Startup Spotlight: Loba is modernizing pill and supplement management

Welcome to Vancouver Tech Journal’s startup spotlight series, where we dive into companies building in Vancouver.

Today, we’re spotlighting Loba, and had the chance to chat with their founder, Kate Bouchard, who’s committed to helping busy women simplify their routine.

What’s your elevator pitch?

Loba is innovating health and wellness by modernizing traditional pill and supplement management through technology and the psychology of building healthy habits.

What makes Loba different is that we’re not just a pill organizer. We’re building a tech-powered platform to solve pain points across the industry — starting with our smart supplement organizer and mobile app to manage your schedule, add pills, set daily reminders, and track your habits.

When did you start your company?

Loba was incorporated in February 2021, and we launched in market in late 2022.

What was the catalyst behind starting your company?

The story behind why I created Loba is a personal one.

Like one in six women worldwide, I was struggling with fertility. In my case, due to hormonal health challenges, I began seeing a naturopath as well as my general practitioner and was taking many pills — multiple times per day. But when I went to find something to organize them in, there was nothing that fit my needs.

Traditional organizers didn’t hold enough pills, remind me to take them, or look nice in my space. And to be honest, those old school organizers from the pharmacy I associated with the elderly. It made me feel like something was wrong with me, which is the last thing you need when struggling to conceive.

I discovered I wasn’t alone. In fact, there was an entire segment of customers with vibrant lives — those who invest in their wellness, their homes, and themselves — who were being ignored. So, I created Loba. 

What problem is Loba solving?

A lack of innovation in the pill management space has left the needs of consumers, practitioners, and suppliers unmet in a $50 billion North American market.

What markets are you in?

We’ve made a mark in both the Canadian and U.S. markets in a short period of time with the majority of sales coming from the U.S. — especially over the last six months. We’re focused on securing our spot as a leader in the space in North America.

How big is your team?

We’re a lean and capital efficient team of three with a number of contractors and fractional team members in our corner.

Are you hiring?

Yes - we’re just about to start the search for a talented full stack developer to join our team to help build Loba’s B2B SaaS for health practitioners.

Have you raised money?

We’ve been mostly bootstrapped, with a small pre-seed round in late 2022. Loba is currently raising its seed round of funding now that we’ve validated market need and have the metrics to prove product market fit.

Are you profitable?

We’re focused on growth and scaling at the moment, with profitability forecasted for Y3 post-seed.

What does Loba need right now?

We’re looking to connect with strategic, early-stage investors who are bullish on health and wellness.

Where do you want Loba to be in 3, 6, and 9 years?

Our vision is to support countless people all over the world on their wellness journeys — improving health outcomes through our platform and practitioner software.

We have our sights set on becoming a global wellness tech brand at the intersection of health and wellness apps, smart home, and the herbal supplement markets. 

As we grow, we look forward to giving back through our contribution program in a way that makes a huge impact in our communities.

If you go back to the early days of starting Loba, what would you do differently?

It’s easy to look back in hindsight and say all the things you could have done differently, but I think for all founders, the very essence of those learnings throughout your journey is important. You face different trials and tribulations and reach new milestones and successes along the way. 

Taking a personal experience and evaluating the problem from a more macro-lens was the first step of the journey toward the birth of Loba.

Seeing how it has already helped so many of our early customers is validation of the need and proof that Loba has become a critical solution in the pill management space.

As we look ahead, I’m excited for the impact we’re set to make in the lives of millions.

How can people connect with you?

Find me on LinkedIn or send me an email.

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