How this entrepreneur hopes to build a robust, data-centric approach to health and wellness

Andrew Herr, founder of Fount, wants to personalize healthcare. This one-size-fits-all approach, he says, doesn't work. But to do that, it needs better data. "The current data we have is garbage."

Herr, who has worked with military and executives to optimize their health, wants to expand beyond this elite niche to reach a wider audience. It's a step-by-step approach that he hopes will become more affordable with each step.

Founder Andrew Herr

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“Right now we have a few different issues with the way health care is set up,” he explains. “First we have these studies and clinical trials that are based on a small number of people, only about 20 to 40 usually. Second, they use mice – and these don't even look like the mice you would find in the nature, they've been changed. Third, the current incentive is to publish more papers and studies, because that's what medical research funds. So academics are stuck in that model."

Instead of small groups of people for clinical trials, Herr says it would take thousands to create a better data set. Instead of mice, you would need humans. And instead of a few simple blood tests, you need blood tests over a longer period of time, combined with other forms of testing and investigations.

By working with executives through his coaching business (who pay around $3,000 a month), he already has some of this data. However, he needs to enlarge it. It costs money and requires more support.

This week, Fount announced that he has raised $12 million for his Series A. Plus, he's part of a team that has the skills to move in that broader direction. Its co-founder Clayton Kim, for example, has a background in machine learning and AI, having worked as a data scientist at large companies before working on Fount. "So we have the expertise to be able to build that," repeats Herr.

"We get so much data per customer. What we need is about 5,000 people to go through the program. That's not a crazy number of people to get accurate models, which could be used to develop a more personalized approach to health care."

Herr has already developed a product that tackles jet lag, much like point proof. And he says it's been effective, claiming to help almost all of their clients deal with the uncomfortable effects of jet lag. Likewise, he has worked with women on menstrual issues, advising them on techniques to reduce cramps and monthly pain.

In the coming months, Herr will introduce a sleep-focused product. Essentially, it wants to tackle the usual lifestyle pain points: sleep, stress, mood, focus. Although these all cost less than his monthly coaching fee, they are still considered a "premium" service.

His goal, however, is that within a few years he will be able to bring the price down enough to be competitive with the cost of a monthly gym membership or pass. go for a yoga class. "I'm not just doing this to help the leaders. I really want to reach as many Americans as possible. »

And the answer isn't just supplements. It is a combination of techniques from changes in your lifestyle, sleep, meditation, exercise, nutrition, etc. “Supplements are helpful. But they need to be given at the right time and in the right dosage for them to really make a difference. »

This kind of personalized approach, he says, could help American address the underlying causes of inflammation and so many chronic diseases that can be reversed through non-medical intervention.

In fact, because the medical world demands a good deal of regulatory rigor, Herr and his colleagues have instead oriented Fount towards wellness. “But to be honest, I think a lot of lifestyle diseases can be cured without prescription drugs. In fact, often they are just managed with prescription drugs, not cured,” he says.

And while there are tons of health tech gadgets people can use to monitor their sleep, activity, stress, and more, he finds that these companies aren't as effective at providing a solution. "They tell you that your sleep is not good...