Ketone-IQ
 | |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Nutrition |
| Founders | Geoffrey Woo, Michael Brandt |
| Headquarters | San Francisco |
Area served | United States |
| Key people | Jon Jones (Co-owner)[1] Steven Bartlett (Co-owner)[2] |
| Website | ketone |
Ketone-IQ is an American company that specializes in manufacturing and distributing a ketone drink.[3][4][5] Previously known as Health Via Modern Nutrition, Inc or "HVMN", the company re-branded itself as Ketone-IQ in May 2024.
History
[edit]The company was founded as Nootrobox in 2014 by Geoffrey Woo and Michael Brandt.[6] While forming the company Woo was an Entrepreneur in residence at venture capital firm Foundation Capital,[7] while Brandt worked as a Google employee, a freelance photographer, and an adjunct professor at the Academy of Art University.[8][9]
In October 2015, the company announced that Silicon Valley angel investors including Marissa Mayer and Mark Pincus had invested $500,000 in the company.[10] In December 2015, Andreessen Horowitz led a $2 million venture capital round in the company. Chris Dixon, who has experience at companies like Soylent, led the investment for Andreessen Horowitz.[11]
In August 2016, the company partnered with 7-Eleven locations in San Francisco.[12] In January 2017, Woo and Brandt were named to Forbes 30 Under 30 in Consumer Technology.[13] In June 2017, the company changed its name to H.V.M.N., "Health Via Modern Nutrition".[14] In 2018, HVMN products affiliated with United States Special Operations Command were tested as part of Operation Tech Warrior hosted at the National Center for Medical Readiness.[15] In 2023, HVMN launched in nationwide grocery retail in Sprouts Farmers Market.[16]
In 2024, the company re-branded itself as Ketone-IQ and ketone.com, which is the name of the company's primary product. Ketone-IQ signed a three year partnership with Visma–Lease a Bike (men's team), a UCI World Tour team.[17]
In 2025, Ketone-IQ brought on podcaster Steven Bartlett and UFC fighter Jon Jones as co-owners of the company. As of that date, Ketone-IQ is distributed nationwide in Target, Sprouts, and other retailers.[2]
Studies and results
[edit]In September 2018, HVMN was the nutrition sponsor for cyclist Vittoria Bussi, who broke the UCI Hour record using HVMN Ketone Ester drinks (not Ketone-IQ drinks) in the training run up and on the day of the record.[18] In the 2019 Tour de France, multiple cycling teams including Team Jumbo–Visma and Lotto–Soudal confirmed use of ketone ester for performance and recovery.[19]
In 2019, the United States Special Operations Command awarded HVMN a $6M research contract for a two-phase study to investigate impact of ketone esters (not Ketone-IQ drinks) on soldier performance at altitude, in mountains, on fighter jets, and in space, and researching how ketone esters impact cognition, physiological reserve, and oxygen availability under stressors like hypoxia.[20]
Culture
[edit]In 2016 the company instituted a weekly intermittent fasting day for staff.[21] This was in line with a fad among Silicon Valley companies and workers at that time to use biohacking techniques in the workplace.[22]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Jon Jones lands new job after UFC retirement". TalkSport. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
- 1 2 "Ketone-IQ Adds 'Opportunistic' Investment, New Retail Partners". bevnet.com. September 19, 2025. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
- ↑ Castro, Vicky (March 5, 2015). "The 'Brain-Enhancing' Drugs That Are Sweeping Silicon Valley". Inc.com. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ "Don't have time to drink your coffee? Chew it with Go Cubes". CNET. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
- ↑ "The Perks of Fasting, With None of the Work". The Atlantic. November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
- ↑ Buhr, Sarah (June 27, 2017). "Nootrobox is now HVMN and will sell biohacking products beyond nootropics". TechCrunch. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
- ↑ Perez, Sarah. "Nootrobox Launches Its "Smart Drugs" Subscription Service". TechCrunch. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ D'ONFRO, JILLIAN. "This Twenty-Something Ditched His Dream Job At Google And Now He Has A Startup That Sells Brain-Enhancing Pills". Business Insider. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ "A Pair of Entrepreneurs Focuses on 'Nutrients for Your Brain'". WeWork. June 18, 2015. Archived from the original on June 19, 2015. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
- ↑ "Marissa Mayer and Mark Pincus invested in a startup that makes 'brain drugs' and chewable coffee", Business Insider, October 13, 2015
- ↑ "Andreessen Horowitz to Invest in Nootropics Start-Up", New York Times, December 3, 2015
- ↑ "More money is being poured into start-ups that 'hack' the human brain", CNBC, August 4, 2016
- ↑ "Michael Brandt, 28, and Geoffrey Woo, 28 - undefined - 2017 30 Under 30: Consumer Technology". Forbes. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ↑ "Nootrobox is now HVMN and will sell biohacking products beyond nootropics", Techcrunch, June 17, 2017
- ↑ "Businesses test innovations during technology acceleration event", Dayton Daily News
- ↑ "Ketone-IQ Launches in Nationwide Grocery Retail". BevNET.com. April 3, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ↑ "Visma–Lease a Bike signs three-year partnership with Ketone-IQ". CyclingUpToDate.com. January 26, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ↑ "Vittoria Bussi breaks Hour Record in second attempt within 48-hours". Cycling Weekly. 2018.
- ↑ "Does Ketone Ester Supplementation Boost Cycling Performance?". Medscape. July 18, 2019.
- ↑ "H.V.M.N. Announces Ketone-IQ: The Next-Generation of Drinkable Ketones". www.businesswire.com. January 13, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ↑ "'Hacking' the brain: Silicon Valley entrepreneurs turn to fasting and 'smart drugs'", Mercury News, July 9, 2016
- ↑ "Silicon Valley Tech Workers are Trading Unlimited Snacks for Fasts and L.S.D.", Vanity Fair, July 14, 2016