Raising Capital: Does Clinical Validation Help You Raise Money?
You’ve built something incredible. Your product works, your brand is growing, and now it’s time to raise capital. But in the health and wellness space, standing out isn’t easy. Every brand claims to have the next game-changing solution: something to clear your skin, boost your energy, or help you live longer. With so much noise in the industry, how do you convince investors your brand is worth the investment?
About the webinar
10AM PT/1PM ET
2025-03-27
Register now
Some brands raise millions based purely on a compelling story and strong sales, without relying on scientific proof. Others take a different route, investing in clinical validation to show their product delivers real, measurable results. And then there are the bootstrapped brands, scaling without outside funding, often choosing whether or not to prioritize clinical research along the way.
For investors and consumers alike, science can be a powerful trust signal. But does it actually drive sales? And when it comes to raising capital, does scientific validation give brands a real competitive edge?
In this open and insightful discussion, hosted by Susanne Mitschke, CEO of Citruslabs, you’ll hear from Alisa Vitti (Founder, FLO Living), who is leveraging clinical research to elevate her brand, and Carolyn Simmons (Venture Capitalist), a seasoned investor who knows exactly what makes a brand fundable. This conversation will uncover what really matters when it comes to raising capital, standing out in your crowded industry, and deciding whether clinical validation is the right move for your brand.
You'll learn:
Science vs. Storytelling: What Investors Really Want
Uncover how investors weigh compelling brand stories against scientific validation and what ultimately drives funding decisions in the health and wellness space.
The Power of Clinical Research
Learn how clinical validation can set your brand apart, influence consumer trust, and potentially drive higher sales and investor confidence.
Fundraising Strategies for Wellness Brands
Gain insights into when to pursue funding, how to position your brand for investment, and whether clinical research strengthens your pitch.
Navigating the Path to Growth: Risks and Rewards
Explore the challenges, benefits, and trade-offs of clinical validation when scaling your business, whether bootstrapped or investor-backed.
Hear from our speakers:
Susanne Mitschke
Citruslabs
Susanne is passionate about supporting brands to achieve scientifically valid health claims and was named Forbes 30 under 30 in 2018 and 2020. Before Citruslabs, Susanne created the #1 health app for baby boomers called MindMate which has won multiple awards and is often titled "the ultimate Alzheimer's app". Citruslabs is the fastest-growing CRO (contract research organization) for brands.
Citruslabs' mission is to provide brands with affordable clinical studies to create research-backed product claims that drive business growth. Brands like HUM Nutrition, Supergut, Saie Beauty, Common Heir, and Your Super are trusting Citruslabs with their clinical studies.
Alisa Vitti
FLO Living
Alisa Vitti is a trailblazer in women’s hormonal health and femtech. After a PCOS diagnosis during her time at Johns Hopkins, she embarked on a quest for alternative healing that reshaped the conversation around hormone care. As the founder of FLO Living, a pioneering femtech company, Alisa developed the revolutionary Cycle Syncing® Method, holds a US patent for her innovative technology, and has empowered tens of thousands of women to achieve hormonal balance.
Today, she continues to drive change in women’s health by challenging gender biases in research and inspiring women worldwide to harness their biochemistry for a more powerful life.
Carolyn Simmons
Venture Capitalist
Carolyn Simmons is an investor with deep experience across all stages and categories within consumer and retail. She was most recently a general partner at Melitas Ventures, a New York based $60M venture capital fund focused on early stage consumer companies. Before Melitas, she was an investor at Alliance Consumer Growth, targeting high growth businesses with $10 to $100 million of revenue across consumer verticals. Prior to that, she worked at data-driven growth equity firm CircleUp, investing in companies with up to $20 million in revenue.
Carolyn began her career advising companies as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs in the Consumer & Retail Group. She also worked as an associate in Private Equity at Sycamore Partners, where she worked on acquisitions of large, iconic consumer and retail companies and helped manage a portfolio of apparel brands.
Carolyn earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and BA from Stanford University.