About Hydroceuticals
Hydroceuticals is an enhanced water beverage to help people better manage their diabetes. It contains essential herbs and minerals that can help them with a healthier lifestyle in terms of managing their glucose levels and improving their insulin sensitivity. Hydroceuticals is not a prescription drug – it’s a sugar-free, functional beverage containing herbs and minerals known to help manage glucose levels and improve insulin sensitivity, which can be substituted in place of unhealthier options such as diet coke or juice.
Hydroceuticals Founder Rajdeep Sidhu’s (MBA ’15) personal experience combined with his life-long ambition to become an entrepreneur led to the inception of Hydroceuticals. “I have a family history of diabetes which means I’m really prone,” said Sidhu. “Last year my doctor told me that my sugar levels were high and that if I didn’t change my lifestyle I’d end up where my dad was.” As Sidhu made changes to adopt a healthier lifestyle, he realized the lack of everyday, healthy beverages to enjoy when going out with friends, at the office or in class.
“People with diabetes don’t have a lot of beverage options,” said Sidhu. “If you walk through Whole Foods, Costco or Walmart you’ll see many options for people with normal health, but nothing for people with diabetes. Roughly one in three people are pre-diabetic or diabetic in America, so I think there’s a huge demand.”
From StartR to Lab to Market
Sidhu and his partner decided to apply for StartR, the Rady School’s nonprofit accelerator, to gain personalized mentorship and legal and accounting help. “The speakers and mentors of StartR come and talk exclusively to you,” said Sidhu. “You can ask direct questions, share information and exchange ideas, which is very different from a setting of a class of 50 students.” StartR also helped Sidhu find a mentor in the beverage industry, who supplied the Hydroceuticals team with important advice and connections. “StartR was huge for me because before StartR, I was directionless,” said Sidhu. “StartR gave me that direction.” Because of Hydroceuticals’ potential, Sidhu and his Lab to Market team switched from their original project idea to Hydroceuticals in time for their second Lab to Market course. Through Lab to Market, they were able to stay focused and develop a business strategy while exposing the brand to Rady School students.
What’s Next
Currently, Hydroceuticals is in the product development phase, determining details such as flavoring, bottle design and label branding. “Beyond that, we’re looking to do a sample run and launch our product in the San Diego market,” said Sidhu. “I hope the product is successful, that people like it and that we can start acquiring customers.”
More on the Rady School’s StartR Accelerator
StartR is a six-month, nonprofit accelerator designed to help Rady School students and alumni to create profitable companies based on their innovative ideas. The program focuses on hands-on company development and teams are mentored by experienced entrepreneurs. In the last three years, 80% of StartR’s teams have been incorporated.
Want to learn more about the Rady School of Management’s innovative and entrepreneurship-focused MBA program? Download our MBA insights eBook, featuring where alumni work, support available for student entrepreneurs at Rady and more.
Lauren Herr is the Social Media Manager for the Rady School. In her free time she can be found snapping landscape pictures and taking advantage of San Diego’s amazing beaches and coffee shops.