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Takezo LLC

DNA-Informed Ready-to-Eat Precision Supplements. Disrupting a $67B market!

Takezo LLC

DNA-Informed Ready-to-Eat Precision Supplements. Disrupting a $67B market!

Portland OR
Food Main Street Technology Food Tech B2C
We were looking for premium functional supplements that would suit our unique needs, and provide specific functional benefits. We also have had our DNA run and participated in the Predict Studies, and the reports showed genetic deficiencies in vitamins and minerals. We found few commercially available solutions. Thus Takezo was launched.
Reid A Block Co-founder / CEO @ Takezo LLC
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Why you may want to support us...

1 Pent up Consumer Demand! Consumers seek personalized nutrition and an edge from their DNA data.
2 Subscription sales model = Revenue predictability, more consumer Engagement, greater Margins
3 COVID-19-fueled hyper-growth of online supplement spend expected to accelerate during fall/winter.
4 Customizable EQUIP™ supplement and DNA-informed GeneLytics™ Nutrigenomics Reports ✔ Market-Ready.
5 The global Personalized Nutrition and Wellness Market set to reach $130B in five years.
6 The supplement industry e-comm. growth rate has skyrocketed; expected to grow by 61.4% in 2020.
7 Non-pill formats now account for 52% of supplement sales across all channels.
8 Diverse | Experienced Leadership Team. Exceptional credentials: CPG, D2C, subscription, Marketing

Our team

Reid A Block
Co-founder / CEO
Conceptualized, developed, and exited the nations first private off-road motorsports adventure park called Paragon Adventure Park. Strategy attainment and performance management expert, providing services to enterprise & healthcare clients.
Andrew K. Johnston
Co-founder / COO
Seasoned business operator. Prior to co-founding Takezo LLC, 15 yrs. building boutique consulting practice to high-growth/closely held companies. MBA with finance and supply chain acumen honed from 12 yrs. with Exxon, Agrium, Esco and Deloitte.
Patrick Connors
Co-founder / CRO
Turned around Men's Health to a lifestyle focus, and helped build FabFitFun's sales and marketing team.
Kim Terry
Co-founder / CIO
CIO at Guthy Renker, and helped stand up OceanX.
Mesut CELIK
Director: Design and Brand Management
Micro MBA Innovation and Creativity, Member of YCombinator Startup School.
Jim Cali
Advisor
Led Cadbury’s $5B global gum and candy category growing +9% CAGR, improving EBITDA and gaining + 6pts of global market share vs Wrigley. Launched new brands / innovation platforms which generated revenue between $150m and $400M each.
Andrew Towle
Advisor
I have an outstanding record of value creation at 4 well known package goods companies (P&G, Heinz, Georgia Pacific, Kellogg). Led Heinz’s US $700M Ketchup & Sauces business to 2 years of record profits with unprecedented innovation.
Karen Vaughn
Board of Directors
Overall responsible for the Customer Service and Sales Operations/Experience for Nike's largest geography, North America.
Bryan Emerson
Board of Directors
Seasoned technology leader, accountable for formulating executive-level digital transformation strategies to optimize organizational systems, employees, and processes. CIO roles in CPG space with Pacific Seafood and Bob's Red Mill.
Gordon Katz
Advisor
My practice consists primarily of corporate and securities law. I am admitted to practice in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.,
David Kamens
Media Advisor
Digital and Broadcast Executive with Emmy-winning practical and management experience. Equally adept producing/directing live broadcasts, branded content, photo shoots and docu-series.
Lydia Corran
Brand Advisor
Experienced Marketing and Communications professional with a passion for advancing organizations through use of a wide range of marketing systems and tools. With a demonstrated ability to work on complex projects across multiple departments.
Noah Koff
E-commerce Strategic Advisor
Paul Frantz
Marketing Strategy Advisor
Senior Marketing Executive with 20+ years experience managing all facets of the marketing function for multiple industries at small, medium and large companies.
Elliot Begoun
Omnichannel CPG Advisor
I am the founder of TIG. We help emerging natural product brands grow. We build nimble, capital-efficient, resilient brands. “Tardigrades Not Unicorns!”
Bill Henderson
Analytics Strategy, API, & Data Security Advisor
Everyday I lead data engineering, statistics, visualization and software development projects that drive business change. It's great to have an opportunity to create solutions that impact businesses and lives.
Tommy Speigner
AI & DevOps Advisor
Technologist/Originator
Chris Topolewski
Board of Directors
Gregory Montanaro
Board of Directors
Past President of Union League of Philadelphia
Robert M Huff
Digital Creative Advisor
Extensive professional photography experience. Specialties: Conceptualizing and creating photographic images. Emphasis on athletic equipment and apparel space.
Curtis Settino
Creative Advisor
Art Director - Designer - Infographics - Storytelling - UX/UI

