Whether it be a healthier diet, a new type of exercise, improving your mental health, or examining your quality of life, it’s hard to escape the growing trend for self-betterment.
Chances are, you will have tried some of the wellbeing trends that have popped up over the last few years – Paleo delivery services, standing desks, hot yoga, fitness holidays, activity trackers like FitBit, fermented foods, the 5:2 diet, meditation.
These trends come and go, but the wellbeing trend as a whole is here to stay, at least that’s what the figures below would suggest.
The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) is a non-profit organization that empowers wellness worldwide by educating public and private sectors about preventative health and wellness.
It’s the only organisation that “measures and analyses the ten markets (from fitness/mind-body to wellness tourism) that comprise the global wellness industry.”
A recent report shows that the wellness industry has grown worldwide by 10/6% to $3.72 trillion even though the global economy decreased – “making it one of the world’s fastest-growing, most resilient markets.”
Entrepreneurs are creating successful businesses on the back of our love of wellbeing. Here are some of the health and wellness startups that caught are eye. Take note, you may be inspired to start your own.
Founded in 2015, Perkbox work with businesses to provide employee perks aimed to improve staff engagement and wellbeing. They offer vouchers to spend on things like food and entertainment, free phone insurance, discounted travel, movie tickets and more. Employers are clearly seeing the need for these kinds of employee benefits – in just two years Perkbox already have 300,000 customers, 95 staff, and a turnover in excess of £4m.
Urban Massage launched in 2014 and now have a staff of 25 and counting. They offer mobile massage services, bookable online or via their app – and with real-time availability they are able to ensure their massage therapists arrive in under an hour. The company use tech to deliver a seamless online experience, enabling therapists to upload their ability, confirm appointments and GPS-tag their location for security.
Launched in July 2015, Kokoon Technology are the first smart, sleep-sensing headphones. Designed to aid a good night’s sleep, the device tracks your sleep cycle, identifying bad habits and moulding to the contours of your head. The now 12-strong team raised $1.9m on Kickstarter and have already pre-sold 10,000 units.
Husband and Wife team, Tamara and Ben Arbib launched Rebel Kitchen in 2014. Rebel Kitchen started their venture with a range of ‘mylk’ drinks made from a base of “ethically sourced” coconut. Blending the coconut with Somerset water – the drinks also include natural ingredients such as Fairtrade cacao, date nectar, Brazilian oranges and bananas. The products are now sold in Waitrose, Ocado, Tescos and Wholefoods Markets and are expanding into the US this year with a growing product range.
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