+ World’s first Cortisol Stress Reducer with near-immediate effect
+ Top-selling dietary supplement brand in Switzerland (BLICK)
+ Trusted by 1000’s of Professional Athletes
+ Backed by 3 clinical studies yielding statically significant results
+ Successful market entry at EQUINOX (Earthbar) California, with expansion to EQUINOX (Earthbar) NYC set for Q1 2025.
KA-EX is reaching new heights—from our launch at EQUINOX (earthbar) California to being hailed as Switzerland’s top dietary supplement (“Platzhirsch”, see BLICK). We’re creating a new product category: the first-ever Cortisol Stress Reducer with near-immediate effect.
As we expand into the USA, we’re on track to build a global household name. To complement our CHF 1.5M lead investment, we’re launching a CrowdCube campaign, inviting smaller investors to join with as little as CHF 100 and become a Co-Owner of our startup. With market conditions favoring growth, we aim to multiply our valuation significantly at exit.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHY A CROWD INVESTMENT CAMPAIGN?
Several small investors expressed interest during our last capital round in June 2024 (where we raised funds to run the US Market Test). However, the structure of that round required a minimum investment of CHF 50k. Moving forward, this minimum investment will even further increase to CHF 150k.
Now that our US Market Test has been successful and a comprehensive Go-To-Market Plan is in preparation, we want to offer our smaller shareholders another opportunity to increase their stake in our venture of becoming the next globally appraised Swiss innovation.
HOW IS THE USA MARKET TEST GOING?
We initiated a Market Test in the USA to assess Product-Market Fit, gauge consumer response, refine our messaging, and sharpen our target demographics. In June 2024, KA-EX launched as the first Swiss fast-moving consumer product EVER at 34 EQUINOX/Earthbar locations across California. The results have exceeded our expectations: in just five months, sales have multiplied 5x. In certain locations, KA-EX has quickly become one of the best-selling items, and recently, EQUINOX/Earthbar approached us with an invitation to expand into their NYC locations.
With insights from extensive quantitative and qualitative data, we are now finalizing a comprehensive Go-To-Market Plan and allocating $3 million as the launch budget with the ultimate goal of replicating our Swiss mainstream success in the USA.
WHO IS THE LEAD INVESTOR?
The USA-Go-To-Market strategy is backed by a Series A (USA) investment round, targeting a total of $ 3 million. A few weeks ago, we signed a term sheet with a strategic investor from Singapore. Alongside their CHF 1.5 million investment in KA-EX, we also discuss a distribution partnership in Asia. Leveraging their experience with other FMCG investments in Asia, they project annual revenues of $60 million within three years.
However, nearly all of the current investment will be focused on executing the US Go-To-Market Plan, with the potential Asian opportunities as an additional upside.
HOW IS SWITZERLAND DOING?
End of September, we successfully closed our fiscal year, achieving a +22% increase in top-line revenue compared to last year. This growth is especially encouraging, given the inflationary challenges many consumer products face. Additionally, a particularly poor summer in 2024 impacted our June and July sales, which we estimate were affected negatively by approximately -35%. It was also a period of transition within our team, as key employees in sales and marketing moved on, leaving gaps that took us several months to fill effectively.
It is exceptionally positive to see that additional revenue did not only come from KA-EX GO (+222% vs. LY), which was only launched in Q2 2023 but also from KA-EX PWD (+12%), which recently celebrated its 7th birthday.
WHY INVEST NOW?
Momentum. Momentum. Momentum. Just as location is everything in real estate, momentum is the driving force for startups. Our Swiss business continues to grow organically and profitably, providing a stable foundation for our scaling plans. Over the summer, we successfully launched in the USA, making a strong impact at one of the most prestigious locations—EQUINOX. This milestone has set the stage for continued growth.
As highlighted by Google Trends, especially in the US, interest in cortisol stress is rapidly increasing, with athletes and health-conscious individuals recognizing its critical role in fatigue, sleep quality, and training outcomes. KA-EX stands as the world’s best cortisol stress reducer, and the time to seize this opportunity is now.