In the news

Takezo - CrowdFunding.Guide
"Delivering personalized precision supplements & technologies."
September 18, 2020 @ crowdfunding.guide

Downloads

Takezo FIT Introduction PC wv .pdf
Dietary Supplement Use Reaches All Time High Council for Responsible Nutrition.pdf
More than 26 million people have taken an at-home ancestry test MIT Technology Review.pdf
Takezo-GeneLytics-Sample-Report.pdf
Portland OR
food main street technology food tech b2c

The Future of Personalized Supplements & Nutrition is Here!


At Takezo, our Mission is To be the most effective, inspirational, and trusted personal performance brand in the world. We want You on our team and to own part of Takezo. Together we will lead a revolution in health and wellness and as Investors, well, there's that share of $67B…

Our video (above) provides a great overview of Takezo by our Co-Founder and CEO, Reid and more detail follows in our Story (below). Meeting is believing and we would love to speak with you about owning part of Takezo. Here is a link to our calendar. Just pick a convenient time for you and we'll see you then.  Meet with Takezo

Hit that INVEST button! 

Introducing EQUIP™

Achieving & Maintaining optimum health & wellness requires proper nutrition & lifestyle. Every person has unique goals, dietary preferences, as well as unique genetic and biologic markers. Consumers are seeking personalized nutrition:

   ✔ Addresses their Uniqueness

   ✔ Is Configurable on  their terms

   ✔ Updates as frequently as needed

   ✔ Includes convenient personal Support they deserve

        Genelytics™ helps untangle that DNA report

        According to MIT, by the close of 2020, more than 100 million people globally will have used one of the several available services to obtain their DNA profile. One might conclude from the recent sale of Ancestry.com for over $700 million, that business is indeed good in that space. Takezo has the capability to help our consumers realize more value from their DNA information through our GeneLytics™ service.

             ► Uses consumers' raw DNA data file

             ► Reveals to our consumers, implications regarding nutrition and wellness in several              insightful reports.

             ► Takezo uses GeneLytics™ to make recommendations and to inform EQUIP™                          Personalization profiles.

        Here is a sample Genelytics Report

        Our Opportunity

        Historically, the presumption has been that everyone absorbs and metabolizes nutrients similarly. Differences in daily requirements have been based on age, gender, or pregnancy/breastfeeding status. Current knowledge tells us that is no longer an appropriate approach to nutrition. The Predict1 study found that we ALL process nutritional components in a unique manner to each other, there is no such thing as "AVERAGE" when it comes to nutrition. Astonishingly even identical twins react completely differently to the same nutrition. (Nature Medicine June 2020)

        The Takezo Solution

        EQUIP™ Personalized Daily Supplements are ready-to-eat and delicious; more of a snack and definitely not a pill! Our consumer can configure EQUIP™ to their unique needs by taking advantage of over 87 billion potential ingredient combinations. Consumers can also re-configure Equip™ as their needs change. If a consumer has their 23&ME or Ancestry DNA results, all they have to do is upload them in four easy steps to get their Genelytics™ results. The related nutrigenomics data therein can be used to get an even more precise configuration.

        Genelytics™ is included with every EQUIP™ subscription, and in addition to their nutrigenomics discoveries, they also receive 5 other useful reports providing 140+ wellness traits, helping Takezo consumers to build on their strengths, adjust for their weaknesses, and perform at their best.


