LOS ANGELES — Consumer health and food technology brand Muniq raised $8.2 million in a Series A funding round led by Alpha Edison and Acre Venture Partners, with participation from Cathy Richards, founder of SimplyProtein, and Baron Davis, former NBA all-star.  

Muniq is the consumer facing brand of Uplifting Results Labs, a Los Angeles-based startup focused on improving health through the gut microbiome. Launched in May 2020, it offers nutritional shakes formulated with prebiotic resistant starch, which has been shown to improve gut health, blood sugar control and weight management. The shakes are sold direct-to-consumer online and are available in chocolate, vanilla, mocha latte, vegan vanilla and vegan chocolate varieties.

“I created Muniq in honor of my late sister, Monica, who suffered from diabetes and other chronic health issues,” said Marc Washington, founder and chief executive officer of Uplifting Results Labs. “It’s always been my aspiration to help people regain control over underlying conditions, with products that can literally transform their health and that actually taste good. And personally, as a Black founder, I am passionate about Muniq being part of the solution to help address the vast health disparities affecting Black and Brown communities.”

Muniq will use funds from the Series A round to expand its portfolio and advance clinical research. It also plans to build its internal team and amplify brand awareness.

“Muniq has established a solid foundation in science and efficacy based on the rapidly emerging clinical research on the gut microbiome,” said Nate Redmond, managing partner at Alpha Edison. “Marc is a mission-oriented and visionary leader, and we are excited to support Muniq in building a better and healthier world.”