Camino Partners, a values-led investment platform founded by KIND Founder Daniel Lubetzky, continues to back growth-stage companies at the intersection of consumer, health, and technology. Today, the company announced its investment in Intake Breathing, partnering behind a shared mission to end mouth breathing and empower people to get more out of life, starting with their breath. The partnership is Intake’s first significant capital infusion, marking the transition from family-run to partner-run business.

Founded by inventor and medical device engineer Jim Castillo and led by his son-in-law, Co-Founder and CEO Alex Hauck, Intake started by solving a problem Castillo had personally encountered keeping nasal passages open while racing on the motocross track. His solution replaced traditional adhesive strips with Intake’s reusable magnetic band and tabs, which mechanically open the nasal valve, the narrowest point of the airway, giving users an immediate, physical sense of wider airflow the moment they put it on.

What began as a fix for off-road riders quickly revealed something much bigger: an estimated 80% of Americans have some degree of deviated septum, 56% — more than 90 million people — snore, and over 60% report breathing primarily through their mouths, pointing to a market of more than 270 million people who stand to benefit. The consequences compound over time, from elevated blood pressure and worsened snoring to dry mouth and lower endurance. What started as a tool for Castillo turned into an opportunity to help millions breathe better.

“Intake started as a solution to a problem in my father-in-law’s own garage, and it’s become something bigger than we ever imagined — a solution people count on to optimize their breathing so they can sleep better, perform better and get more out of life,” said Alex Hauck, CEO and Co-Founder of Intake. “Camino brings something rare: a team that has actually lived the journey of building a company that changes how people think about an entire category. We’re not just gaining capital, we’re gaining a partner who knows exactly what it takes to help get us there.”

Intake’s patented magnetic nasal dilator system has already helped Intake become the fastest-growing brand in the nasal strip category. Camino’s investment will support the company’s expansion beyond its highly efficient direct-to-consumer engine into offline and specialty channels where the majority of the category still transacts. The teams will partner to make key hires to build out the organization for its next stage of growth and will educate consumers on nasal breathing as a foundational step to accessing peak performance across all aspects of a healthy life.

Says Camino Partners and KIND Snacks Founder, Daniel Lubetzky, “When we introduced KIND to the market, consumers were just starting to make the connection between whole foods and their health. We see a similar opportunity for Intake Breathing to be at the forefront of a lifestyle shift to breathing through your nose, which is foundational to better sleep, stress management, and overall wellness.”

“Intake Breathing’s product is exceptional – and its instant efficacy is a powerful form of marketing,” said Elle Lanning, President at Camino Partners. “With Intake, we see an opportunity to reposition nasal strips from a drug store offering into an essential part of a healthy daily routine. This vision can only be unlocked with thoughtful staging and careful execution. We’re excited to support Alex and his team on that journey.”

Intake has attracted a growing following among elite athletes, including Dodgers All-Star Justin Wrobleski and Olympic Silver Medalist speed skater Viktor Thorup, and consumers alike. As nasal breathing continues to gain traction as a daily health and performance habit, Camino and Intake are committed to ensuring that this is just the beginning for the category. Learn more at www.caminopartners.com and www.intakebreathing.com.

About Camino Partners

Camino Partners is a values led investment platform focused on enhancing consumers’ lives. Knowing that where values guide, value grows, we partner with pioneering leaders to build enduring enterprise value forged with entrepreneurialism, open communication and integrity. Our leadership team steered every stage of KIND’s growth from concept to multi-billion-dollar platform and now, our team of accomplished investors and strategic operators is putting that experience to work. Our bespoke approach to partnership allows us to be trusted thought partners along the business growth journey, helping companies solve meaningful consumer problems while charting a pathway to scalable and sustainable growth. Our partner companies include Barry’s, Athletic Brewing, LiveWell, Well Labs+ and more. Learn more about us at CaminoPartners.com.

About Intake Breathing Technology LLC.

Intake Breathing is changing the way people breathe – and perform. The family-founded performance and wellness brand makes a patented magnetic nasal breathing system designed to open the nasal passages and increase airflow during sleep, training, recovery and everyday life. Invented by medical device engineer Jim Castillo and led by Co-Founder & CEO Alex Hauck, Intake went from a family-built idea launched on Kickstarter in 2019 to one of the fastest-growing names in nasal breathing. Today, Intake is used by everyone from everyday athletes to elite competitors, including Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski, NASCAR standout Corey Heim and Olympic Silver Medalist speed skater Viktor Thorup — all tapping better breathing as another edge in performance and recovery. Learn more at http://IntakeBreathing.com.

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