Hyro enters the US electrolyte wars with Side Stage capital and a subscription engine

The Australian brand lands stateside with a 6.1× LTV:CAC model, a clinical-grade formula and an ambassador roster built for the feed.

The US electrolyte category is crowded — LMNT, Liquid I.V., AG1-adjacent hydration plays and a wave of stick-pack challengers all fighting for the same bottle. Into that fray steps Hyro, an Australian brand arriving with institutional backing and a retention model most DTC operators would envy.

Hyro has raised a growth round led by Side Stage Ventures to fund its US entry. The brand positions itself as "playful performance" — a clinical-grade electrolyte load with zero added sugar, priced for daily use rather than race day or the sick bed.

Subscription-first, retail-second

Unlike many beverage brands that chase shelf placement early, Hyro has deliberately stayed direct-to-consumer, building a subscription base of 11,600+ before entertaining major retail. Management points to best-in-class cancel-save rates and a retention function modelled on the leading US daily-wellness brands.

"Powders are taking the growth from sugar-loaded RTDs. The bottle revolution made everyone a potential customer."

The company has lined up US co-packing, 3PL, Amazon and TikTok Shop ahead of launch, with founders Steve and Taylor Chapman relocating to Southern California. For Side Stage, it's a bet that disciplined unit economics travel — even into the most competitive beverage market in the world.