Neuro (gum)
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| Product type | Chewing gum Mints |
|---|---|
| Owner | Neuro Inc. |
| Country | United States |
| Introduced | 2015 |
| Markets | Confectionary Caffeinated products Nootropics |
| Website | neurogum.com |
Neuro is an American chewing gum and mints brand that produces functional chewing gum and mints infused with caffeine, l-theanine, and vitamins. The infused ingredients make the product enhance focus, energy, and mental performance of the consumer. It is targeted at young adults as an alternative to energy drinks.
The chewing gum appeared on the 11th season of the television show Shark Tank, which aired in 2020. Recently the company has expanded its product offering to include gums and mints that have different benefits than just energy, including relaxation and sleep aids. As of 2025, it is one of the largest brands in the nootropic edibles industry.
Chewing gum that contained stimulants was first introduced to the United States from R&D products produced by the military at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. Products aimed at keeping soldiers both alert and awake were tested in the 1990s, with each piece of "Stay Alert gum" containing 100mg of caffeine.[1] Shortly after this, Jolt Cola released an energy gum, with Wrigley's Alert another getting released in 2013.[2]
Kent Yoshimura and Ryan Chen co-founded Neuro after meeting while studying at University of California, San Diego.[3] Yoshimura was studying neuroscience with Chen studying chemistry, and both are multi-disciplined athletes. They stated in interviews that as college athletes they were dissatisfied with energy drinks and other products marketed as enhancing concentration or performance, but often saw crashes or sugar spikes from products they were using.[4] As a result, Yoshimura and Chen spent time at college creating their own supplements in pill-form, which eventually led to the creation of Neuro.[5] Chen suffered a spinal-cord injury in 2009 after UC San Diego,[6] and went viral in 2013 when he crowd surfed in his wheelchair to a Young the Giant's song, My Body.[7][8]
Foundation
Yoshimura and Chen launched Neuro in 2015 after years of refining the product.[9] During the same year, Chen and Yoshimura came up with the concept of developing a caffeinated gum.[10]
In 2015, the co-founders conducted a seed round on Indiegogo with a goal of $10,000. The campaign reached this target within three days and raised a total of $21,000. They then focused on two sales models for the gum, direct to consumer and traditional retail.[9] Over the next four years, the company grew modestly and by 2018 had a turnover of $1.5 million.[11] The turnover grew further to $3.5 million in 2019, with Chen recognised as part of the Forbes 30 Under 30 that year.[12][13]