For the past three decades, Mukul Shah’s mother has been grappling with Type II diabetes. Her prolonged use of conventional medications had adverse effects on her kidneys, resulting in digestion problems and other health issues. Faced with this situation, Mukul embarked on a quest for alternative solutions, and his research consistently pointed to Ayurvedic treatment.

Initially, Mukul encountered a challenge in finding qualified Ayurvedic doctors. However, a friend suggested an Ashram located 250 kilometers away from Delhi, offering Ayurvedic treatments. Despite the absence of a proper booking system and digitalization, Mukul managed to take his mother there for consultation. After undergoing a six-month program at the Ashram, he observed a significant improvement in his mother’s health, reducing her dependency on modern medications to just 20%. This transformative experience inspired Mukul to create an alternative healthcare ecosystem, giving birth to “Lifechart.”

Founded in 2021 by Mukul Shah, K Sandeep, and Mansi Sharma, Lifechart is a holistic gut specialist brand. The startup focuses on providing solutions for various digestive issues, including constipation, indigestion, gas, piles, fatty liver, and overall gut health. Mukul, who is a serial entrepreneur, met Mansi at his previous venture, Yolo Bus, while Sandeep came into the picture in 2019 during Mukul’s search for a CTO for Yolo, eventually becoming a co-founder at Lifechart.

Currently headquartered in Gurugram, the startup has built a network of 500 doctors and 30 health buddies across India, serving approximately 150,000 patients to date. Lifechart offers comprehensive solutions to its customers, guiding them from the initial stage of discovering their health issues to achieving recovery.

Patients can connect with Lifechart through three primary channels. First, they can download the Lifechart app from the Google Play Store, enabling them to connect with Ayurvedic doctors within 60 seconds using AI-based technology. The startup provides clinically-tested products formulated by its doctors, along with a disease recovery and patient care management program.

Second, Lifechart maintains a strong presence on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, where customers can interact with doctors and book appointments. The startup also conducts digital marketing campaigns on these platforms.

Third, patients can visit the Lifechart website to find products and access teleconsultation links to connect with doctors. Although the products are currently only available on the Lifechart website, the startup plans to expand to e-commerce platforms in the near future.

Upon logging into the Lifechart website, customers are assigned a health buddy who guides them in making dietary and lifestyle changes. These health buddies are trained pharmacists who conduct preliminary diagnoses and then transfer the call to a doctor. The product formulations are developed by in-house doctors and tested by a reputable lab. Lifechart also offers over-the-counter products that do not require a doctor’s prescription.

Mukul acknowledges the need for educating customers about Ayurvedic medicine and, as a response, provides free 24×7 consultation services.

Lifechart operates on a B2C model, offering digital doctor consultations and doorstep product delivery. Consultation fees range from Rs 5 to Rs 20 per minute, depending on the doctor’s experience. The startup has also developed an in-house AI generative engine that gathers customer data during consultations, aiding in predicting future demand and new product categories.

Based on this data, Lifechart has introduced five instant gut relief products, including constipation formula, fatty liver formula, gastric issue formula, piles formula, and indigestion formula, which have received a positive response.

According to IMARC, the Ayurvedic products market in India reached Rs 62,600 crore in 2022 and is expected to grow to Rs 1,82,400 crore by 2028, with a CAGR of 19.3% during 2023-2028. Lifechart started generating revenue in November 2022 and reported an ARR of approximately Rs 2 to 2.4 crore as of August 2023, with the expectation of reaching Rs 6-6.5 crore by the end of the 2023 fiscal year, with unit-level profitability.

With a robust technology infrastructure, diverse product offerings, and effective distribution models, Lifechart has impacted the lives of 150,000 customers. The startup aims to achieve a net revenue of Rs 40 crore by the end of FY24 and plans to reach Rs 500 crore in net revenue by FY26.

Lifechart has secured approximately $200,000 in funding from notable investors, including Nitish Mitterssain, Founder of Nazara Technologies, ExpertDojo, a US-based VC firm, and Sunn91 Ventures. The founders themselves initially invested around Rs 20 lakh to kickstart the business.

In a competitive Ayurveda market, Lifechart distinguishes itself through advanced technology, particularly AI-driven diagnostics and demand forecasting.