Building for Health from the Gut-Up: Gutsy’s Ambitious Journey with WeWork Labs

Discover how Gutsy, a new-age gut health startup, is redefining wellness with science-backed probiotics, innovation, and support from WeWork Labs.

In theory, everyone knows that the gut and the brain are connected. But Anubhav Jain’s journey to building a company that brought this thought to the centre began nearly a decade ago. Back then, Yakult had just entered the country and this made Anubhav think more closely about how people could get more out of their lifestyle. “The gut isn’t just the ‘second brain’—it’s where 70% of immunity lives,” Anubhav explains. “If you fix the gut, you fix health at its foundation.”

Today, he’s building Gutsy, a new-age gut health brand that aims to help improve overall health through a holistic wellbeing approach that is easy to incorporate, direct to mouth nutraceutical supplements. . His larger vision with Tthe Wellbeing Collective (TWC)—of which Gutsy is their inaugural brand —is to : empower individuals to live happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives through accessible and impactful lifestyle solutions.

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Building the future of Health

According to Anubhav, what sets Gutsy apart is its formulation, innovation and design. Unlike most nutraceutical startups that rely on generic blends, Gutsy’s formulations were developed to deal with the root cause of your symptoms, over 18 months by a team of clinical doctors and nutritionists, including a specialist from John Hopkins. Manufactured in India to global standards (US FDA, GMP, EU GMP), the products are also tested at Eurofins labs to ensure that Gutsy products are free from heavy metals, pesticides, and ensure ingredient level integrity. The formulation also includes a Microbac Patented Technology, that envelops a probiotic strain, which enhances the durability and survivability. This patented technology ensures that the microencapsulated probiotic is stable throughout shelf life and can safely navigate the stomach's acidic environment, reaching the intestinal tract intact to proliferate and perform their biological functions at 5x of traditional, uncoated probiotics.

In supplements—especially probiotics—packaging plays a critical role in preserving efficacy. Probiotics, along with prebiotics, essential nutrients, and herbal extracts, can quickly lose their potency when exposed to heat, moisture, oxygen, or pH imbalance. Gutsy solved this challenge with innovative four-layer aluminum foil, great tasting, oral-soluble sachets that keep ingredients stable without refrigeration—perfect for busy urban consumers on the go. “At Gutsy, we focus on transparency, authenticity, and delivering root-cause solutions for today’s health-conscious consumer,” says Anubhav.

For most of the past decade, India’s nutraceutical market was led by traditional Ayurvedic brands and generic supplements, with little conversation around gut microbiota, functional foods, or clinical-grade probiotics. Having spent decades as a serial entrepreneur, Anubhav recognized early on that the future lay in science-backed nutrition.

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“Gut health isn’t just a niche category,” Anubhav says. “Your gut is the command center of your health. What people often overlook is that gut health is all about balance — the harmony between good and bad microbes. Not all microbes are harmful; the right ones actually nourish, protect, and power your system.“

At GUTSY, we believe nurturing that balance is the first step to building a healthier, happier life. We are currently focusing on how the Gut influences everything from how well you digest food to how strong your immunity can be, and even how you feel everyday.

Our mission is to simplify this science and make it accessible for every Indian household.

Enter WeWork Labs

Anubhav brought Gutsy into the market in July this year. For Gutsy, WeWork Labs has been more than just a launchpad. Anubhav credits the Labs team with creating an environment where startups like his don’t just survive, but thrive.

“The Labs team has been incredible,” he says. “It’s not just about giving us space, it’s about making real introductions—to investors, other founders, even our first few customers—who have helped shape our journey.”

One key value-add has been community-driven product feedback. “As we launched Gutsy, Labs helped create buzz within the Growth Campus community. Suddenly, we had feedback from a hundred real users in days. That kind of insight is priceless—it told us what was working, what wasn’t, and where to tweak.”

Looking ahead

India’s Probiotics & Dietary Supplements market was pegged at $47.6 million in 2024 and is expected to hit $120 million within five years. Global giants like Nestlé and Yakult have already entered, and legacy Ayurvedic brands like Himalaya are expanding their nutraceutical lines.

But Anubhav sees a gap: urban consumers who want authenticity and innovation, not just repackaged herbal pills. “There’s a new wave of Indians who read labels, who ask about clinical backing, who want formats that fit their lifestyle. That’s the customer we’re building for.”