What Penguin Cold Cap does

Penguin Cold Cap, operating under the legal entity Medical Specialities of California UK Ltd, is a private healthcare company founded in 1996 by engineer Frank Fronda to address chemotherapy-induced hair loss. The company develops and rents a manual scalp cooling system built around proprietary Crylon gel-filled caps that are pre-cooled, fitted snugly to the scalp before, during, and after chemotherapy infusions, and rotated on a defined schedule to keep hair follicles in a hibernated vasoconstricted state. The core product portfolio consists of a Standard Kit ($449/month) and a Premier Kit ($499/month) for clinics with installed biomedical freezers, complemented by tiered professional services including remote and in-person capper training, first-treatment-day support, per-session professional capping ($400-600/session), and a White Glove full-service tier.

The company makes money primarily through monthly kit rentals, professional services add-ons, and pass-through dry ice arrangements with Linde and Nexair, and serves individual oncology patients rather than institutional accounts. Distribution is hybrid: a direct-to-consumer online ordering portal feeds into a local representative network across the US, UK, Canada, Australia, UAE, Israel, and France, with a US distribution hub in Lexington, Michigan and FedEx as the primary logistics partner. Approximately 57% of customers are referred by their oncology medical teams, and the company cites 1,400+ partner hospitals and 25,000+ patients served across 56+ countries. Charity endorsements from The Rapunzel Project and Hair To Stay, alongside media coverage in CBS, CNN, ABC, The New York Times, and USA Today, drive patient awareness. All manufacturing materials are FDA-approved in the US and approved in Canada, supporting the company's claim of operating in regulated healthcare markets.

Name

Penguin Cold Cap

Legal name

Medical Specialities of California UK Ltd

Website

https://penguincoldcaps.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Penguin Cold Cap is a private UK-founded healthcare company that rents proprietary Crylon gel-based scalp cooling kits and professional capper services to chemotherapy patients across 56+ countries to prevent treatment-induced hair loss.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Cold Cap Kit Rental: Monthly rental of Penguin Cold Cap kits including caps, gel headbands, straps, thermometer, and optional cooler. Charged per month rather than per use. Refunds are pro-rated for unused rental days. Customers charged monthly until caps are returned to depot.
2. Professional Capping Services: Professional capper services for treatment day assistance, ranging from first treatment-day training ($) to white glove full-service ($$, $$$) covering all chemotherapy sessions.
3. Training Services: Remote video training (1-2 hours) and in-person training sessions provided by professional cap technicians for customers and their designated cappers.
4. Dry Ice (Third-party): Dry ice for cap cooling must be purchased separately from local suppliers ($50-99 per treatment). Company offers discounted pricing through Linde and Nexair partnerships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Penguin Cold Caps rents manual scalp cooling kits (Standard Kit and Premier Kit) on a monthly subscription basis to chemotherapy patients seeking to minimize hair loss. Each kit contains Crylon gel-filled cold caps, gel headbands, straps, a thermometer, and a cooler. The company also offers professional capping services, including live video training, in-person training, first treatment-day support, and a White Glove Service where a professional capper attends every chemotherapy session.

