Sweat-Tech Wearable Epicore Biosystems Raises $26M
The Series B funding will advance Epicore’s vision to keep individuals hydrated and safe from rising temperatures
Epicore Biosystems, known for its sweat-sensing wearables, has secured $26 million in a Series B led by the Steele Foundation for Hope (SFFH).
The capital will support Epicore’s global ambitions for its personalized hydration and cloud analytics platform and enter new biomarker areas associated with kidney health, women’s health, malnutrition and environmental toxin exposures.
As of now, Epicore offers the Gx Sweat Patch in partnership with PepsiCo and Gatorade, which captures sweat to analyze fluid and electrolyte loss during workouts; the Discovery Patch Sweat Collection System that analyzes sweat to uncover information on hydration, nutrition and stress; and the Connected Hydration wearable and cloud platform geared for industrial workers and their safety.
“Epicore has developed a new class of biochemical sensing wearables that enable the sports, fitness and connected worker sectors to unlock key health and wellness insights,” Epicore CEO and co-founder Dr. Roozbeh Ghaffari said. “Our technology delivers data-driven recommendations to the wearer to help manage these types of challenges. The Series B investment will help expand our global reach and accelerate the validation of new biomarkers needed to shape the future of personalized hydration and wellness strategies for all.”
Notably, Steele Foundation for Hope’s investment in Epicore is as much about improving personal health as it is about supporting those most affected by climate change. Following Epicore’s $10 million Series A in early 2022, the wearable tech company says it has grown its customer base by 24x, serving the energy, construction, manufacturing and aviation sectors.
“Epicore’s commitment to improving personalized health for those in critical need aligned strongly with our mission to improve the quality of life for people in need worldwide,” Steele Foundation for Hope CEO Joe Exner said. “We are proud to back Epicore’s pioneering work in sweat-monitoring technology, an innovation with significant potential to address the critical health challenges frontline populations face due to climate change.”
Rising temperatures have also provided a pathway for other products to emerge, including Otella Cooling Body Spray, which offers clean ingredients and instant cooling for athletes and those who spend a considerable amount of time outdoors.