During his time managing human performance efforts for the military, Andrew Herr worked with Navy SEALs, an elite group that has to endure extreme conditions. He could tell when various factors were affecting their performance, including flying and the jet lag it can cause.
Jet lag is a physiological condition caused by changes to the body's circadian rhythms when crossing time zones.
So, he co-founded a company, Fount, with a product, FlyKitt, to help mitigate the feelings of jet lag. The startup is using AI to build digital coaches that can discern the best tools for travelers’ bodies, lifestyles and goals, said Herr, who serves as CEO.
“And, make everything simple enough for busy people to understand and follow,” he added.
Fount, launched in 2019, recently made FlyKitt available to the general public. Previously, it was only accessible to professional sports teams, like USA Soccer, elite military units and business executives.
The specific jet lag symptoms Fount is trying to alleviate include low energy, brain fog, sleeplessness, joint pain and constipation. Travelers would start using the FlyKitt on the day of their flight.
How It Works
The Fount team uses scientific insights to create a kit with supplements to manage flight-induced inflammation, circadian shifts and sleep deprivation. Those supplements include Vitamin C, highly concentrated omega-3 fatty acids and melatonin.
There’s also information on how to manage light and when to eat and sleep, based on each traveler’s precise flight schedule.
The goal is to get travelers to their destinations awake, alert and able to perform whatever tasks they need to do there, while also being able to sleep deeply the first night.
Travelers who purchase the FlyKitt app for $199 are directed when to use the customized dietary supplements, the company's proprietary light-filtering glasses and other resources they receive, like a “Circadian Shift Drink Mix,” designed primarily to reset circadian rhythm centrally in the brain.
For $279, users can access the upgraded FlyKitt Athlete Pack, which includes all the elements in the core pack, plus compression socks to reduce swelling and a nerve stimulator that increases circulation in the legs.
The jet lag treatment market size is about $390 million and is expected to exceed $522 million by the end of 2026. There are several other players in this industry, including Teva, Mylan, Nature’s Bounty and Otsuka Pharma.
Foundation
Herr got his education at Georgetown University, starting with a Bachelor of Science in foreign service. He then got three masters degrees in security studies, health physics and microbiology & immunology.
He founded a few companies before Fount, including Mind Plus Matter and Helicase. Mind Plus Matter eventually merged with Helicase, a consulting company that used science and technology to enhance mental and physical performance. Herr transferred the IP from Helicase to Fount.
Clayton Kim is the co-founder. He’s a circus artist and data scientist.
Regarding jet lag, the Fount team found that large changes in air pressure when flying can cause an inflammatory response, based on Herr's research with the Navy SEALs. That response can affect how travelers think, feel and perform. It can also be challenging to rapidly shift one’s circadian rhythm. It typically takes up to one day, per time zone crossed, to fully recover.
Fount raised $1.75 million in a seed round led by Founders Fund, Champion Hill Ventures and Ault Krug Ventures.
Benefit of being headquartered in L.A.
After spending more than a decade in Washington, D.C. working with the military, Herr decided to move back to L.A. He grew up in the San Fernando Valley. Ready to bring the insights and technology he developed to the private sector, he chose L.A. “because the people lean into healthy lifestyles and are forward leaning on new tools and technologies, it has a growing venture and tech ecosystem, and the beautiful weather and outdoors make life much more fun,” he said.
