Zero dB
Zero dB is a Toronto-based functional beverage company (brand of Ikkuma Inc.) that sells botanical nootropic tonics with a proprietary plant extract blend developed with NeuroTheryX, targeting Canadian health-conscious consumers seeking natural focus and anxiety-reduction solutions via DTC e-commerce and national retail distribution.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersToronto, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Zero dB does
Zero dB, a brand of Canadian corporation Ikkuma Inc., is a Toronto-based functional beverage company that develops and sells botanical nootropic tonics designed to reduce mental noise and improve focus. The company's core product is built around a proprietary blend of licorice root, cacao, echinacea, and hops extracts, developed through a co-development partnership with NeuroTheryX (Dr. Armen Manoukian), whose proprietary CNS measurement platform was used to screen over 100 extracts from 25 unique plant species. The company positions the blend as having 20x higher bioactivity than CBD in anxiety-related brain regions, measured via NeuroTheryX's proprietary bioassay, and markets all SKUs as 100% organic, non-GMO, and backed by government-cited safe ingredients under US and Canadian regulatory frameworks. The product range includes the flagship zero-decibel tonic and a "+energy" variant combining focus and vitalization.
Zero dB operates a dual-channel go-to-market: direct-to-consumer sales through its Shopify-based drinkzerodb.com storefront (offering USD and CAD pricing with free Canadian shipping over $50) and wholesale distribution across Canada via over 200 retail points, including anchor Loblaw-banner stores (Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore, Atlantic Superstore, Zehrs, Fortinos), independent health food stores (Nature's Emporium, Amaranth Whole Foods Market), and pharmacies. The brand also runs an ambassador program through Collabs and produces the 'Quiet The Noise' podcast hosted by founder-CEO Gary LeBlanc to support top-of-funnel awareness.
The company is founder-led and bootstrap-stage by available signals: it has 1-10 employees, no disclosed institutional funding or revenue figures, and no recorded mergers, acquisitions, or restructuring activity. Distribution currently spans all ten Canadian provinces from Newfoundland to British Columbia, and the company is a member of the Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA). Revenue mechanics rely on repeat multi-pack (6-pack) DTC purchases supplemented by wholesale throughput into national grocery, health food, and pharmacy channels.
Zero dB firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Zero dB
- Legal name
- Ikkuma Inc.
- Website
- https://drinkzerodb.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Zero dB is a Toronto-based functional beverage company (brand of Ikkuma Inc.) that sells botanical nootropic tonics with a proprietary plant extract blend developed with NeuroTheryX, targeting Canadian health-conscious consumers seeking natural focus and anxiety-reduction solutions via DTC e-commerce and national retail distribution.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Zero dB industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Functional Beverages
- NAICS
- Soft Drink and Ice Manufacturing (31211), Soft Drink Manufacturing (312111), Beverage Manufacturing (3121)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080), Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Functional Beverages (Vitamins, Probiotics, Nootropics, etc.) (CRADAHAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Caffeinated Functional Beverage Production (Non-Energy) (AFAFAFAG), Healthy Aging & Cognitive Support Supplements (CRADAGAM)
Keywords
Where Zero dB is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Toronto
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Zero dB business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Personnel
Revenue model
- Direct-to-Consumer Beverage Sales: Zero dB generates revenue through direct sales of their botanical nootropic tonics to consumers via their e-commerce platform, with free shipping on orders over $50 in Canada. Products are sold in packs (e.g., 6-pack format) in both USD and CAD currencies.
- Retail Distribution: Revenue generated through wholesale distribution to retail partners across Canada, including major grocery chains, health food stores, and independent retailers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard beverage packs |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Zero dB product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Zero dB produces and sells botanical nootropic tonic beverages formulated with a proprietary blend of licorice root, cacao, echinacea, and hops extracts. The tonics are positioned to quiet mental noise and improve focus, with the company claiming 20x higher bioactivity than CBD in brain regions linked to anxiety. Products are sold direct-to-consumer via Shopify storefront and through retail distribution across Canada.
Product overview
Zero dB is a functional beverage company offering botanical nootropic tonics. The core product is the Zero dB Botanical Nootropic Tonic, designed to quiet mental noise and enhance focus using a proprietary blend of licorice root, cacao, echinacea, and hops extracts. The company also offers a +energy variant that provides additional vitalization for users needing both focus and energy. Both products are 100% organic, non-GMO, and biotech developed with lab testing.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Zero dB Botanical Nootropic Tonics Beverage tonics with botanical nootropics designed to help quiet mental noise, improve focus, and deliver heightened clarity. The nootropic blend contains licorice root, cacao, echinacea, and hops extracts, showing 20x higher bioactivity than CBD in brain regions linked to anxiety. Sold in 6-pack format to health-conscious consumers in Canada and the US.