        We have identified a large target population of consumers. Our core consumers like to plant flags, whether it is training to finish that charity walk, lower their handicap, excel at e-sports, or be the Spartan Race Global Champion, Takezo is on that journey with each consumer.

        From the beginning, our goal has been to build an investment-ready company. Takezo is ready to go with our EQUIP™ product and GeneLytics™ service positioned to be in-market generating revenue within a few weeks of funding. Takezo pro-forma financials reflect a business model targeting growth rates to not only facilitate further funding rounds but also with an eye to a solid exit that rewards all investors.

        OurStory


        The Takezo story began with one of our co-founders and current CEO Reid A. Block. Reid was adopted at birth (by two amazing people, Robert and Sharon) and was naturally curious about his biological ancestry and any genetic health concerns that might be lurking. As a lifelong competitive athlete, Reid was also looking for what nutrition was right or bad for him, and if he had any genetic disadvantages that he needed to adjust for.

        Reid took the 23&Me at-home DNA test and his comprehensive health and wellness reports from Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s ‘Found My Fitness’. He had nothing notable to worry about on the disease risk spectrum but was most curious about the nutrigenomic insights, that included:

           ⚠ Supplementing with Vitamin E is likely harmful to him

           🧬 Genetic vitamin d deficiency

            β  ~32% reduced conversion of beta-carotene into retinol

           Ω  ~26.7% poorer conversion of ala into omega-3 epa

        Additionally, Reid participated in the comprehensive Predict 2 study. Reid learned that while we are all unique we are vastly more so at the nutrigenomic level and that DNA can inform you of your super nutrients and those you should avoid. The Predict 2 study provided Reid with:

             🍽 A personalized list of what foods are best for him

            🧫 Gut health from his microbiome test. (his gut health was pretty bad)

            🎯 Score for specific foods based on his blood sugar stress/gut health impact                              (microbiome)/avoidance of food-driven inflammation/blood fat stress.

        Reid was now swimming in his own nutrigenomics data and started to look for nutritional solutions that could use that data and turn it into nutritional solutions to supplement his personal dietary and performance needs. To his surprise, there were few solutions, other than some vitamin pill packs. Surprised by a remarkable lack of one-stop personalized nutritional options, the serial entrepreneur in Reid saw the beginning of an opportunity. As he began to explore the personalized nutrition space Reid found there was a massive opportunity based on timing, scalability, market size, and gaps, amongst other things. Reid set out to launch Takezō and began to assemble a team of leaders, directors, advisors, professional services, and industry partners to deliver personalized precision nutrition and technologies that enable their consumers to perform at their best.

        Not stopping there…

        Takezo sees an opportunity to create off-the-shelf products based on frequent EQUIP™ personalization profiles and make these products convenient and available through multiple channels. FOCUS™ is the first pre-configured product developed based insights gleaned from EQUIP R&D& frequent personalization profiles.

        The value to our consumers:

          ➕  Ready-made convenience and serving sizes.

           ➕ Omnichannel purchase options (Takezo direct and E-tailers)

           ➕ Attractive price per serving, and available in single-serve or multi-serve options.

        The value to Takezo:

             ✔ Increased gross margins

             ✔ Improved supply chain planning

             ✔ Market intelligence

             ✔ Increased consumer retention.

        In moving ahead with FOCUS™ development, we have pre-loaded our 2021 revenue plan and will be ready to launch as we achieve a cadence with our early EQUIP™ subscriber base.

        Funds raised on WeFunder will be used for final system integrations with supply chain partners and the materials and data needed to launch Equip™, Genelytics™, and Focus™ into the market. But you already know that. What you do not know is that Takezo has recently engaged both engineering and R&D resources in the development of proprietary technology that will revolutionize the personalization experience for our consumers and the range of nutritional products available to them.

        More detail will be made available to investors in the coming weeks and we want you to be part of that!

        Invest with Takezo now - BE part of the team - BETAKEZO!

