Lifestyle investors capitalizing wellness, fitness and DTC brands in 2026

Lifestyle investors back wellness, fitness, beauty, and consumer brands. Most focus on DTC models with strong unit economics and repeat purchase rates. The sector saw $12B in funding during 2025, down from $18B in 2021, so investors are more selective about customer acquisition costs and retention metrics.

Quick list

Finding investors who actually understand consumer brands

Experience: Find investors who've backed brands through profitability, not just growth rounds. Series A lifestyle investors often don't understand late-stage margin compression. To compare what support tools you may need as you scale, check our plans.

Network: Ask their portfolio companies about actual retail distribution help and manufacturing connections. Generic "we have a great network" answers are useless.

Alignment: Make sure they've funded similar business models before. DTC-only funds won't help with wholesale expansion, and CPG funds might push retail too early. Ensure your pitch deck reflects your actual go-to-market model.

Track record: Look at whether their portfolio companies raised follow-on rounds. Dead portfolio companies or down rounds are red flags. Track investor behavior with our analytics.

Communication: Use Ellty to share your deck with trackable links. You'll see who actually opens your unit economics versus just skimming the brand story.

Value-add: Ask what operational support they provide during manufacturing scale-up and retail negotiations. Most investors oversell their operational expertise.

How to reach lifestyle investors without wasting time

Identify potential investors: Research recent deals on Pitchbook for brands in your category. Seed funds won't lead your Series B, no matter how strong your retention metrics are.

Craft a compelling pitch: Show LTV:CAC ratios and repeat purchase rates upfront. Most investors are tired of brand storytelling without profitability paths. With our lead capture, collect viewer emails automatically.

Share your pitch deck: Upload to Ellty and send trackable links. Monitor which pages investors spend time on. If they skip your distribution strategy, that's useful information.

Utilize your network: Message portfolio founders on LinkedIn and ask about response times and actual operational help. Most will be honest about what support they actually received.

Attend networking events: Natural Products Expo West and WWD Beauty Inc events are where deals happen. Skip generic startup conferences.

Engage on online platforms: Connect with partners on LinkedIn after you've been introduced through a portfolio founder. Cold DMs rarely work in consumer investing.

Organize due diligence: Set up an Ellty data room with your financial model, supply agreements, and retail projections before they ask. It speeds up the diligence process. Explore our platform to streamline your outreach workflows.

Set up introductory meetings: Lead with your customer payback period and retention curves. Don't waste 20 minutes on TAM slides they've seen 100 times.

Why this matters now

Consumer brands raised $12B in 2025, down from $18B in 2021. Investors want profitability timelines, not just growth stories. CAC rose 30% across DTC channels during 2024, so brands with organic channels and retail distribution get better terms. Lifestyle investors closed 40% fewer deals in 2025 but wrote larger checks for proven brands. If you're raising in 2026, you'll need 50%+ gross margins and clear unit economics.

15 best lifestyle investors

1. Coefficient Capital

They focus on consumer health and wellness brands with subscription models. Portfolio companies get help with manufacturing partnerships and retail expansion.

• Recent Deals: Hims & Hers $75M Series C (2023), wellness brand $20M Series A (Q4 2024)
• LinkedIn: Coefficient Capital
• Sector Focus: telehealth, wellness subscriptions, consumer health
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C
• Location: New York, USA
• Website: coefficientcapital.com

2. Willow Growth Partners

They back wellness and nutrition brands doing $10M+ revenue. They're selective about customer acquisition efficiency.

• Recent Deals: Athletic Greens competitor $30M (Q1 2025), supplement brand $18M Series B (Q3 2024)
• LinkedIn: Willow Growth Partners
• Sector Focus: nutrition, supplements, wellness
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, growth equity
• Location: Boston, USA
• Website: willowgrowth.com

3. Unilever Ventures

Corporate VC with access to Unilever's supply chain and retail relationships. They move slower than independent funds but offer real distribution advantages.

• Recent Deals: Versed beauty $25M (late 2024), sustainable personal care brand $15M Series A (Q2 2025)
• LinkedIn: Unilever Ventures
• Sector Focus: beauty, personal care, sustainable consumer goods
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B
• Location: London, UK
• Website: unileverventures.com

4. True Beauty Ventures

Beauty-focused fund that understands clean formulation and retail beauty economics. They're hands-on with product development.

• Recent Deals: Tula skincare $15M Series A (early 2025), clean beauty brand $10M seed (Q3 2024)
• LinkedIn: True Beauty Ventures
• Sector Focus: clean beauty, skincare, color cosmetics
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A
• Location: Los Angeles, USA
• Website: truebeautyventures.com

5. R/GA Ventures

They back connected fitness and wellness tech. Portfolio companies get product design and brand strategy support.

• Recent Deals: Tonal $450M valuation round (2024), fitness app $12M Series A (Q1 2025)
• LinkedIn: R/GA Ventures
• Sector Focus: fitness tech, wellness platforms, connected devices
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A, Series B
• Location: New York, USA
• Website: rgaventures.com

6. CAVU Consumer Partners

They focus on functional beverages and better-for-you CPG. They have strong retail buyer relationships at Whole Foods and Target.

• Recent Deals: Olipop $40M (2025), functional coffee brand $15M Series A (Q4 2024)
• LinkedIn: CAVU Consumer Partners
• Sector Focus: functional beverages, better-for-you snacks, CPG
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, growth equity
• Location: Minneapolis, USA
• Website: cavuconsumer.com

7. Strand Equity

They back subscription wellness brands with strong retention metrics. They want to see 60%+ annual retention before investing.

