Perelel launched with five vitamin packs curated for conception, each trimester of pregnancy, and postpartum in September 2020, but CEO and co-founder Victoria Thain Gioia says the vision was always to expand beyond motherhood: the company landed on its name, pronounced “parallel,” to represent how the brand hopes to meet women’s needs at any point.
“It was conscious from the very beginning that we always wanted to have these products that supported her all along her life cycle,” Gioia explains.
Six years later, that vision is paying off: Perelel hit a $100 million run rate for 2026 and will achieve two years of profitability in December. Much of that growth has come from products designed to reach customers beyond pregnancy, including supplement powders and plant-based protein.
“Some women felt like if they weren’t on the motherhood journey, there wasn’t an entry point into Perelel,” Gioia says. “Protein and the powders are a great way to meet her needs differently, so we’ve been leaning into that as a new opportunity for acquisition.”
This Morning
The daily digest for entrepreneurs and business leaders
Indeed, powders now represent 15 percent of the business, and half of protein customers are new to the brand.
Perelel says customer feedback, clinical research, and recommendations from OB-GYN co-founder Dr. Banafsheh Bayati drive the company’s newest offerings rather than chasing wellness trends (gummy vitamins are not on the horizon). The Synbiotic Greens powder came about after customers asked which supplements were safe to take alongside prenatals, and Perelel’s triple-support protein includes creatine and fiber and was found to provide metabolic and cognitive health benefits in an August 2026 clinical study.
The vision was a tough sell in the early days, Gioia says, as investors questioned the opportunity in funding a women’s health startup. Though the company faced several rejections and feedback that the focus was too niche, it’s raised $40 million to date, including a $27 million investment from Prelude Growth Partners in 2025—mainly secondary capital that bought out early angel investors, providing up to double-digit returns.