geared towards anyone with an interest in startups, with resources to connect, scale, and celebrate the community. Sessions featured include topics geared towards first-time founders, startup employees, advisors, and more. Sign up here!
If you’re a member of our Network and would like to share your own update next week, email info.viaka@gmail.com or submit an update via this form.
That’s it for this week. Thank you!
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