News09.05.2023

DvH Ventures leads €1.5m pre-seed funding of female health startup DR. VIVIEN KARL

Berlin, May 2023. The female health startup DR. VIVIEN KARL has raised 1.5 million euros in pre-seed financing. In addition to existing investors such as the angel club better ventures, the startup was able to win Dieter von Holtzbrinck Ventures (DvH Ventures) as a new lead investor and Tina Müller, former CEO of Douglas, as a new angel. The female health startup will use the new funding to expand its sales channels and team, and to conduct its first clinical trials.

Dr. Vivien Karl & Julia Huhnholz, founders of DR. VIVIEN KARL

Berlin, May 2023. The female health startup DR. VIVIEN KARL has raised 1.5 million euros in pre-seed financing. In addition to existing investors such as the angel club better ventures, the startup was able to win Dieter von Holtzbrinck Ventures (DvH Ventures) as a new lead investor and Tina Müller, former CEO of Douglas, as a new angel. The female health startup will use the new funding to expand its sales channels and team, and to conduct its first clinical trials.

DR. VIVIEN KARL was founded by pharmacist Dr. Vivien Karl and marketer Julia Huhnholz and targeted intimate dryness with its first product, a moisturising cream. The shared mission of the two founders: To educate women about intimate care, to enhance the intimate well-being of women at different stages of life and to de-taboo intimate health issues. Their vision is to become the number one brand for intimate care products, trusted by women, doctors and pharmacists because it stands for healthy naturalness and aesthetics.

To this end, the female health start-up launched its first product in September 2022: Intimate Cream 01. In collaboration with a gynaecological practice, the cream was tested by more than 100 women, who confirmed its high overall effectiveness.

In the course of a pre-seed round, the start-up was able to convince the D2C experts Monique Hoell (HelloBody) and Benedikt Klarmann (Junglück) as well as Laurence Saunier and Marlena Hien (Bears with Beneftis) from the Angel Club better ventures and to win Dieter von Holtzbrinck Ventures as a new lead investor. Tina Müller, former CEO of Douglas, also invested in the start-up in January. The startup will use the follow-on funding to further expand its sales channels and team, and to conduct clinical trials to validate the product.

"We want to make DR. VIVIEN KARL to become THE brand in intimate care. Our aim is to look after the health of women in mid-life. The market lacks quality products for an ageing female population".

Julia Huhnholz and Vivien Karl met through an Instagram post by Lea-Sophie Cramer and now run the start-up together. While Karl, who has a doctorate in pharmacy, focuses on the product and distribution through pharmacies, Huhnholz, who previously made the Womanizer vibrator a household name at the WOWTech Group, is responsible for communications and marketing.


Dr. Vivien Karl & Julia Huhnholz, founders of DR. VIVIEN KARL
"DR. VIVIEN KARL is not only the first intimate care startup DvH Ventures has invested in, but also one of the first intimate care startups to address such an important social issue. We are very excited to work with the two founders to strengthen the intimate well-being of women at different stages of their lives and to de-taboo issues around intimate health".

DR. VIVIEN KARL was founded in 2021 out of the need for a better solution to vulvar dryness. With natural, high quality and scientifically based products for effective and safe care. The joint mission of Vivien Karl and co-founder Julia Huhnholz is to educate women about intimate care, to empower women's intimate well-being at different stages of life and to de-taboo topics around intimate health.

DR. VIVIEN KARL was founded by pharmacist Dr. Vivien Karl and marketer Julia Huhnholz and targeted intimate dryness with its first product, a moisturising cream. The shared mission of the two founders: To educate women about intimate care, to enhance the intimate well-being of women at different stages of life and to de-taboo intimate health issues. Their vision is to become the number one brand for intimate care products, trusted by women, doctors and pharmacists because it stands for healthy naturalness and aesthetics.

To this end, the female health start-up launched its first product in September 2022: Intimate Cream 01. In collaboration with a gynaecological practice, the cream was tested by more than 100 women, who confirmed its high overall effectiveness.

In the course of a pre-seed round, the start-up was able to convince the D2C experts Monique Hoell (HelloBody) and Benedikt Klarmann (Junglück) as well as Laurence Saunier and Marlena Hien (Bears with Beneftis) from the Angel Club better ventures and to win Dieter von Holtzbrinck Ventures as a new lead investor. Tina Müller, former CEO of Douglas, also invested in the start-up in January. The startup will use the follow-on funding to further expand its sales channels and team, and to conduct clinical trials to validate the product.

"We want to make DR. VIVIEN KARL to become THE brand in intimate care. Our aim is to look after the health of women in mid-life. The market lacks quality products for an ageing female population".

Julia Huhnholz and Vivien Karl met through an Instagram post by Lea-Sophie Cramer and now run the start-up together. While Karl, who has a doctorate in pharmacy, focuses on the product and distribution through pharmacies, Huhnholz, who previously made the Womanizer vibrator a household name at the WOWTech Group, is responsible for communications and marketing.


"DR. VIVIEN KARL is not only the first intimate care startup DvH Ventures has invested in, but also one of the first intimate care startups to address such an important social issue. We are very excited to work with the two founders to strengthen the intimate well-being of women at different stages of their lives and to de-taboo issues around intimate health".

DR. VIVIEN KARL was founded in 2021 out of the need for a better solution to vulvar dryness. With natural, high quality and scientifically based products for effective and safe care. The joint mission of Vivien Karl and co-founder Julia Huhnholz is to educate women about intimate care, to empower women's intimate well-being at different stages of life and to de-taboo topics around intimate health.

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