Trends in Wellness Innovations

The Global Wellness Summit just released their wellness trends for 2026. Three of them stood out to me and here’s why: 1. The over-optimization backlash. In recent years, wellness has been about tracking, measuring, and optimizing. But data without integration has left people anxious, exhausted, and disconnected from their own bodies. What's growing now are experiences that prioritize regulation. Permission over performance. Wellness is moving from extraction to care, and guests can feel the difference. 2. Neurowellness and nervous system regulation The industry is finally understanding that sleep problems, burnout, inflammation, chronic stress aren't separate issues you treat individually. They're symptoms of a dysregulated nervous system. Regulating the nervous system is finally becoming a main focus of human health. Which is why thermal bathing, breath work, touch therapies, and ritual are gaining traction again. Not as "soft" wellness but foundational. 3. Longevity residences The destination wellness model – fly somewhere for a week, reset, return home – is being questioned. Healthspan is finally coming home with wellness being built into homes and communities with a longer-term vision. We're moving beyond destination wellness and episodic retreats, toward environments that support wellbeing spanning across decades. Residences and communities are being designed to remove friction from healthy living across generations, not just for individuals. Living longer at all costs is no longer the ultimate goal. Instead, it's about living well, together, and in places that support continuity, belonging, and care. Why these three stood out to me is because I've already been watching them play out in the projects we work on. And what’s also notable is the driving force behind these shifts. It’s certainly not novelty or hype. It's fatigue and fragmentation. On top of that, there’s a genuine desire that’s growing for wellness that feels human, lived-in, and sustainable. The most forward-thinking properties are already designing for regulation, integration, and long-term livability without waiting to see if these trends stick. They’re already seeing the results in deeper engagement, stronger loyalty, and more meaningful guest experiences. And they're already seeing the results with deeper guest engagement, stronger loyalty, and experiences people actually want to return to. After 35 years in this industry, I've learned that the work ahead isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what holds across generations within real life. This is the foundation of how we approach every project at Under a Tree – designing wellness that's sustainable, human-centered, and built to last. If you're developing with these principles in mind, I'd love to hear what you're seeing. P.S. I’ll share the link to a great breakdown of the Global Wellness Summit report by Helen Andrews at Spa Business in the comments below.

Wellness trends don’t stop at the border. What’s hot in the U.S. is flowing into Canada, and #CHFAnow made that crystal clear. Functional sodas, protein-in-everything, natural energy, women’s health, and supplement surging. But there are also uniquely Canadian twists. A refreshing number of brands were weaving sustainability seamlessly into performance. And plant-based innovation felt less like imitation meat and more like a celebration of plants. Here’s what caught my eye 👇 ⚡ Alt-Energy Canada’s got a thirst for energy. But the next generation isn’t reaching for neon cans—they want natural alternatives with smoother lifts and no crash. Guayusa and yerba maté starred at the show, backed by community-rooted storytelling. Education is still early, but the lane is wide open for a Canadian champion. 🍫 Protein Proliferation Protein has become the passport to every aisle. Gummies, mac & cheese, waters, lattes, PB cups, hot chocolate, rice crispy treats—nothing is off limits. Canada, like the U.S., is in full protein mania, with new delivery systems multiplying. 👩🦰 Women’s Wellness A category renaissance is underway. Brands are targeting every life stage: periods, pregnancy, perimenopause, menopause. Sustainable period care (cups, discs, reusable pads) is breaking taboos, while supplements aim to balance hormones and boost wellbeing. One emerging practice: #SeedCycling — rotating pumpkin/flax and sesame/sunflower through different cycle phases, aimed at supporting hormone rhythms. Still niche, but a signal of how nuanced this space is becoming. 🌍 Everyday Eco Sustainability is alive in the North: liquid-free detergent sheets, shampoo cubes, plastic-free deodorants, compostable coffee. These brands wisely make their eco-creds a part of the products overall performance and not a one-note talking point that polarizes. 🌱 Plant Proud Canada is embracing mother nature, putting the “plant” back in plant-based and moving away from meat mimicry. Tofu, tempeh, oat milk ice cream, frozen meals: whole foods from plants, not just substitutes. 💊 Supplement Surge From magnesium to collagen, electrolytes to creatine, supplements were everywhere. Think Athletic Greens fast-followers, gummy formats, sachets, and powders. High margins + growth make the category irresistible, and the broader longevity boom is giving it cultural weight. 🫧 Better-for-You Bubbles The “refreshment-with-benefits” space keeps bubbling up. Canadian OG Cove Soda started the party, and now a flood of new entrants are joining—from BFY sodas to sparkling waters, caffeinated lifts, and functional bevs. Canada may be catching up to U.S. trends, but the appetite for healthier bubbles is undeniable. 🔎 Noteworthy Mentions 🍻 Non-alc sweeping through Canada 💪 Creatine gaining ground in performance 🌊 Sea moss across five different brands 🌶️ Tocha Foods “Not hot" hot sauce #CPGtrends #NaturalProducts #FoodInnovation Canadian Health Food Association Aaron Skelton

𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀. The UK wellness economy is worth more than $220B, making it the fifth-largest globally, with consumers spending around 30% more on wellness than before the pandemic. Last year, I shared maps exploring whether Switzerland was becoming the longevity capital of Europe and whether New York was emerging as one of the world's leading health innovation hubs. London is different. What impresses most isn't the number of health companies being built, but the number of people actively participating in health and wellness. The city has seen an explosion of wellness clubs, recovery spaces, diagnostics providers, longevity clinics, supplement brands, and health-focused communities. Third Space generates more than £100M in annual revenue, while concepts like arc and Pulsio are making recovery and movement part of everyday life. At the same time, companies such as Neko Health, Prenuvo, Bioniq, Hooke London, and HUM2N are bringing preventative health and diagnostics to a much broader audience. Combined with a single-language market of nearly 70 million people, London has become a natural landing spot for many of the health and wellness concepts that first gain traction in the US before expanding into Europe. Here are some other names that stand out: → 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗖𝗹𝘂𝗯𝘀 & 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆: The HVN; Sauna & Plunge; triplebond; Rebase Recovery; V London; Bodyism; Grey Wolfe UK; The Method; Remedi; ALO Wellness Club; Long Lane → 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰𝘀 & 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀: My Longevity Centre; The Longevity Doctor; Surrenne; Six Senses London Longevity Clinic; The Estate; Lanserhof at The Arts Club; Hale Clinic; London Clinic of Nutrition; Optimal Health Clinic → 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵: DIRTEA; Wild Nutrition; Healthspan; Spacegoods; Form®; Hunter & Gather; TRIP; Three Spirit; Zooki; DoNotAge; Timeline®; Free Soul; Surreal; SURI ; Motion Nutrition; Rheal; Nuchu; SHREDDY → 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝗕𝗶𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀: Thriva; GlycanAge; Mitra bio; Selph; Outpost Bio; Sava Technologies; Invivo Healthcare; Forth; Medichecks; Randox Health; YorkTest; Muhdo → 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻'𝘀 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵: Elvie; Samphire Neuroscience; Gaia ; Vira Health; Béa Fertility; Ovo Labs; Zita West; Emm ; SheMed; Peppy ; Juno Bio ; Fertifa; Apricity; hormona → 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵: ZOE; Huma; Isomorphic Labs; Lindus Health; Lifebit; Healthera; Nurosym; Psyomics; Causaly; Strolll; Unmind; Lottie; Numan ; Manual; Birdie; Oviva; Skin + Me; Second Nature; Juniper → 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗲𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 & 𝗕𝗶𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵: Juvenescence®; Verdiva Bio; Microbiotica; CellCentric; Maxion Therapeutics; ALTx Therapeutics; LinkGevity; AstronauTx; TRIMTECH Therapeutics; Relation Therapeutics ; Shift Bioscience; Baseimmune; Constructive Bio; Stablepharma; Clock Bio What other companies and cities/countries would you add to this list?

