101. Ara Katz, co-founder & co-CEO of Seed Health

Today I’m joined by Ara Katz, co-founder & co-CEO of Seed
Health — a microbial sciences company. 


 


In this episode, we discuss the microbiome and the many ways it
impacts well-being. Ara explains Seed’s approach to building a
platform around studying and commercializing probiotics. And we
talk about the differences between wellness, healthcare, and
consumer life science. 


 


More from Ara 


 


A serial entrepreneur, advisor and angel investor, Ara Katz has
eclectic experience at the intersection of health, tech,
environment, media and design. 


 


She founded Seed Health to pioneer applications of microbes for
both human and environmental health. Her work encompasses the
translation of breakthrough science for a pipeline of probiotic
innovations from discovery through commercialization across
product, brand, insights, design-thinking, delivery technologies,
industrial design, international DTC, new retail strategies,
community, fundraising, channel expansion, business development
and science communication. 


 


She spearheaded the company’s $40MM fundraising to accelerate R+D
and accelerate the company’s pipeline beyond gut microbiome into
microbial applications across dermatology, oral hygiene,
pediatrics, women's health, infant health and nutrition. She
brought the company carbon negative, to profitability, and led
the acquisition of digital health ML company, Auggi.


 


Ara is also a co-founder of Seed Health’s environmental division,
SeedLabs, and its first partner biotech company focused on
women’s health, LUCA Biologics. Their first therapeutic for rUTI
enters the clinic in September 2021 followed by interventions for
BV and Preterm Birth. 


 


Previously, Ara co-founded mobile commerce startup Spring, where
she helped launch ApplePay on iPhone, and has invested in and
advised companies across consumer, health and tech such as:
RXDefine (TeleMed), C16 Biosciences (Sustainability),
MindBodyGreen (Wellness), Mahmee (Maternal Care), Stadium Goods
(Consumer / Marketplace), and Unicycle (Ed Tech). 


 


Ara was a Visiting Fellow at the MIT Media Lab, where she helped
create the Center for Future Storytelling and CCA’s Design
Thinking MBA program. She has appeared on numerous podcasts like
Rich Roll, Girlboss Radio, Welltodo, Commune and Broken Brain.
She has been named in Marie Claire’s ‘The New Guard: The 50 Most
Influential Women in America,’ Business Insider’s Silicon Alley
‘Top 100’ and ‘36 Rockstar Women in NYC Tech,’ Create +
Cultivate’s ‘100 List for STEM,’ and Women We Admire’s ‘Top 100
Women CEOs of 2021.’ Her work has earned accolades such as Fast
Company’s World Changing Ideas 2019, 2020, and 2021,TIME’s Best
Inventions 2018, and a Webby Award for Best Use of Stories in
2020. 


 


She lives in Venice, California with her husband and
five-year-old son, Pax (the reason Seed Health exists). She is
passionate about the communication of science, the interplay of
the environment and physical space, and the connecting of never
before connected dots. Lastly, she’s the proud owner of several
tardigrades who live at Harvard’s Museum of Natural History.


 


More from Fitt Insider


 


Fitt Insider is a platform for entrepreneurs, executives, and
investors redefining the business of fitness and wellness.


 


From our newsletter and podcast to our industry-specific jobs
board, we create content and resources to drive the industry
forward. We also invest in early-stage health and fitness
companies.



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