Men's health platform secures £5m funding from three major venture capitalists

Today (January 15), Manual has closed a £5m seed round from the UK’s Felix Capital, Germany-based Cherry Ventures, and Cassius Capital from the US.Today (January 15), Manual has closed a £5m seed round from the UK’s Felix Capital, Germany-based Cherry Ventures, and Cassius Capital from the US.

This funding is set to establish its new wellbeing platform for men. Launching today, the new website provides men with the knowledge and tools to look after their health.

Manual’s vision is to improve the everyday lives of men by providing knowledge and solutions for every part of their wellbeing.

Nearly 90 per cent of men don’t seek help unless they have a serious problem, according to a report by the National Pharmacy Association. Manual’s goal is to change habits in the way men understand and fix their problems, by providing users with products, services and content.

George Pallis, CEO and co-founder of Manual, said: “From personal experience we had both been deep in the startup world for a while, and though it was an incredibly rewarding journey, the level of intensity and hard work required meant we were not looking after our wellbeing.

“That lack of focus on your health is seen in men of all background and industries, and our personal concerns were echoed by our colleagues and friends in the startup community.

“It’s no secret that as men we aren’t always the most open or quick to act when we have a personal, health or aesthetic issue.

“From just saying ‘everything is ok’ and cracking on with life when we’re busy, to the information overload we experience when we ask Google, there are many reasons we don’t help ourselves sooner.”

The company was co-founded by marketing expert George Pallis, who played a critical role in the growth of both Transferwise and Deliveroo; and Michalis Gkontas, a serial entrepreneur who successfully built and exited Forky to Vivartia in 2018.

The two businessmen came together to develop a direct to consumer brand that would have a positive impact on customers and was based on their own passions and learnings.

The £5m seed round from Felix Capital, Cherry Ventures, Cassius Capital and angel investors, will be invested into the development and growth of the platform.

Frederic Court, partner at Felix Capital, added: “Imagine a world where men are good to themselves and those around them.

“Ask any man how or when he takes care of himself, and the answers you get are eye opening. Simply put, we’re bad at it.

“Manual is on a clear mission to change this, and make it easier for men to understand their problems and fix them. We know Manual can help and we want to support the exceptional team on delivering this vision of improving the wellbeing of men.”