What I am seeing across beauty, wellness, luxury, and hospitality is not incremental change, but a structural reconfiguration - a shift from product ownership to experiential value, and from surface-level benefits to longevity, increasingly enabled by AI-driven personalization and precision. Over the past year, I’ve been deeply immersed across these spaces, spending time at industry summits, in conversations with founders and operators, and engaging with the research shaping what’s next. What feels different now is that trends many of us have been tracking for years are becoming scaled, concrete, and inevitable, supported by powerful demographic and technological tailwinds. A few signals stand out: • Beauty is becoming holistic, merging with wellness Skin, hair, and appearance are increasingly treated as biomarkers, not just aesthetics. Consumers expect clinically proven efficacy, with beauty outcomes viewed as downstream of metabolic and cellular health - a true West-meets-East convergence, as traditionally Eastern principles around balance, prevention, and metabolic health are increasingly validated and scaled through Western clinical and scientific frameworks. • Longevity is the new aspiration across generations From Gen Z to 55+, globally, the focus has shifted from quick fixes to healthspan: movement, recovery, sleep, biological age, and sustained vitality. • Luxury is moving from ownership to orchestration Premium value is migrating toward experiences - restorative, social, and performance-driven - where hospitality, wellness, and design blend seamlessly. Quiet, meaningful, and personalized experiences are redefining what “luxury” means. Destinations like Six Senses in the Maldives exemplify this shift. • AI is enabling precision at scale AI is accelerating the move to highly customized solutions, powering personalization, discovery, and decision-making, while augmenting human expertise rather than replacing it. Emerging hybrid spaces, such as Continuum in New York, illustrate how technology, diagnostics, and experience are being orchestrated for specific audiences. What excites me most is not any single category, but the ecosystem forming between them - founders, capital, brands, medical experts, technologists, and communities converging around a shared idea: Health is becoming wealth. Experience is becoming the product. And precision is becoming the new premium. These shifts are no longer niche. They are global, multi-generational, and shaping one of the most meaningful growth platforms of the decade. This ecosystem is clearly moving from emerging to decisive, and I’m excited to continue exploring how leaders can shape where value is created next. #FutureOfWellness #BeautyAndWellness #ExperientialLuxury #AILeadership #Longevity

After touring wellness hotels across the country, I'm seeing clear patterns. Here are the top 10 wellness trends I'm seeing right now: Wellness isn't a spa add-on anymore. It's becoming table stakes. Hotels like Equinox, Six Senses, and Carillon Miami are treating wellness like a science – and guests are paying premium rates for it. Top 10 trends that are actually working: 1. Self-serve Wellness Circuits Hotels are building treatment circuits where guests move at their own pace. Meditation pods, hydrotherapy beds, salt float tanks. No therapists hovering. That staff-light approach actually enhances the experience. 2. Alternative Wellness Therapies Equine therapy at NIHI Sumba. Sound healing. Forest bathing. Hotels are embracing unconventional treatments that create unforgettable moments standard spa menus can't replicate. 3. Non-toxic Everything Guests want non-toxic bedding, clothing, kitchenware. 100% organic cotton over plastic-infused materials. Not seeing tons of this in hotels yet, but it's coming fast. 4. Diagnostic Programs Hotels like SHA Wellness offer 4-day programs combining medical-grade testing with treatments. Stays become health optimization experiences with measurable outcomes. 5. Circadian Lighting Smart lighting adjusts color spectrum throughout the day. Swissôtel stimulates melatonin production before bed, simulates dawn before your alarm. Game changer for jet lag. 6. Smart Mattresses The smart bed market will hit $4.7 billion by 2029. Biometric sensors track heart rate, respiratory rate, body temperature. The bed adjusts while you sleep. Gets smarter night after night. 7. Farm-to-table Integration For example, at Carillon, Executive Chef Christopher sources from Redlands farms and knows every grower personally. Wellness through authentic connection to place. 8. Gyms Beyond Afterthought People want to train legitimately while traveling. Vast majority of hotels still get this wrong. But the ones prioritizing proper equipment and space are blowing up. 9. Contrast Therapy Sauna and cold plunge access. Yes, it's trendy. But 90%+ of hotels still don't offer it. And if they do, you often pay $75+ for a spa day pass. 10. Sleep Optimization Hotels are engineering your entire sleep environment. Temperature controlled to 67°F, blackout darkness, circadian meditation, breathwork rituals. They're collecting sleep data to create profiles. Once a hotel knows exactly how you sleep best, you'll never want to stay anywhere else. I just spent three days at Carillon Miami testing their sleep optimization program. My Oura ring showed my resilience climbing from Solid to Strong and nearly hit Exceptional in just 48 hours. The hotels treating these trends as core to their product – not spa add-ons – are the ones winning. They're charging premium rates. Building serious loyalty. And creating experiences guests will travel specifically for. What wellness trends have you come across and what's your take on them?

