​​From Guesswork to GUTyou: Personalizing Gut Health Through Microbiome Science​

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

GUTyou is a student start-up developed in the Garage program, a cross-university entrepreneurship initiative hosted at WU Vienna with TU Vienna and BOKU. It addresses a gap in the gut health market: despite growing evidence that the microbiome shapes immune function, metabolism, and mental wellbeing, available solutions remain generic and fragmented. GUTyou offers a subscription-based platform that translates individual microbiome test data into actionable nutrition plans with a personalised recipe databank and shopping guide, a structured 90-day gut restoration programme with habit tracking and nutrition diary, and an educational hub covering gut–brain axis science – with custom probiotic supplements envisioned at a later stage. 

Goal 

GUTyou’s goal is to transform gut health from generic, one-size-fits-all advice into truly personalised, data-driven care. Millions of people cycle through generic supplements, conflicting dietary recommendations, and fragmented test results without lasting improvement – GUTyou aims to break this cycle by empowering every individual to understand their unique microbiome and act on it, through a single platform that translates complex microbiome data into simple, actionable, and personalised recommendations. 

Methodology 

The project followed a Lean Start-up methodology across three iteration cycles validating desirability, feasibility, and viability. Primary research included 14 customer interviews exploring symptom experience and unmet needs, and 9 expert interviews with gastroenterologists, nutritionists, and microbiome scientists validating the clinical foundation. A Van Westendorp price sensitivity survey (n=43) identified the optimal price range, and 4 think-aloud customer journey observations tested prototype comprehension. Secondary research covered microbiome science literature, a PESTEL analysis of the DACH environment, a competitor analysis of 10 key players, and market sizing for Germany and Austria. In parallel, the team conducted calls with potential testing lab partners and B2B2C collaborators and developed a functional app prototype through two design iterations informed by user feedback. 

Results 

Across all three iterations, 27 of 31 hypotheses were confirmed: over 80% of interviewees reported recurring gut symptoms affecting daily life, with frustration over generic solutions and inability to identify root causes. Experts confirmed that personalised microbiome-based approaches outperform generic alternatives and that behavioural compliance — not information — is the key bottleneck. The Van Westendorp analysis informed a hybrid pricing model: a one-time microbiome test at €130 plus monthly subscriptions at €9.99 (Standard), €24.99 (Pro), or €149.99 (Premium with custom probiotic). 

The project also achieved concrete launch milestones, most notably winning first place at the Entrepreneurship Avenue 2026 conference, Europe’s largest student-led start-up event. EA coaching shaped a B2B2C model pairing GUTyou’s personalised guidance with existing testing providers. myBioma extended a white-label offer for clinical-grade microbiome analysis, with partnership discussions also underway with Artgerecht. A functional demo app was deployed featuring the personalised dashboard, 90-day challenge, recipe databank, and nutrition diary. The competitor analysis confirmed that no existing solution combines microbiome-driven nutrition, a structured behavioural programme, and personalised supplementation in one platform. Market sizing identifies a SAM of ~€81M in Germany and Austria, with a bottom-up Year 3 revenue projection of ~€1.1M and EBITDA break-even under the realistic scenario. 

Cooperation Partner 

• ​​GUTYou 
  Website: d3tps7vmik1363.cloudfront.net ​ 

​​Contact Person​ 

• ​​Sophie Kasinger 
  Sophie.kasinger@s.wu.ac.at​ 

Student Team 

• ​​​Sophie Kasinger 
  Sara Prohackova 
  Rosemarie Skowronski 
  Akhil Pillai 
  Maximilian Donald Reisinger 
  ​​ 

Project Manager 

• ​​Diana Lauer  

• ​Theresa Nicolussi  

• ​Dragos Vasilescu 

• ​​Caroline Kunesch​​