Persephone Biosciences
Persephone Biosciences is a San Diego microbiome company that develops and sells Bloom and Thrive, proprietary daily synergistic synbiotics for infants and toddlers combining four Bifidobacterium strains with a precision-matched HMO blend, distributed via DTC subscription e-commerce with a healthcare practitioner channel.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersSan Diego, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Persephone Biosciences does
Persephone Biosciences is a San Diego-based microbiome science company founded in 2017 by synthetic biologists Stephanie Culler, PhD and Steve Van Dien, PhD. The company's research platform is anchored by the My Baby Biome study, which analyzed gut microbiomes of 412+ U.S. infants and found that approximately 9 out of 10 babies lack keystone Bifidobacterium strains associated with healthy immune, digestive, and metabolic development. Using AI-enabled analysis of this dataset, Persephone selected four proprietary Bifidobacterium strains (PB-01 through PB-04) and paired them with a precision-matched four-HMO prebiotic blend (2'-Fucosyllactose, Lacto-N-tetraose, 6'-Sialyllactose, 3'-Sialyllactose) and 400 IU of Vitamin D to create two flagship consumer products: Bloom (infants 0–12 months) and Thrive (toddlers 12–36 months), both marketed under a daily synergistic synbiotic positioning.
The company operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce model via Shopify with a subscription-first pricing structure ($64.95/month for Bloom; one-time purchases at $74.95 plus shipping). GTM combines content marketing, a healthcare practitioner referral program, and earned media placements in Scientific American, Gizmodo, Nature Biology, Healio, and Axios. Persephone also runs an expanding clinical research program — ARTEMIS (infant synbiotic RCT), AMBROSIA (546-participant colorectal cancer nutrition study with Kroger Health), Argonaut, and the Poop for the Cure research arm — which feeds back into product development and provides scientific credibility. Third-party testing is performed by Eurofins/Light Labs, and products carry Clean Label Project First 1,000 Days certification, Non-GMO verification, GRAS-classified ingredients, and GMP manufacturing.
Persephone is venture-backed, having closed a $15 million seed round in July 2022 led by First Bight Ventures and Propel Bio Partners, with participation from Y Combinator, Susa Ventures, ZhenFund, Ocampo Capital, BrightEdge, Fifty Years, Pioneer Fund, North South Ventures, and others. Strategic or financial backers include Johnson & Johnson and the American Cancer Society. The company employs 11–50 people and remains privately held, with no public listing, parent company, or M&A activity disclosed. The board is chaired by Daniel Bradbury with additional directors Paul Grint, MD, Leen Kawas, PhD (Propel Bio Partners), and Veronica Breckenridge (First Bight Ventures); operational leadership includes CBO/Board Member Veronique Riethuisen, Chief Medical Advisor Richard Insel, MD, and heads of Marketing, Product Development, and Computational Biology.
Persephone Biosciences firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Persephone Biosciences
- Legal name
- Persephone Biosciences
- Website
- https://www.persephonebiosciences.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Persephone Biosciences is a San Diego microbiome company that develops and sells Bloom and Thrive, proprietary daily synergistic synbiotics for infants and toddlers combining four Bifidobacterium strains with a precision-matched HMO blend, distributed via DTC subscription e-commerce with a healthcare practitioner channel.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Persephone Biosciences industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Pediatric Synbiotic Supplements
- NAICS
- Food (Health) Supplement Retailers (456191)
- SIC
- Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Baby Feeding Supplements & Fortifiers (Probiotics, DHA/ARA, Vitamins) (CRADAEAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Children’s Vitamins & Supplements (CRADAGAJ), Probiotics (Strains, Spore-Formers, Synbiotic Components) (AFAJAKAE)
Keywords
Where Persephone Biosciences is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Diego
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Persephone Biosciences business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Direct-to-Consumer Subscription: Monthly subscription model for synbiotic products with discounted pricing and free shipping. Recurring revenue from subscription deliveries of infant and toddler synbiotics.