In 2025, Norway’s health and wellness startup sector surpassed €1.6B in market value, with digital health and diagnostics driving a 142% YoY growth in funding. [Source: Labiotech.eu] Behind the numbers lies a rapidly evolving ecosystem combining biotech, AI, marine innovation, and personalized care—reshaping how we prevent, diagnose, and treat illness in Europe and beyond. As I build out a market map of this emerging space to support new digital product strategies and client offerings, these are the standout sectors and startups defining the future of personal wellness: 💊 Therapeutics Biotech Nykode Therapeutics, BerGenBio ASA, Lytix Biopharma are advancing next-gen cancer vaccines, peptide therapies, and precision oncology. 🔬 Diagnostics Devices ECG247 - Smart Heart Sensor, DeepX Diagnostics, DoMore Diagnostics are delivering AI-powered, non-invasive tools for heart health, cancer, and neurodegeneration. 📱 Digital Health Dignio, Lifeness, CheckWare Norge provide remote monitoring, chronic care platforms, and e-health infrastructure used by 150k+ users. 🦾 Rehab Tech Ably Medical, Stasism, Sweetzpot Health are creating sensor-driven rehab tools for hospitals, physical therapy, and post-op recovery. 🧪 Lab Tools ClexBio, Ledidi, Vitroscope enable faster biotech research with tools for tissue engineering, patient response prediction, and trial management. 🌊 Marine Biotech Aker BioMarine ASA, Biotec Pharmacon ASA, KinSea Lead Discovery AS are unlocking the power of krill, algae, and Arctic enzymes for health applications. 🧬 Precision Medicine Age Labs AS, AI21 Labs, Genetic Analysis AS are personalizing healthcare through microbiome, epigenetic, and AI-driven biomarker insights. 👂 Audio Care Hearoll, Minuendo, Woid AS are revolutionizing hearing care with lossless earplugs, at-home diagnostics, and intuitive hearing tech. 💼 How You Can Leverage Norway’s Wellness Innovation: - Build Personalized Products: Integrate Age Labs’ biomarker science with CheckWare’s e-health platform to create scalable patient journeys. - Streamline Diagnostics & Trials: Use DoMore Diagnostics for AI pathology, Ledidi for clinical data capture, and DeepX for screening tools. - Deliver Smarter Care: Pair Dignio’s remote monitoring with Minuendo’s hearing tech and Sweetzpot’s breath analytics for home-centered health programs. 📊 I’m actively mapping this space to guide future healthtech ventures and support client innovation in wellness, diagnostics, and biotech. 🚀 If you’re building in this space—or want to align your product or brand with Norway’s emerging healthtech revolution—let’s connect. 📩 Drop me a message and let’s explore how we can grow your business through market insights, funding strategy, and AI-aligned health solutions. #HealthTech #Wellness #DigitalHealth #Startups #Norway #Diagnostics #Biotech #AIinHealthcare #GrowthConsulting #EcosystemMapping #PreventiveCare

In the past week alone: Midi Health dropped a supplement line designed for women over 40 (think: brain health, stress support, metabolic balance—clinician-created and patient-informed), Dove launched a menopause and perimenopause wellness range (goodbye dryness, sensitivity, odor—hello Amazon-exclusive distribution and “Made with TMI” campaigns), and ŌURA unveiled new pregnancy and perimenopause features, pairing real-time biometrics with clinical care partners like Maven Clinic, Progyny, Inc., and, yes, Midi. This isn’t just “more products for women”—it’s the collision of three mega-trends. Demographics: Women 40+ are one of the most economically powerful segments, controlling the lion’s share of healthcare spending and actively seeking targeted solutions. Culture: Menopause is moving from whispered taboo to marketing superpower—Dove literally turned “too much information” into a brand hook. Tech: The walls between CPG, telehealth, and wearables are collapsing, creating integrated ecosystems that stick with consumers across life stages. For investors, that’s the sweet spot: multi-vertical growth potential with built-in customer loyalty. Supplements, skincare, wearables—they’re no longer siloed categories. The brands winning here blend clinical credibility, measurable results, and sharp distribution plays. Dove is tapping Amazon to catch high-intent buyers; Midi’s insurance-backed model lowers friction to entry; Oura’s clinical tie-ins keep users engaged for years, not months. What to Watch Next (Consumers + Investors): Clinical + CPG mashups — Expect more wearables and telehealth brands partnering with OTC products to create all-in-one care experiences. Menopause mainstreaming — Big beauty, food, and beverage players will enter the space, making “for menopause” as normal as “for sensitive skin.” Distribution power plays — Amazon exclusives, subscription bundles, and insurance-covered wellness products will define the next growth curve. Data-driven personalization — Real-time health data will increasingly guide product recommendations and even product formulation. Taboo topics going public — Vaginal health, sexual wellness, and hormonal health will get the Dove treatment: science-backed, stigma-free, and beautifully branded. For CPG leaders, here’s the wake-up call: life-stage targeting is about to become table stakes. A menopause-specific line won’t make you bold—it’ll make you relevant. The future belongs to brands that nail both emotional resonance (“I feel seen”) and clinical efficacy (“I see results”). Ignore it, and you’re not just missing a revenue stream—you’re missing the cultural conversation entirely. Women’s health is no longer an emerging category. It’s the next big battleground. And the ones who win here won’t just ride the wave—they’ll own the tide. For more, follow along here: https://lnkd.in/gmGHGv4K Wellness Growth Ventures The 2% Club

