Positive thinking goes a long way — especially for wellness app Shine, which just announced it raised $5 million in Series A funding and reached 2 million users. The startup launched in 2016 and has raised more than $8 million to-date.
The company takes a different approach to wellness. Rather than push exercise or healthy eating habits, it emphasizes self-care and acceptance in the form of daily affirmations sent directly to users’ phones. What started out as a text message-based service soon turned into an app with guided meditations, personal growth stories and more.
Upon signing up, users identify goals and areas of their wellbeing they want to focus on. They decide when they’d like to receive the daily notifications, whether it’s right when their morning alarm sounds or just in time for their evening commute. The messages are typically on the shorter side, with an option for readers to follow a link for more information on the subject.
"At Shine, we want our users to know that it’s okay to be vulnerable, it’s okay to honor your progress, and it’s okay to give yourself space to feel how you feel," said Co-founder Marah Lidey. "At the end of the day, we want our users to feel less alone in the feelings that make us all human."
We want our users to know that it’s okay to be vulnerable, it’s okay to honor your progress and it’s okay to give yourself space to feel how you feel."
It’s also worth noting that Co-founders Lidey and Naomi Hirabayashi — both women of color — successfully raised a $2.5 million round in 2017 when only 0.2% of total VC money went to leaders in that demographic.
"Our short- and long-term goals are one in the same: to make wellbeing accessible," said Lidey. "For us, that means more representative, more affordable, easier and more connected than ever before."
Shine currently has users in 189 countries all over the world, and the startup plans to use the recent funding to expand the team and enhance its product suite.
The Series A round was led by Comcast Ventures, with participation from The New York Times, betaworks, Eniac Ventures, Female Founders Fund, Felix Capital and BBG Ventures.
