Manual has raised USD30 million in a Series A round for product development and international expansion, as the company sets its sight on becoming the go-to global platform for men’s health and wellbeing.
In the last 12 months, Manual has grown at a fast pace, quadrupling its revenue and expanding from the UK to Brazil, with a team of only 30 people.
Manual’s international investors will bring their unique experience to the table, supporting the company in its mission to help more men worldwide. US-based Sonoma Brands, Europe-based Felix Capital and Cherry Ventures have deep-rooted experience in the branding and scaling of consumer businesses. Waldencast will be able to bring its extensive knowledge of the beauty and wellness industries and GISEV lends its deep expertise in the pharma sector. FJ Labs also participated in the round.
The investment bolsters Manual’s chief mission to remove the stigma surrounding how men approach their health and will be used to develop impactful products and solutions, building a vertically integrated healthcare and wellness platform for men. Providing everything from diagnostics to treatments to ongoing care. Manual will continue to expand across Europe, Asia and Latin America and, to support this growth, will be hiring more world-class talent across its product and expansion teams.
George Pallis, Founder and CEO of Manual, says: “We’ve been encouraged to see men of all ages increasingly turning to Manual to solve multiple health problems, with almost half of our customers seeking help for more than one issue. It’s clear that a health concern may have more than one cause, and we can provide customers with the ability to treat their health in a more holistic way. Using different treatments to understand and improve their wellbeing.”
Manual now offers a suite of diagnostic tools and blood tests, providing customers with personalised advice and a treatment plan to help them achieve their goals, all while giving them unlimited medical support along the journey and access to a community of like-minded men. Allowing users to tackle multiple aspects of their wellbeing, including heart health, gut health, testosterone, sleep, energy and immunity.
Manual’s mission is to become the global wellness platform for the modern man. Its end-to-end solution fixes the health journey by helping men overcome barriers such as limited time, stigma and lack of information and proactively address their health concerns early. Research shows that nine in ten men would rather endure an illness or health problem, than visit a doctor.
Pallis says: “Changing the narrative on men’s health and their approach to wellbeing is incredibly important for us. We believe that through building a platform and community where men have easy access to medical support and health treatments, we can drive positive change for men not just in the UK, but all over the world.”
“This investment will allow us to expand our offering and we’re excited to continue to grow our community, normalising health conversations among men, breaking the stigma, and championing a holistic approach to men’s health.”
Antoine Nussenbaum, Co-Founder and Partner of Felix Capital, adds: “There is still much work to be done to remove the taboo when it comes to men looking after their wellbeing and talking openly about health concerns. But we’re starting to see a shift happen amongst consumers. Men of all ages are coming to Manual for help, showing the importance of an authentic brand, built on passion and community. Manual is challenging modern masculinity and we’re excited to continue to support them as they address this issue globally.”
Kevin Murphy, Managing Director of Sonoma Brands, says: “We are thrilled to be investors in Manual. The business exists to empower men to take better care of themselves and to live fuller lives by doing so. George and his team have the clarity of vision and the skill to make Manual a leader in this exciting and important area. We look forward to collaborating with our fellow investors in helping Manual’s mission to support more men and their health, globally.”