• Recent Deals: Ritual vitamins $20M (Q2 2025), wellness subscription $12M Series A (late 2024)
• LinkedIn: Strand Equity
• Sector Focus: subscription wellness, vitamins, personalized health
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B
• Location: San Francisco, USA
• Website: strandequity.com

8. KB Partners

They invest in mental wellness and mindfulness platforms. They're realistic about consumer willingness to pay for mental health apps.

• Recent Deals: Calm Business $18M Series A (2025), meditation app $8M seed (Q3 2024)
• LinkedIn: KB Partners
• Sector Focus: mental wellness, mindfulness apps, employee wellness
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A
• Location: New York, USA
• Website: kbpartners.com

9. L Catterton

Luxury and premium lifestyle brands. They have LVMH backing and can help with international expansion, but they're selective about brand positioning.

• Recent Deals: Purple mattress $1.1B valuation (late 2024), premium home goods brand $50M Series C (Q1 2025)
• LinkedIn: L Catterton
• Sector Focus: premium consumer brands, home goods, lifestyle
• Stage Focus: Series B, Series C, growth equity
• Location: Greenwich, USA
• Website: lcatterton.com

10. CircleUp

Data-driven CPG investor that uses their own platform to identify brands. They backed 8 brands in 2025 and focus on underhyped categories.

• Recent Deals: Better-for-you snack company $12M (Q2 2025), sustainable home care brand $8M Series A (late 2024)
• LinkedIn: CircleUp
• Sector Focus: CPG, food and beverage, household goods
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A, Series B
• Location: San Francisco, USA
• Website: circleup.com

11. VMG Partners

They back premium lifestyle brands at growth stage. They led Vuori's round and helped with wholesale expansion strategy.

• Recent Deals: Vuori apparel $50M (Q3 2025), premium skincare brand $35M Series B (Q1 2025)
• LinkedIn: VMG Partners
• Sector Focus: premium apparel, beauty, lifestyle brands
• Stage Focus: Series B, Series C, growth equity
• Location: San Francisco, USA
• Website: vmgpartners.com

12. Boulder Food Group

Food and beverage focused investor with strong retail distribution expertise. They want brands doing $5M+ revenue with clear retail velocity.

• Recent Deals: Plant-based protein company $22M (2025), functional snack brand $15M Series A (Q4 2024)
• LinkedIn: Boulder Food Group
• Sector Focus: food and beverage, plant-based, functional foods
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B
• Location: Boulder, USA
• Website: boulderfoodgroup.com

13. PowerPlant Ventures

Plant-based and alternative protein investor. They understand food science and manufacturing complexity better than generalist consumer VCs.

• Recent Deals: Alternative protein startup $15M Series A (early 2025), plant-based dairy $10M seed (Q3 2024)
• LinkedIn: PowerPlant Ventures
• Sector Focus: plant-based foods, alternative protein, sustainable food tech
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A
• Location: Durham, USA
• Website: powerplantventures.com

14. Alliance Consumer Growth

They back wellness brands at Series B stage with proven product-market fit. They helped Needed scale from DTC to retail partnerships.

• Recent Deals: Needed supplements $35M Series B (2025), women's wellness brand $25M Series B (Q4 2024)
• LinkedIn: Alliance Consumer Growth
• Sector Focus: wellness, women's health, premium supplements
• Stage Focus: Series B, Series C
• Location: New York, USA
• Website: alliancecg.com

15. Silas Capital

Premium fitness equipment and active lifestyle brands. They understand the challenges of hardware manufacturing and inventory management.

• Recent Deals: Premium fitness equipment $28M (Q4 2024), active lifestyle brand $20M Series B (Q2 2025)
• LinkedIn: Silas Capital
• Sector Focus: fitness equipment, active lifestyle, sports tech
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, growth equity
• Location: New York, USA
• Website: silascapital.com

Track which investors actually read your materials

These 15 investors closed lifestyle brand deals from 2025 to 2026. Before you start outreach, set up proper tracking so you know who's actually interested.

Upload your deck to Ellty and create a unique link for each investor. You'll see exactly which slides they view and how long they spend on your unit economics versus your brand story. Most founders are surprised to learn investors skip market size slides but spend 5+ minutes reviewing customer retention curves and CAC payback periods.

When investors ask for financials or supply agreements, share an Ellty data room instead of messy email threads. Your cap table, financial model, and manufacturing contracts in one secure place with view analytics. You'll know if they're serious based on whether they actually review your documents.

Common questions

How do I know if an investor is still active in lifestyle brands?

Check their portfolio page for deals from 2024-2025. If their last lifestyle investment was 2021, they've probably shifted focus. Recent deals matter more than fund size.

Should I pitch DTC-focused investors if I'm planning wholesale expansion?

Most DTC investors don't understand retail economics or buyer relationships. Find investors who've helped portfolio companies expand into Target or Whole Foods if that's your path.

What metrics do lifestyle investors actually care about?

LTV:CAC ratio above 3:1, customer payback period under 12 months, and annual retention above 50%. Revenue growth without these metrics won't get you funded in 2026.

How many lifestyle investors should I reach out to?

Target 20-30 investors who've backed similar brands at your stage. Batch your outreach so you're taking meetings within the same 2-3 week window. Competing term sheets matter.

When should I set up a data room?

Before you start raising. Investors who are serious will ask for financials within 48 hours of your first meeting. Having an Ellty data room ready speeds up diligence by weeks.

Do lifestyle investors move faster than enterprise VCs?

Consumer deals typically close in 6-10 weeks versus 12-16 weeks for enterprise. But if your unit economics are unclear or you can't explain your retail strategy, expect delays.