The $2 trillion global wellness market is shifting again. Sleep, longevity, and prevention aren’t just for older generations anymore. As a health and wellness marketer, staying ahead of cultural shifts is critical to me. And wow have things changed. After COVID, we saw 40+ audiences dive into prevention and fitness. But that’s not the whole story anymore. Right now it’s Gen Z and millennials who are leading the way and redefining what wellness means. For them, it’s not an occasional yoga class or an organic snack run. Wellness has become daily, personal, and holistic. The priorities now are better sleep, healthier longevity, less alcohol, fewer smokers, and more mindfulness. It’s a complete lifestyle reset, born from self reported higher levels of burnout and worse overall health. And the brands that recognize this boom will be the ones that win. For example, in this summer’s McKinsey & Company’s Future of Wellness Survey, millennials elevated sleep to their top wellness priority, ahead of general health and mindfulness. I’m seeing this play out in my own work. A client of ours has seen an increase in demand for sleep studies from younger people who are burned out, anxious, over weight  and struggling to get quality rest. They’re also seeing more couples who are “sleep divorced” - sleeping in separate rooms just to get through the night. And the mental health impact of poor sleep can’t be ignored. What used to be seen as a problem for later in life has become a priority in prevention and longevity much earlier. That shift says everything about where wellness is heading. For brands, the opportunity is right here. Wellness has redefined itself again. The real question is how you’ll show up: authentically, meaningfully, and in step with a generation that isn’t dabbling in wellness. They’re living it. #WellnessIndustry #FutureOfWellness #HealthAndWellness #SleepHealth #Longevity #Prevention #GenZConsumers #BrandStrategy

India’s ₹12,800 crore wellness industry is being disrupted by free park meetups. Across India, people are trading fitness apps for early morning run clubs and outdoor yoga classes. This movement toward what experts call "analog wellness" is changing how brands connect with consumers. I visited three such communities last week, and I liked the diversity of participants and their loyalty. Many attend 3-5 sessions weekly and bring friends consistently. What's driving this movement? 📍 India's health and wellness market has exploded to ₹12,800 crore ($1.5 billion) in 2024, with the industry showing a 5.3% annual growth rate (IMARC Group, "India Health and Wellness Market Report 2024"). 📍 India’s wellness tourism market alone is projected to reach $21.3 billion by 2025, growing to $41 billion by 2030, reflecting Indians' rising preference for experiential wellness (FICCI–EY Wellness Report, 2023). 📍 While digital fitness platforms are growing, a recent OnePoll survey found 56% of respondents prefer group workouts, with over one-quarter specifically wanting to exercise with others rather than alone (OnePoll/Zepp Health, 2023). Smart brands are already capitalizing on this trend: ➡ Decathlon hosts free weekend hiking groups that build community while showcasing their products (Decathlon India Events Page, 2024) ➡ Local athleisure brands are sponsoring neighborhood sports leagues instead of paying for Instagram ads (Business Today, "How Homegrown Fitness Brands Are Winning," Feb 2024) ➡ Several fitness chains report that their outdoor bootcamps generate significantly more word-of-mouth referrals than digital offerings If I could give one piece of advice to wellness brands right now: 👉 Stop thinking about customers as metrics and start creating physical spaces where people can truly connect with each other. In our hyper-digital world, the simplest human connection, like sweating next to a stranger who becomes a friend, might be the most valuable offering of all. Have you attended any offline wellness communities yet?