Seed
Seed Health, founded in 2016, is a microbiome science company that develops clinically studied synbiotic and supplement products for direct-to-consumer subscription and major retail channels, anchored by its flagship DS-01 Daily Synbiotic with proprietary ViaCap® delivery technology.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersVenice, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Seed does
Seed Health, Inc. is a microbiome science company founded in 2016 that develops clinically studied probiotics and supplements targeting both human and planetary health. The company's flagship product, DS-01 Daily Synbiotic, is a 24-strain formulation delivering 53.6 billion active fluorescent units per serving, protected by its proprietary ViaCap® capsule-in-capsule delivery technology designed to survive gastric transit and release viable bacteria in the colon alongside a patented MAPP™ polyphenol-based prebiotic. The product portfolio has expanded to include DM-02 Daily Multivitamin, AM-02 Energy + Focus, PM-02 Sleep + Restore, PDS-08 Pediatric Daily Synbiotic, and VS-01 Vaginal Synbiotic, marketed individually or bundled (Daily Essentials Duo). Seed also operates SeedLabs, an environmental research division partnering with MIT, Harvard Medical School, KAUST, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and ATCC on coral regeneration, plastic upcycling, honeybee preservation, and carbon sequestration.
Seed generates revenue through a hybrid distribution model centered on direct-to-consumer subscriptions via seed.com, with DS-01 priced at $49.99/month and additional SKUs at $34.99-$39.99/month, and the company states the DTC business is profitable with category-leading retention. The company expanded into physical retail with a nationwide Target launch in September 2024 — DS-01 reached top-10 status in Target's VMS category within three months — and a 450-store Sprouts Farmers Market launch across 24 US states in June 2025. A practitioner channel through Fullscript enables healthcare providers to recommend Seed products to patients using unique discount codes. The primary customer segment is health-conscious adult consumers; secondary segments include healthcare practitioners and the environmental research community.
The company was co-founded by Ara Katz in 2016, secured $40 million in Series A financing in 2021, and appointed Cathrin Bowtell as CEO in June 2025 to lead its next phase of retail expansion. Seed maintains a Scientific and Clinical Advisory Board with affiliations to Harvard, MIT, and the NIH Human Microbiome Project, supports product claims with 10 clinical trials on DS-01 plus rigorous third-party testing (whole-genome sequencing, SHIME® validation, cGMP/HACCP/EFSA/FOSHU compliance), and has received sustained media and industry recognition including Fast Company's World Changing Ideas, TIME Best Inventions, and NutraIngredients Product of the Year.
Seed firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Seed
- Legal name
- Seed Health, Inc.
- Website
- https://seed.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Seed Health, founded in 2016, is a microbiome science company that develops clinically studied synbiotic and supplement products for direct-to-consumer subscription and major retail channels, anchored by its flagship DS-01 Daily Synbiotic with proprietary ViaCap® delivery technology.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Seed industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Microbiome Supplements
- SIC
- Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Probiotics & Digestive Health Supplements (CRADAGAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Probiotics (Strains, Spore-Formers, Synbiotic Components) (AFAJAKAE), Prebiotics & Dietary Fibers (Inulin, FOS/GOS, Resistant Starch, Beta-Glucan, Psyllium) (AFAJAKAF)
Keywords
Where Seed is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Venice
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Seed business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations
Revenue model
- Direct-to-Consumer Subscription: Monthly subscription model for probiotic and supplement products delivered to consumers. Includes options for 1-month, 3-month, and 6-month delivery schedules. 30-day risk-free guarantee with free US shipping.
- Practitioner Channel: Healthcare practitioners recommend Seed products through Fullscript platform for direct delivery to patients or office distribution. Practitioners receive unique discount codes for patients.
- Retail Distribution: Products sold through retail partners including Target and Sprouts Farmers Market nationwide.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | DS-01 Daily Synbiotic subscription |
| Subscription | Monthly | DM-02 Daily Multivitamin subscription |
| Subscription | Monthly | AM-02 Energy + Focus subscription |
| Subscription | Monthly | PM-02 Sleep + Restore subscription |
| Subscription | Monthly | Daily Essentials Duo bundle |
| Subscription | Monthly | Bundle with DS-01 add-on products |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Seed product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Seed develops and sells clinically studied synbiotic and dietary supplement products, with its flagship DS-01 Daily Synbiotic combining 24 probiotic strains and a polyphenol-based prebiotic in a proprietary ViaCap® capsule-in-capsule delivery system. The portfolio also includes a daily multivitamin, energy, sleep, pediatric, and vaginal synbiotic SKUs sold primarily through a monthly subscription at seed.com, with growing distribution through Target, Sprouts Farmers Market, and healthcare practitioners via Fullscript.
Product overview
Seed is a microbiome science company offering a portfolio of synbiotic and supplement products centered around its core DS-01 Daily Synbiotic. The product line includes DM-02 Daily Multivitamin, AM-02 Energy + Focus, PM-02 Sleep + Restore, PDS-08 Pediatric Daily Synbiotic, and VS-01 Vaginal Synbiotic. Products are offered individually or bundled as the Daily Essentials Duo. The company also developed the Co-Biotics category for targeted microbiome support. SeedLabs serves as the environmental research division focused on ecological applications of microbiome science.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SeedLabs: Environmental research division advancing microbial innovations for ecosystem recovery, honeybee preservation, coral reef regeneration, plastic degradation, and carbon sequestration
- DS-01 Daily Synbiotic
- DM-02 Daily Multivitamin
- AM-02 Energy + Focus
- PM-02 Sleep + Restore
- PDS-08 Pediatric Synbiotic
- VS-01 Vaginal Synbiotic
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduced bloating and gas reported in 7 days
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Seed
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Seed technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature5 records
Seed partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- The Two Frontiers ProjectcoreNon-profit research initiative founded by Dr. Braden Tierney, Krista Ryon, and Dr. James Henriksen focused on discovering extremophile microbes for climate solutions. SeedLabs provides catalytic funding, strategic partnership, and science communication support for expeditions including CARBON1-4 and METHANE1-2 exploring carbon capture and methane consumption applications.