Product overview

Penguin Cold Cap offers a manual cold cap therapy system for chemotherapy patients to minimize hair loss. The core product portfolio consists of two rental kit tiers: the Standard Kit (3 caps, $449/month) and Premier Kit (14 caps, $499/month). Both kits utilize proprietary Crylon gel-filled caps that cool the scalp to preserve hair follicles. The kits can be paired with optional service add-ons including live video training, in-person training, first treatment-day support, and a comprehensive White Glove Service where professional cappers attend every chemotherapy session. The system differentiates itself from machine-based alternatives through superior temperature retention, closer scalp fit, and the ability for patients to move freely during treatment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Penguin Cold Caps Standard Kit Monthly rental cold cap therapy kit containing 3 Penguin Cold Caps, 3 Gel Headbands, forehead protectors, thermometer, 2 black straps, 1 gold strap, gloves, and a 60qt roller cooler. Priced at $449/month with a $189 refundable deposit; designed for individual chemotherapy patients seeking to minimize hair loss.
• Penguin Cold Caps Premier Kit Monthly rental cold cap therapy kit containing 14 Penguin Cold Caps and 4 Gel Headbands, designed for oncology clinics and treatment centers with installed biomedical freezers. Priced at $499/month; enables in-clinic cap rotation across multiple patients.
• Live Video Training Tailored live video training for cold capping lasting 1–2 hours, designed to fit around chemotherapy treatment schedules. Maximum 2 designated cappers plus the patient can participate.
• In-Person 1-to-1 Training Personalized in-home training with a professional Penguin cap technician lasting approximately 2 hours; covers cap fitting, rotation, and storage best practices for the patient and their designated capper.
• First Treatment-Day Training Professional cap technician support on the patient's first day of treatment, lasting 4–8 hours. Includes pre-cooling caps, scalp preparation guidance, cap storage and rotation instructions.
• White Glove Service Full-service cold capping with a dedicated professional cap technician present at every chemotherapy session, handling dry ice arrangements, cap pre-cooling, rotation management, fitting optimization, and companionship throughout treatment.
• Professional Capping Service Per-session professional capper assistance during chemotherapy sessions, averaging $400–$600 per session. Technicians liaise with clinics and ensure personalized schedules are followed.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60-90% hair retention during chemotherapy
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FedExcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTrusted shipping partner for global delivery of Penguin Cold Cap kits. Ships domestically within the US with next-day delivery available, and internationally with discreet packaging. Provides FREE return shipping for kit returns.
• LindeminorOthersDry ice supplier offering exclusive discounted pricing to Penguin Cold Caps customers. Contact through local Penguin representatives for customer account numbers.
• NexairminorOthersAlternative dry ice supplier with exclusive discounted pricing for Penguin Cold Caps customers in areas where Linde is unavailable.
• The Rapunzel ProjectcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCharity that recommends Penguin Cold Caps and supports patient awareness of scalp cooling options. Provides professional endorsement to patients and healthcare providers.
• Hair To StaycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNon-profit organization offering grants to offset scalp cooling costs and professionally recommending Penguin Cold Caps. National coverage in the USA.
• Hair to Stay (Michigan)minorOthersCap & Conquer - Michigan-based non-profit providing need-based financial support to patients in Southeast Michigan choosing scalp cooling therapy.
• Cold Capital FundminorOthersNon-profit organization providing financial assistance to patients in DC, Maryland, and Virginia who want scalp cooling therapy to minimize hair loss.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Paxman Scalp Cooling: UK-based pioneer in automated machine-based scalp cooling for chemotherapy patients. Directly competes with Penguin in the same product category; differs in delivery mechanism (machine vs manual cold caps) and shares the same oncology supportive care positioning.
• Dignitana: Swedish company that developed the FDA-cleared DigniCap automated scalp cooling system. Direct competitor to Penguin in chemotherapy-induced hair loss prevention; offers clinic-controlled machine-based system as alternative to Penguin's manual caps.
• Arctic Cold Caps: Manual cold cap competitor offering similar gel-based cap rental model to Penguin Cold Caps for chemotherapy patients, primarily in North America. Closest direct competitor in the manual cold cap segment.
• Chemo Cold Caps: Manual cold cap system competing directly with Penguin in the rental cold cap market for chemo patients, particularly in North America. Uses gel-based caps with dry ice cooling in the same product category.
• Wishcaps: Manual cold cap therapy provider offering cryotherapy gel caps for chemotherapy patients. Competes in the same manual cold cap rental category as Penguin with comparable service model.

Emerging players

• Cooler Heads Care: US-based startup developing scalp cooling solutions for chemotherapy patients. Emerging player in the same category with newer technology approaches and venture backing.
• Luminate Medical: Irish medical device startup focused on preventing chemotherapy-induced side effects including hair loss. Developing alternative technologies to traditional cold caps with wearable device approach.

Others

• Hair To Stay: US non-profit providing financial grants for scalp cooling therapy to cancer patients. Not a competitor but key ecosystem partner that subsidizes patient access to Penguin Cold Caps and similar systems.
• The Rapunzel Project: Non-profit charity promoting awareness of scalp cooling for chemotherapy patients. Endorses Penguin Cold Caps and serves as marketing/awareness partner rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/penguincoldcaps

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Penguin Cold Cap