TL;DR
Intake Breathing received a $62 million investment from Camino Partners, its first significant outside capital, according to Athletech News. The family-run company says it plans to use the funding to expand into physical retail and specialty channels and make key hires; the investment terms and a rollout schedule were not reported.
Intake Breathing has received a $62 million investment from Camino Partners, the investment firm founded by Kind Snacks creator Daniel Lubetzky, as the magnetic nasal-device company prepares to expand into retail. The company says the funding will support physical retail and specialty-channel growth, as well as new hires; financial terms beyond the investment amount were not disclosed in the report.
The investment is Intake’s first significant outside capital, according to Athletech News, which reported the deal. Intake is a family-run business founded by inventor and medical device engineer Jim Castillo and led by his son-in-law, co-founder and CEO Alex Hauck. The report did not state what stake Camino will receive or whether the investment is structured as equity, debt or another financing arrangement.
Intake sells a magnetic nasal dilator intended to open the nasal passages. Its system combines a reusable magnetic band with adhesive tabs to mechanically open the nasal valve, which the company describes as the narrowest part of the nasal airway. The design differs from conventional adhesive nasal strips, but the source report did not provide clinical evidence or independent testing comparing the products’ effects.
The company has built its business mainly through direct-to-consumer sales. Hauck said the investment brings both capital and a partner with experience growing consumer brands. Camino president Elle Lanning also expressed confidence in the company’s potential, while the report identified no specific retail partners, hiring targets or sales goals.
Funding Targets Retail Expansion
The $62 million gives Intake a substantial funding commitment as it seeks to reach customers outside its existing online sales channels. A move into physical and specialty retail could make the product more widely available, but that outcome depends on distribution agreements, retail placement and consumer demand—details not provided in the report.
The deal also places a consumer wellness product in the hands of an investor whose portfolio includes health-oriented brands. Camino’s participation signals its interest in the company’s growth prospects; it does not establish that the nasal device improves sleep, athletic performance or health outcomes. Those product claims were not evaluated in the investment announcement.
For readers, the immediate development is commercial rather than clinical: Intake has secured new capital and says it intends to use it to scale. Whether that strategy changes availability, pricing or the evidence consumers can access about the product remains to be seen.
From Garage Invention to Funding
Intake’s origins, as described by Hauck in the report, trace to a problem Castillo sought to solve in his garage. Hauck said the company grew from that effort into a business, with the family remaining central to its leadership. The new investment marks a change in scale, bringing in an outside investment firm to support the next phase.
The company is also trying to build on consumer interest in sleep, recovery and performance. The report said professional athletes, including Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski and Belgian soccer player Amadou Onana, have become associated with the brand. Their association does not, by itself, establish product effectiveness or indicate that they endorse specific medical claims.
Camino’s portfolio includes boutique fitness company Barry’s and nonalcoholic beer maker Athletic Brewing, among other health-oriented businesses, according to the report. Lubetzky compared the opportunity he sees for Intake to Kind’s effort to introduce consumers to a different approach to snacks. That is an investor’s view of the market, not evidence that nasal breathing products will achieve similar adoption.
““We’re not just gaining capital, we’re gaining a partner who knows exactly what it takes to help get us there.””
— Alex Hauck, Intake co-founder and CEO
Deal Terms and Rollout Remain Unknown
The report does not specify the investment’s financial structure, Camino’s ownership stake, or whether the $62 million was delivered all at once. It also gives no timetable for the retail expansion, names no retail or specialty-channel partners, and does not detail which roles Intake plans to hire.
It remains unclear how much of the funding will go toward distribution, staffing, marketing or other expenses. The source also provides no product sales figures, revenue, customer counts or targets against which to measure the company’s growth. No clinical findings or independent product comparisons were included, so the commercial announcement should not be read as confirmation of health or performance benefits.
Retail Plans and Hiring Await Details
Intake says it plans to use the capital to pursue physical retail and specialty channels and make key hires. The company has not announced a launch calendar, named stores or disclosed specific positions, so the next concrete signs of progress would be distribution announcements, hiring updates or details about where customers can buy the product.
Further information about the deal’s structure and the company’s expansion plans may clarify how quickly Intake intends to grow. Until those details are available, the confirmed development is the $62 million investment and the company’s stated intention to scale beyond direct-to-consumer sales.
Key Questions
Who invested $62 million in Intake Breathing?
Camino Partners, the investment firm founded by Kind Snacks creator Daniel Lubetzky, made the investment, according to Athletech News.
What does Intake Breathing sell?
Intake sells a magnetic nasal dilator made with a reusable band and adhesive tabs, designed to open the nasal valve. The source report did not include independent clinical evidence about its effects.
How does Intake plan to use the funding?
The company says it plans to expand into physical retail and specialty channels and make key hires. It has not provided a rollout schedule or specific hiring plans.
Were the investment terms disclosed?
No. The report gives the investment amount but does not specify Camino’s ownership stake, the deal structure or the funding disbursement schedule.
Source: athletechnews.com
