Zuko

What Zuko does

Zuko is a Brooklyn-based agile medtech product development firm founded in 2016 that specializes in taking consumer medtech products from ideation through commercialization and licensing to enterprise acquirers. The company's core technology centers on wearable light therapy devices, with its flagship product being the illuMask—the world's first wearable light therapy mask—which was acquired by Johnson & Johnson's Neutrogena brand and became a major commercial success. The product earned Allure's Best of Beauty 2017 award and received extensive press coverage in The New York Times, WWD, and Teen Vogue. Zuko's team has collectively commercialized 250+ patents and driven $10 billion in downstream retail sales across its product portfolio.

The company operates a B2B product development and licensing model rather than direct-to-consumer sales. Zuko develops intellectual property and commercially releases products that are subsequently acquired by Fortune 500 consumer goods companies, including Procter & Gamble, Unilever, and Johnson & Johnson. Revenue is generated through product acquisitions and licensing/royalty arrangements. The firm employs an Open Innovation approach, partnering with venture capital firms, subject matter experts, and Key Opinion Leaders throughout the development cycle. Services span invention and IP creation, product design and engineering, FDA 510(k) regulatory documentation, supply chain management, and quality assurance.

Zuko is led by CEO Jay Tapper with a lean team of 11-50 employees. The core team has worked together for over 20 years, providing continuity and domain expertise. In 2019, the company reconstituted with the original team and launched a new initiative to develop wearable technology for the athletic recovery market, representing a strategic vertical expansion beyond its dermatological light therapy heritage. The company has secured three funding rounds from Moonshots Capital between 2019 and 2020 to support this new product line.

Name

Zuko

Website

https://zukopd.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Zuko is a Brooklyn-based medtech product development firm that designs and commercializes consumer wearable medical devices, then licenses or sells them to Fortune 500 companies like Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, and Unilever.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medtech Product Development Services

NAICS

Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing (3391), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451)

SIC

Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Manufacturing Quality Assurance & GMP Compliance (batch release, deviation/CAPA, tech transfer QA) (HLAGAKAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Quality Engineering & Risk Management (ICH Q9/Q10, validation, change control) (HLAGAKAL), Musculoskeletal (MSK) & Physical Therapy Virtual Care (HLALADAC)

Keywords

• Medtech product development
• Wearable light therapy
• Consumer medical devices
• FDA 510(k) consulting
• CPG product innovation

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Product Development & Licensing: Zuko develops consumer medtech products from ideation to launch and generates revenue through product acquisitions by larger companies. The company creates intellectual property and commercially releases products that are subsequently acquired by Fortune 500 companies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Zuko is an agile medtech product development firm that pioneers comprehensive consumer medical device design and development from ideation to launch. It builds proprietary products such as the world's first wearable light therapy mask (illuMask) and athletic recovery wearables, then licenses or sells those products to Fortune 500 companies like Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, and Unilever for commercialization. Its service offerings span invention and IP creation, product strategy, design and engineering, FDA 510(k) regulatory documentation, supply chain, and quality assurance.

Product overview

Zuko is an agile medtech product development firm that specializes in comprehensive product design and development from ideation to launch. The company's portfolio centers on consumer medtech products, with its flagship success being the illuMask Light Therapy Mask—the world's first wearable light therapy mask—which was acquired by Johnson & Johnson's Neutrogena brand. Zuko offers medtech product development services including strategy, product development, FDA regulatory support, and manufacturing capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• illuMask Light Therapy Mask The world's first wearable light therapy mask using LED technology to treat skin conditions such as acne. Originally developed by Zuko as illuMask, it was acquired by Johnson & Johnson's Neutrogena brand and commercialized as the Neutrogena Light Therapy Acne Mask.
• Medtech Product Development Services Comprehensive consumer medtech product design and development services from ideation to launch, including invention and IP creation, product design and engineering, packaging, FDA 510(k) regulatory documentation, supply chain management, marketing strategy and activation, sales channel strategy, and quality assurance. Delivered to enterprise customers such as Fortune 500 consumer goods companies.

Quantifiable outcome

• $10 billion in retail sales generated from Zuko-developed products
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZuko partners with subject matter experts throughout the product development cycle to provide specialized knowledge and expertise in medtech innovation and commercialization.
• Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZuko collaborates with Key Opinion Leaders to provide clinical and scientific validation for medical device products, particularly in the FDA 510(k) regulatory process.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• IDEO: IDEO is a global design and innovation consultancy that develops products and services for large enterprises across many industries. While broader and not medtech-specialized, it competes with Zuko for open-innovation budgets at Fortune 500 consumer health clients.
• Frog Design: Frog is a global design and engineering firm that creates products, services, and experiences for large enterprise clients. As a broad incumbent in the product development services space, it competes with Zuko for consumer health innovation engagements at major CPG companies.

Direct peers

• Sagentia Innovation: Sagentia is a global science and engineering consultancy that develops innovative products for medtech, consumer health, and industrial clients. Like Zuko, it pairs scientific R&D with regulatory and commercialization support, often delivering products to large acquirers.
• Ximedica: Ximedica is a medical device design and development firm offering full lifecycle services from concept through manufacturing, including FDA regulatory expertise. Its focus on medtech product development for large healthcare players makes it a direct peer to Zuko's consumer medtech studio.
• StarFish Medical: StarFish Medical is a contract medical device design, development, and manufacturing firm serving startups and large medtech companies. Like Zuko, it offers end-to-end product development including FDA regulatory documentation, making it one of the closest comparables in the medtech product studio space.
• Cambridge Consultants: Cambridge Consultants is a global product development and technology consultancy that invents and develops breakthrough products for large enterprises, often handing them off for commercialization. Its model of building IP-rich innovations for Fortune 500 acquirers closely parallels Zuko's open-innovation studio approach.
• Product Creation Studio: Product Creation Studio is a Seattle-based product design and development firm that builds physical products for startups and Fortune 500 companies. Its B2B model of inventing products and partnering with large companies for commercialization mirrors Zuko's studio approach.
• BOLT Group: BOLT Group is a product design and development firm specializing in medical devices and consumer health products, including regulatory pathway expertise. Its B2B medtech product creation focus aligns directly with Zuko's studio model for Fortune 500 acquirers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zuko-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zuko