- Zero dB +energy
Quantifiable outcome
- 20x higher bioactivity than CBD in a region of the brain linked to anxiety
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Zero dB
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Zero dB technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Zero dB partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- NeuroTheryXcoreZero dB partnered with Dr. Armen Manoukian's NeuroTheryX to develop their proprietary botanical nootropic blend. NeuroTheryX conducted extensive research on CNS-related genetic pathways linked to anxiety using their proprietary measurement platform, testing over 100 extracts from 25 unique plant species. This collaboration led to the discovery of the botanical combination that powers Zero dB products.
- CHFA (Canadian Health Food Association)minorZero dB is a proud member of the Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA), indicating alignment with industry standards for health and wellness products in Canada.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Zero dB competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Kin Euphorics: Kin Euphorics makes botanical, adaptogen-infused functional beverages positioned for mood and social relaxation, directly mirroring Zero dB's plant-based focus/calm tonic proposition and DTC-plus-retail distribution model.
- Recess: Recess produces hemp and adaptogen-based sparkling drinks marketed for calm, focus, and stress reduction, overlapping with Zero dB's botanical nootropic tonics in target use case and consumer profile.
- MUD\WTR: MUD\WTR is a functional mushroom-based coffee alternative positioned for focus and calm without caffeine, competing with Zero dB for consumers seeking natural alternatives to traditional stimulants.
- Four Sigmatic: Four Sigmatic is a functional mushroom and adaptogen beverages brand with both DTC and retail distribution, comparable to Zero dB's botanical nootropic tonics in formulation style, target consumer, and channels.
- TRIP: TRIP makes adaptogen- and CBD-infused sparkling drinks marketed for calm and focus, directly competing with Zero dB on the natural-nootropic-tonic proposition and the DTC-plus-retail go-to-market.
- De Soi: De Soi is a non-alcoholic, adaptogen-driven sparkling beverage brand targeting mindful, sober-curious consumers—an overlapping positioning with Zero dB's natural tonic focus on focus and anxiety reduction.
Broad incumbents
- Canopy Growth: Canopy Growth is a large Canadian cannabis and wellness-products operator with diverse functional and cannabinoid beverage offerings, representing an incumbent peer pursuing overlapping plant-based calm/focus consumers.
- Onnit: Onnit sells a broad portfolio of nootropic and adaptogen supplements including functional beverages, overlapping with Zero dB on cognitive performance and natural ingredient positioning, but with a much wider product catalog.
Emerging players
- Mela: Mela produces plant-based functional wellness shots and beverages focused on relaxation and recovery, an emerging competitor to Zero dB in the natural-calm functional beverage category.
- Cann: Cann is a low-dose THC and CBD social tonic brand, an adjacent nootropic/mood-beverage peer that targets the same sober-curious consumer leaning toward plant-based calm alternatives.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Zero dB social profiles
Digital presenceZero dB financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Zero dB leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Zero dB funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Zero dB 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 Zero dB
What does Zero dB do?
Zero dB produces and sells botanical nootropic tonic beverages formulated with a proprietary blend of licorice root, cacao, echinacea, and hops extracts. The tonics are positioned to quiet mental noise and improve focus, with the company claiming 20x higher bioactivity than CBD in brain regions linked to anxiety. Products are sold direct-to-consumer via Shopify storefront and through retail distribution across Canada.
Is Zero dB a public or private company?
Zero dB is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Zero dB founded?
Zero dB was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Zero dB based?
Zero dB is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Zero dB make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Direct-to-Consumer Beverage Sales are the primary driver. The others are retail Distribution.
Who are Zero dB's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Kin Euphorics, Recess, MUD\WTR, Four Sigmatic, TRIP and De Soi. Broad incumbents are Canopy Growth and Onnit. Emerging players are Mela and Cann.
Does Zero dB have an API?
No public API is recorded for Zero dB.
What industry is Zero dB in?
Zero dB's product category is Functional Beverages. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAHAL, Functional Beverages (Vitamins, Probiotics, Nootropics, etc.), with a secondary code of AFAFAFAG, Caffeinated Functional Beverage Production (Non-Energy). Its NAICS code is 31211 and its SIC code is 2080.