        Investor Q&A

        Expand all
        What does your company do?
        Takezo applies integrated technology to translate consumer-provided data into ready-to-eat supplements, designed to help our consumers perform at their best. Takezo uses artificial intelligence and optional consumer DNA data to collect health and lifestyle information. Takezo then formulates supplement products customized for each consumer. Takezo delivers directly to consumers via the convenience of a monthly subscription. Our consumers can change their precision formulation at any time.
        Where will your company be in 5 years?
        We want to be the #1 provider of personalized precision nutritional solutions in the world.
        Why did you choose this idea?
        We were looking for premium functional supplements that would suit our unique needs, and provide specific functional benefits. We also have had our DNA run and participated in the Predict Studies, and the reports showed genetic deficiencies in vitamins and minerals. We found few commercially available solutions. Thus Takezo was launched.
        How quickly can you be in the market?
        Our DNA reports will be the first to release and in an almost immediate fashion. Consumable products face a critical-path constraint of extended lead times related to packaging producers of 10-14 weeks. The balance of our production lead times each fall within this timeframe.
        How far along are you?
        We have spent the past 18 months building our internal capabilities and partnering with some of the leading industry service providers including The Intertwine Group, Propeller Industries, AgroPur, REDWOOD to name a few. We have our end to supply chain, sales enabling technology, 360 marketing plans, go to market formulations, packaging, and a phenomenal leadership team, Board of Directors, and team of advisors. I like to paint the picture of we have the jets on the runway, and are awaiting the orders from our investors to launch.
        Does Takezo have a plan for growing beyond the current product offering?
        From a future development point of view, we have identified opportunities to customize the existing functional drink mixes as well as a customizable, nutrient-dense meal replacement ready to mix powder. We will also be paying attention to the customization our consumers make, taking note of any trends that may guide the launch of a standardized product based on those formulations. This will allow Takezo to expand market distribution and awareness while profiting from the lower costs of goods sold afforded by standardized production.
        Who made the introduction video?
        100% of the video and editing was done with internal Takezo stakeholders.
        How do we contact you to learn more?
        You can email us @ Hi@takezo86k.com You can book a meeting with us @: https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/Takezo@takezo86k.com/bookings/
        What does your financial model show?
        Our 5 year proforma business plan projects Takezo to build a net loyal subscriber base in excess of 58K  and combined subscriber and single order revenues cresting $40 million annually.  Our proforma unit economics are stellar showing an average order value of $70, at an average gross margin of 70%. We expect to have net positive cash flow and profit by the end of year 2. Our current revenue capture plan shows Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) hovering around $45 per customer resulting in an estimated median Lifetime Value (LTV) of $195; LTV:CAC ratio of about 4:1.
        Tell me about the market Takezo is targeting.
        The Takezo team has identified a large segment of the US total supplement and functional markets, zeroing in on a target population representing $67B market with an average CAGR of 7.86%. Supporting our market identification is information from New Hope Network indicating that 77% of the US adult population take dietary supplements and, poignantly, 68% of the unemployed continue to take supplements. We have identified a large target population of consumers. Our core consumer likes to plant flags, whether it is training to finish that charity bike ride/run/walk, lower their handicap, excel at their e-sport game(s), achieve that next level in training, or even setting a goal to win the Spartan Race Global Championships, Takezo is on that journey with each consumer.
        How did you arrive at personalized Supplements as a business model?
        Through the shared experiences of our founders, we identified significant opportunities in the personal performance & wellness category, including personalized (ready to eat) daily supplements, premium functional drink mixes, genomic and metabolic reporting, and other personal performance technology. Digging deeper into the industry, we recognized over $600 million that had recently been invested in companies providing at-home DNA and Microbiome testing. MIT Technology (Link in Downloads section) predicts that by 2022, 100 million people will have their DNA data. Additionally, advancements in wearables, trackers, and at-home testing technology have encouraged the release of over 165k technology apps designed to leverage the personal performance data and provide a variety of targeted services. Absent in the development ecosystem was an initiative to integrate data technology, nutrition science, and advanced manufacturing to generate aligned nutrition products in support of an individual's personal