The partnership comes following Nous’ successful €2.3 million seed fundraising round, led by the Swiss-Dutch ingredient giant, to support the development, claims substantiation and market validation to take Koncentra from clinical development to commercialization.
Manufactured through Nous’ proprietary extraction technology, said to preserve the integrity and efficacy of natural components, Koncentra is blend of ashwagandha, ginkgo biloba, holy basil, and oats, in a soluble and flavorless powder offering wide format applicability.
“Today’s energy solutions are still largely built around caffeine, which often comes with trade-offs that consumers are increasingly unwilling to accept,” said Lorenzo Pessini, CEO and founder at Nous. “We see a clear opportunity to redefine the category by moving toward more balanced solutions. Koncentra represents a new generation of botanical ingredients, designed to deliver sustained energy alongside focus and mood support, without over stimulation.”
He added: “Our ambition is to become a strategic partner for companies looking to innovate in functional ingredients, and this collaboration with dsm-firmenich is a key step in bringing that vision to life at scale.”
Brain health and energy top of the agenda
The brain health and energy markets are experiencing significant global expansion, driven by an aging population, rising stress levels, and a growing demand for cognitive performance among younger demographics like students and gamers.
The global market for nootropics—substances that activate cognitive functions like memory and learning—was valued at $5.5 billion in 2025 and is predicted to reach $11.5 billion by 2033, according to Grand View Research.
This trend is unfolding within the performance nutrition category, led by energy drinks, according to Rahul Roy, senior retail insights manager for SPINS.
“The growth reflects a rising demand for cognitive readiness as part of training and recovery, particularly in RTD, hydrations and pre-workout formats, where mental energy and consistency matter as much as physical output,” he previously told NI.
dsm-firmenich’s own Global Consumer Health study (2025) indicates that around 68% of consumers worldwide worry about their energy levels in daily life.
Due to this, energy has become one of the most prominent positioning platforms in functional beverages, with 44% of claims globally linked to energy and 14% to brain and nerve support (Mintel GNPD).
“The demand for science-backed, balanced energy solutions is growing rapidly, and Koncentra is a highly promising innovation that aligns with the shift towards caffeine-free energy solutions,” said Ingrid Damen, director, global business development, beverages at dsm-firmenich.
“We believe that effective products must be rooted in strong science and supported by robust validation. Through this partnership, we are combining Nous’s breakthrough ingredient innovation with our expertise in clinical research, regulatory frameworks and global market development. This agreement reflects our commitment to accelerating next-generation solutions that meet evolving consumer expectations while setting new standards for efficacy and quality.”
Nous plans to expand distribution of Koncentra into the US market from November 2026. By the end of 2027, the company aims to publish at least three clinical studies and reach an annual production capacity of at least 60 tonnes of Koncentra.
In an aim to accelerate validation and commercialization, dsm-firmenich will support the design of clinical trials to substantiate claims related to energy and overall cognitive and physical performance.