- One-Time Product Sales: Single purchase option for non-subscribers at standard retail pricing with shipping fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Bloom Infant Synbiotic Monthly Subscription |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Bloom Infant Synbiotic One-Time Purchase |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Persephone Biosciences product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Persephone Biosciences manufactures and sells two powdered synergistic synbiotic products — Bloom (for infants 0–12 months) and Thrive (for toddlers 12–36 months) — combining four proprietary Bifidobacterium strains with a precision-matched four-HMO prebiotic blend and Vitamin D. Products are sold directly to parents via the company's e-commerce website with subscription and one-time purchase options, and are supported by clinical research from the My Baby Biome, ARTEMIS, and AMBROSIA studies.
Product overview
Persephone Biosciences offers two core products — Bloom and Thrive — which are both Daily Synergistic Synbiotic formulations designed for different life stages. Bloom targets infants aged 0–12 months, while Thrive serves toddlers aged 12–36 months. Both products share the same proprietary four-strain probiotic blend (Bifidobacterium infantis PB-01 and PB-02, B. longum PB-03, B. breve PB-04) paired with an identical four-HMO prebiotic blend (2'-Fucosyllactose, Lacto-N-tetraose, 6'-Sialyllactose, 3'-Sialyllactose) and Vitamin D, differing primarily in probiotic potency (1 Billion AFU for infants vs. 5 Billion AFU for toddlers). The company also runs clinical research programs — My Baby Biome, ARTEMIS, AMBROSIA, Argonaut, and Poop for the Cure® — that serve as its research and discovery platform, informing product development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Bloom: Infant synbiotic product for babies 0-12 months
- Thrive
- Poop for the Cure
Products and services
- Bloom — Daily Synergistic Synbiotic (Infant Blend) A first-of-its-kind powdered synergistic synbiotic combining four proprietary probiotic strains (Bifidobacterium infantis PB-01, B. infantis PB-02, B. longum PB-03, B. breve PB-04) with a precision-matched blend of four Human Milk Oligosaccharides (2'-Fucosyllactose, Lacto-N-tetraose, 6'-Sialyllactose, 3'-Sialyllactose) and 400 IU of Vitamin D. Designed for infants 0–12 months to restore missing Bifidobacterium and support gut, immune, and brain development.
- Thrive — Daily Synergistic Synbiotic (Toddler Blend) A first-of-its-kind powdered synergistic synbiotic for toddlers 12–36 months, containing the same four proprietary probiotic strains paired with HMOs and 400 IU of Vitamin D, formulated to support continued gut and immune development as children transition to solid foods. Higher potency (5 Billion AFU) than Bloom for toddler needs.
Quantifiable outcome
- 90% of U.S. babies missing key Bifidobacterium strains
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Persephone Biosciences
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Persephone Biosciences technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature6 records
Persephone Biosciences partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Kroger HealthcoreCollaboration to conduct AMBROSIA Food as Medicine study evaluating impact of Medical Nutrition Therapy on gut microbiome and diet quality. Study enrolled 546 participants at high risk of colorectal cancer. Results demonstrated MNT can improve microbiome composition and enable patients to switch enterotypes associated with BMI and diet quality.
- EurofinscoreGlobal leader in independent lab testing providing third-party batch testing for pathogens, heavy metals, allergens, and potency using pharmaceutical-grade standards.
- Light LabscoreIndependent testing laboratory partner providing batch-level Certificate of Analysis verification. Consumers can access test results for their specific batch through Light Labs lookup tool.
- TruemedminorPartnership enabling HSA/FSA payment options for products, expanding accessibility for health-conscious consumers.
- ShopifycoreE-commerce platform powering the company website and online store operations.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Persephone Biosciences competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Infinant Health (formerly Evivo BioSystems): Direct peer — Infinant Health (formerly Evivo) markets an infant synbiotic built around B. infantis EVC001 paired with the HMO 2'-FL, targeting the same modern-infant Bifidobacterium deficiency that Persephone addresses. Closest comparable in category, mechanism, and customer segment.
- BioGaia: Direct peer — Swedish probiotic company with established infant probiotic drops (L. reuteri Protectis) sold globally through retailers and pediatricians. Comparable in targeting infant gut health with clinically validated probiotic products, though narrower in strain focus than Persephone's synbiotic approach.