objectives. The founders of Takezo determined to address this gap, and by doing so, position the company in a global personalized nutrition & wellness market, currently projected to reach $130 billion over the next five years. One of our founders (Reid) used one of the recently developed technology service offerings to look at his specific nutrigenetics (how genes influence the utilization of nutrients and bioactive compounds), based on his 23&Me™ DNA results, and this is some of what he discovered using the Takezo GeneLytics engine (image below): Armed with this information, Reid sought out supplements that would help him fix his specific supplement gaps. His search for solutions to help him personalize his supplement regimen didn't yield many results outside of those requiring too many pills to swallow. In addition to learning what gaps needed to be filled, Reid also learned that supplementing with Vitamin E could likely be harmful to his overall health. Personalized nutrition was going to mean developing solutions for what consumers need and for what they don't need.
        This appears to involve complex technology.
        Our approach to this vast market opportunity leverages artificial intelligence, machine learning, and advanced/robotic food manufacturing systems. These solutions while seeming complex, come naturally to many on the Takezo team. With these complexities, also comes a barrier to entry by others interested in competing directly with Takezo on all fronts. Our technology solutions focus on easing the friction for the consumer while minimizing the operational complexities for Takezo. An example is the bot that we trained for the convenience of the consumer. This bot guides a consumer through a 3-minute Q&A that helps us identify some potential nutritional gaps, leading to a "first-pass" at a personalized product. The bot presents a choice allowing the consumer to purchase the configured product or to continue on the interview, resulting in a more customized product. For our consumer, more customized = a better match with their needs and a more fulfilling experience. For Takezo this not only results in better consumer satisfaction but also in a much closer and longer-lasting relationship with that consumer by building in higher switching costs.
        How does Takezo plan to find their consumers and build revenue?
        Our marketing strategy is well-traveled and proven by the most successful direct brands. We plan on attracting and retaining our consumers with a modern 360-degree marketing plan, that will be managed in house and executed by partners in performance marketing. In addition to paid media, our approach will include editorial, consumer submitted & original content, event participation/sampling/activation (Spartan Race partnerships), and earned media/PR. Takezō has engaged some of the leading performance marketing resources to help up us win the hearts, minds, and the share of stomach of our consumers. We are deploying an Omnichannel Revenue Generation model, that will enable direct to consumer and retail options for the convenience of our consumers. We strive to normalize pricing across our channels, as well as provide value & products exclusive to each revenue channel. Takezo has entered into an agreement with the 3rd largest (globally) sports nutrition e-tailor and will onboard with this customer 2-4 weeks after funding.
        Why Takezo? What does it mean?
        Takezō was born Miyamoto Musashi during Japan’s Edo period (1603-1868) and was to become the greatest swordsman of the period. Musashi was what today we may call a problem child. He was a self-trained sword fighter who won his first duel at the age of 13 by killing a renown Samurai. Musashi spent much of his life traveling (wandering) throughout Japan, challenging Samurai warriors to duels in an effort to prove himself. Overall, he won sixty duels in his life, some against multiple enemies. Musashi is credited as the founder of the Niten-ryū style of swordsmanship and the author of ‘The Book of Five Rings’, a book on strategy, tactics, and philosophy that is still widely read and referred to today. Ultimately Musashi recognized later in his life, through training others and his writing, that his greatest mark on the world would be the “masters” he created rather than the number he destroyed. We Believe that a measure of greatness is the number of 'masters' that one has left behind, and not just what the individual has achieved by themselves.
        What are Takezo's Values?
        OUR CORE VALUES • Know the Way • Be deliberate • Know what success looks like • Pay attention to the details • Never compromise quality • Push the limits with your experiences: Fail Fast, Fail Forward • Take ownership and get it done • Know when to lead & when to follow • Be curious, innovate, and constantly improve • Build Trust: Be authentic, transparent, and operate with integrity • Challenge yourself, the team, and process, in the pursuit of excellence • Listen, communicate, collaborate, & build high performing teams focused on the mission and strategy • Be passionate, courageous, and make a positive impact • Inspire passion, adventure, and have fun
        What will the money be used for?
        ○ Technology ○ Marketing | Revenue ○ Operations Funds will be directed towards: • Development/production of AI/Machine Learning Technology • Manufacturing Technology Integration • Equip™ launch • Attract/Retain Key Resources



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