Can This Startup Patch Up India's Nutritional Gaps?

India’s hustle-hungry demographic, eager to work 70-75 hours a week, is nutritionally sparse, and some of the most common deficiencies that we wilfully harbour are vitamin D, iron, vitamin B12, vitamin B9 (folate) and protein — courtesy the typical Indian lifestyle.

These nutrition gaps may not only burden the peak of your already hectic day with fatigue or low energy levels, but also become an open invitation to a buffet of chronic diseases that cause impaired physical and cognitive performance and weaken the immune system. And, let’s not get started on how the absence of essential nutrients or minerals can lead to weak immunity, muscle loss, hair fall, and dull skin, among other factors.

However, things have started to take a U-turn. A common Indian today is more conscious about nutrition and supplements than ever, especially after the pandemic. This has given the Indian health supplements market a much-needed shot in the arm.

Consequently, this refurnished, but not nascent, sector has lately attracted a lot of investor interest — think names like OZiva, HealthKart, Wellbeing Nutrition, Nutrabay, The Whole Truth among others that are helping Indians break the cycle of nutritional deficiencies and adopt healthier lifestyles, debunking stereotypes of the signature Indian potbellies.

Exploiting the healthy India’s addiction to remain fit and nutritionally balanced, the Indian dietary supplements market is poised to breach the INR 557.7 Bn by 2033.

Looking at this opportunity, several new brands want to enter the space. But, there is a slight challenge — while there is immense scope to grow, innovation is not the strongest suit here — well, at the end of the day, the end user is either orally consuming a flavoured bar, a power gummy or ingesting it in a capsule or powdered form.

“This had to be fixed to look more appealing to the custodians of a fit India,” said Radhika Rajpal, the founder of Patch Up Health, a new entrant in the space that, too, wants a juicy chunk of this market. However, there is a small twist in how it plans to give that much-needed nutrition shot.

Founded by Radhika Rajpal and Raghav Gandotra in July 2024, Gurugram-based Patch Up Health focusses on delivering nutrients, vitamins and minerals through transdermal patches that absorb through the skin. It offers clean, additive-free, sugar-free and filler-free patches designed for steady and effective nutrient delivery.

The journey of Patch Up began with the personal health choices of its founders, Rajpal and Gandotra — close friends and fitness enthusiasts brought together by a shared obsession with wellness and a habit of scrutinising every label to understand what they were putting into their bodies.

However, the idea of floating their own venture did not take shape until they decided to do something about their frustrations related to substandard supplements that are packaged to mislead tip-toed into their lives.

It was a non-negotiable for them, precisely what triggered Rajpal to employ her natural skill set — entrepreneurship.

Rajpal had previously founded Beyond Equity, a UK-based fintech startup backed by Techstars, and more recently, GetSetPop, a nutraceutical brand focussed on hangover prevention.

She had also spent years advising global companies on strategy and innovation, but her passion always rested in building consumer-centric products that solved real problems.

A Tryst Gone Wrong, But Patched Up Later

During her time in London in 2022, Rajpal, a runner, was a regular supplement user. On a trip to India, she bought what appeared to be the same brand she would use back home.

At first glance, the labels matched, but after a closer she noticed that the Indian version had unfamiliar ingredients.

“The core vitamins were the same, but there were some additional additives,” she said.

After researching a bit, she found that one of the additives, titanium dioxide, was banned in the UK due to potential health risks, but was still commonly used in India because of fewer regulations and lower costs.

That discovery sparked a shift in her thinking. “If most people didn’t even know what was in their supplements, how many were unknowingly consuming potentially harmful fillers every day?” she asked herself.

It was at this moment that she decided to build something completely free of additives, preservatives, and unnecessary ingredients.

But she wasn’t yet sure what and how.

Stars aligned in 2023, when she was first introduced to the idea of transdermal supplements, nutrients absorbed through the skin. She began experimenting with the format and consulted doctors, scientists, and formulation experts.

She discovered that although transdermal delivery systems had been used internationally for years, they had yet to be explored for daily wellness and nutrition in India.

From early 2023 to mid-2024, she researched and tested the nutrients that could be effectively delivered transdermally. She also focussed on identifying potential constraints and exploring what kind of formulations would be viable in India.

During this time, Rajpal met Gandotra, who became the early evangelist of her idea.