- Seed Health: Direct peer — DTC synbiotic brand using a strain + prebiotic combination model and direct-to-consumer subscription, with strong scientific positioning and clinical evidence. Comparable in business model, premium positioning, and emphasis on proprietary strain + prebiotic pairing.
- Pendulum Therapeutics: Direct peer — DTC microbiome brand selling clinically validated synbiotic formulations (e.g., for metabolic health), with emphasis on proprietary strains and evidence-based positioning. Comparable in DTC subscription model, scientific rigor, and premium pricing.
Emerging players
- Sun Genomics: Emerging peer — Personalized microbiome testing and custom probiotic formulation company using gut microbiome sequencing. Comparable in DTC microbiome-supplement category and proprietary formulation approach, though focused on personalization rather than a fixed infant formulation.
Broad incumbents
- Culturelle (i-Health): Broad incumbent — One of the most recognized probiotic brands in U.S. retail, including an infant/children's product line. Competes in the same end category but with a single-strain (L. rhamnosus GG) approach versus Persephone's multi-strain + HMO synbiotic.
- Gerber (Nestlé): Broad incumbent — Dominant U.S. baby nutrition brand with probiotics integrated into formula and baby food lines. Represents the scaled incumbent that Persephone competes against for pediatrician mindshare and shelf space.
- Abbott Nutrition (Similac): Broad incumbent — Major infant formula manufacturer (Similac) with HMO-fortified formula products directly competing with Persephone's HMO-based synbiotic positioning. Large-scale distribution and pediatric recommendation network pose competitive threat.
Regional players
- Sobi (Swedish Orphan Biovitrum): Regional player — European specialty biotech with microbiome-adjacent therapies (e.g., for rare diseases involving gut inflammation). Comparable in microbiome-based therapeutic approach but operates in regulated pharma rather than consumer supplements, and primarily outside the U.S. market.
Others
- Chr. Hansen: Others — Global probiotics ingredient supplier producing bacterial strains used by supplement brands (including in infant nutrition). Comparable in probiotic strain expertise and microbiome science, but operates as a B2B ingredient supplier rather than DTC brand.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Persephone Biosciences social profiles
Digital presencePersephone Biosciences compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Persephone Biosciences financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Persephone Biosciences leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Persephone Biosciences funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors10 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Persephone Biosciences M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Persephone Biosciences
What does Persephone Biosciences do?
Persephone Biosciences manufactures and sells two powdered synergistic synbiotic products — Bloom (for infants 0–12 months) and Thrive (for toddlers 12–36 months) — combining four proprietary Bifidobacterium strains with a precision-matched four-HMO prebiotic blend and Vitamin D. Products are sold directly to parents via the company's e-commerce website with subscription and one-time purchase options, and are supported by clinical research from the My Baby Biome, ARTEMIS, and AMBROSIA studies.
Is Persephone Biosciences a public or private company?
Persephone Biosciences is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Persephone Biosciences founded?
Persephone Biosciences was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Persephone Biosciences based?
Persephone Biosciences is headquartered in San Diego, United States, in the North America region.
How does Persephone Biosciences make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Direct-to-Consumer Subscription is the primary driver. The others are one-Time Product Sales.
Who are Persephone Biosciences's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Infinant Health (formerly Evivo BioSystems), BioGaia, Seed Health and Pendulum Therapeutics. Sun Genomics is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Culturelle (i-Health), Gerber (Nestlé) and Abbott Nutrition (Similac). Sobi (Swedish Orphan Biovitrum) is listed as a regional player. Chr. Hansen is listed as an others.
Does Persephone Biosciences have an API?
No public API is recorded for Persephone Biosciences.
What industry is Persephone Biosciences in?
Persephone Biosciences's product category is Pediatric Synbiotic Supplements. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAEAI, Baby Feeding Supplements & Fortifiers (Probiotics, DHA/ARA, Vitamins), with a secondary code of CRADAGAJ, Children’s Vitamins & Supplements. Its NAICS code is 456191 and its SIC code is 2833.