- Planet FWDminorPartnership for carbon emissions measurement and auditing. Planet FWD helps Seed actively measure and audit their carbon footprint while prioritizing greenhouse gas reduction strategies.
- American Type Culture Collection (ATCC)coreSeed's probiotic strains are deposited in ATCC, the global standard for microorganisms, ensuring strain authenticity and availability for research validation.
- FullscriptcorePractitioner distribution platform enabling healthcare providers to recommend Seed products for direct patient delivery or office dispensing. Practitioners receive unique discount codes for patient prescriptions.
- MIT Media Lab Space Exploration InitiativecoreCollaboration on autonomous bioreactor system for plastic upcycling aboard the International Space Station, testing bioengineered bacteria in microgravity and radiation conditions.
- National Renewable Energy LaboratorycoreResearch partner on plastic upcycling project developing Pseudomonas putida KT2440 strains engineered for improved terephthalate utilization to convert plastic into beta-ketoadipic acid.
- Harvard Medical SchoolcoreAcademic research partner for ISS plastic upcycling mission and broader microbiome science collaboration including scientific advisor Dr. George Church.
- KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)corePartnership with Dr. Raquel Peixoto's lab on coral probiotic research, developing next-generation beneficial bacteria approaches to restore and regenerate coral reefs in the Red Sea.
- CitSci.orgminorCommunity science platform for public engagement in microbiome research projects including Project ReefLink engaging home aquarists in coral microbiome sampling.
- Coral MorphologicminorResearch collaborator on coral microbiome conservation initiatives combining artistic documentation with scientific research.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Seed competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- AG1 (Athletic Greens): Premium DTC daily nutrition subscription brand competing for the same wellness-conscious consumer with a daily greens/nutrition routine priced comparably. Most direct functional analog to Seed's positioning and GTM motion.
- Ritual: Premium DTC essential vitamins and supplements brand with similar science-first branding, subscription model, and price-point positioning. Direct competitor in the daily supplement category.
- Care/of: Personalized DTC vitamin and supplement subscription brand targeting health-conscious consumers. Competes for the same daily-routine subscription wallet share.
- Pendulum Therapeutics: Premium DTC probiotics brand focused on metabolic health with clinically validated next-generation strains. Comparable scientific rigor, strain-specific positioning, and DTC subscription model.
- HUM Nutrition: DTC beauty-from-within supplements brand with quiz-driven personalization and subscription model. Overlaps with Seed's expansion into skin and beauty-adjacent health benefits.
Broad incumbents
- Culturelle: Established mass-market probiotic brand (iProbiotic/i-Health) sold across major retailers including Target. Direct competitor in the probiotic category with broader distribution and lower price point.
- Align: Procter & Gamble's flagship probiotic brand with category-leading mass-market awareness. Major incumbent Seed competes against on retail shelves and in consumer mindshare.
- Garden of Life: Nestlé Health Science-owned organic supplements and probiotics brand with extensive retail distribution. Overlaps on the probiotics, multivitamin, and gut-health categories at broader price points.
- Olly: Unilever-owned DTC-style supplements brand with strong retail presence. Comparable premium positioning, modern branding, and category overlap in multivitamins, sleep, and gut health.
Emerging players
- Seed Health's SeedLabs research peers (e.g., Novome Biotechnologies): Engineered live biotherapeutic companies working on microbiome-based interventions; comparable scientific approach to Seed's strain-specific, clinically validated microbiome platform.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Seed social profiles
Digital presenceSeed compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance19 records
Seed financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Seed leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Seed subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Seed funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds13 records
Investors21 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Seed M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Seed
What does Seed do?
Seed develops and sells clinically studied synbiotic and dietary supplement products, with its flagship DS-01 Daily Synbiotic combining 24 probiotic strains and a polyphenol-based prebiotic in a proprietary ViaCap® capsule-in-capsule delivery system. The portfolio also includes a daily multivitamin, energy, sleep, pediatric, and vaginal synbiotic SKUs sold primarily through a monthly subscription at seed.com, with growing distribution through Target, Sprouts Farmers Market, and healthcare practitioners via Fullscript.
Is Seed a public or private company?
Seed is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Seed founded?
Seed was founded in 2016. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Seed based?
Seed is headquartered in Venice, United States, in the North America region.
How does Seed make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Direct-to-Consumer Subscription is the primary driver. The others are practitioner Channel and retail Distribution.
Who are Seed's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are AG1 (Athletic Greens), Ritual, Care/of, Pendulum Therapeutics and HUM Nutrition. Broad incumbents are Culturelle, Align, Garden of Life and Olly. Seed Health's SeedLabs research peers (e.g., Novome Biotechnologies) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Seed have an API?
No public API is recorded for Seed.
What industry is Seed in?
Seed's product category is Microbiome Supplements. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAGAF, Probiotics & Digestive Health Supplements, with a secondary code of AFAJAKAE, Probiotics (Strains, Spore-Formers, Synbiotic Components). Its SIC code is 2836.