A sports enthusiast himself, Gandotra had long relied on supplements to support his training and recovery — especially while preparing for a triathlon he completed a few years ago. At one point, he was taking up to six or seven supplements a day, but instead of feeling stronger, his gut health began to suffer.

Around the same time, Rajpal was experimenting with transdermal formats, and Gandotra became one of the first ones to try one of her early patch prototypes, which he found worked remarkably well.

On the professional front, Gandotra brings over a decade of experience in business strategy, digital growth and ecommerce leadership. An alumnus of the Indian School of Business (ISB), his career spans leading tech companies including Google, Meta, and Flipkart.

The Patch Up Health Way

Patch Up’s foundation lies in a deep belief that supplementing shouldn’t come at the cost of your gut health or involve swallowing multiple pills every day. This is where Patch Up comes to the rescue, with two crucial questions.

First: Which nutrients can be effectively absorbed through the skin?

Second: Which of those nutrients actually solve meaningful wellness concerns for Indian consumers?

This is precisely what the duo set out to solve. At the outset, the founders partnered with global patch manufacturers and hired their R&D teams to develop India-ready formulations.

From day one, the founders brought on a medical advisory panel, including a leading sports physician, who previously served as a doctor to the Indian Olympic team, along with another senior medical expert. Their role was to guide ingredient selection and ensure clinical efficacy. As the brand evolved, Patch Up transitioned from relying on external formulation partners to building in-house scientific leadership

The brand complies with all the major safety and quality standards, including certifications from ISO, CE, and FDA and works with manufacturers who also supply to pharmaceutical companies to ensure top quality checks.

Patch Up offers five SKUs — D Up, Rest Up, Glow Up, Lean Up, and Mix Up — each formulated to meet specific wellness needs using clean, transdermal delivery.

The startup’s formulation process focusses on three core scientific principles:

Only nutrients with a molecular weight under 500 daltons are used or treated to ensure they can pass through the skin.

Ingredients are made fat-soluble (lipophilic), enabling them to move efficiently through the skin’s lipid barrier.

Since patches don’t require binders or preservatives, each formula remains clean and minimal.

A patch is made up of four smart layers — a soft foam base that keeps it light and flexible on your skin, a nutrient reservoir filled with active, fat-soluble vitamins and minerals, a porous liner that ensures nutrients are released slowly over 8 hours, and a skin-friendly adhesive that keeps everything in place.

“Once applied, your body heat activates the patch, helping the nutrients pass through your skin’s natural fat layer and into the bloodstream. That means better absorption, no stomach issues, and steady delivery throughout the day. It’s a cleaner, smarter, and more efficient way to supplement,” added the founder.

According to the founders, the transdermal method is quie promising for nutrients like Vitamin D, which research suggests can be absorbed up to 60% more effectively through the skin compared to oral formats.

Finding A New Path For Nutrition

The year-old startup, with its unique transdermal patches, received its first major validation just two months after the launch — when it secured a deal on Shark Tank India.

“⁠Our revenues grew 4X since Shark Tank. The response from customers was overwhelming. Our traffic on the night of the airing was 5x the previous day,” Rajpal said.

The just-turned-one startup claims to have already generated INR 4.2 Cr in revenues for the year ending March 2025, with an average order value (AOV) of INR 1,500 and a user base to the north of 50,000.

The brand primarily sells through its website, which accounts for around 70% of total sales. The remaining 30% comes from marketplaces such as Amazon, Nykaa, Tata 1mg, Swiggy Minis, and Zepto. Approximately 60% to 65% of sales come from India’s major metro cities, with Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore contributing the largest share.

The founders are also looking to expand their presence on platforms like Flipkart and other marketplaces, while placing greater focus on quick commerce.

Over the next 6–12 months, the brand aims to enter two new categories — pain management and beauty — with a focus on skin health, anti-ageing and wrinkle-related concerns.

In addition, it has begun exploring wearable technology. In its early research phase, it aims to evaluate potential ways to pair nutrient delivery with real-time monitoring.

However, per the founder, the biggest challenge going forward will be to retain their customers. Beyond retention, operating in a fast-growing and crowded supplement category comes with its own set of challenges, including direct competition from both emerging players and established names. In such a landscape, differentiation is critical, which may currently be its strong suit but can be replicated easily. In this scenario, is Patch Up ready for growth pains ahead?

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