Collider, the brand behind non-alcoholic adaptogenic beer, has secured a £720k funding boost.

Collider, a non-alcoholic beer brand with a 0% ABV, has launched as the world’s first beer infused with adaptogens and functional mushrooms. The brand aims to grow its direct-to-consumer presence and expand its footprint in the UK on-trade market.

Founded in early 2024 by drinks entrepreneur Harry Cooke, who also co-founded the Prosecco brand Pale Fox, Collider surpassed its initial seed funding goal of £600k. The pre-seed round was led by DMG Ventures, a consumer-focused venture capital firm, with additional backing from the super angel fund Syndicate Room.

Notable angel investors in the round include Dan Cobley, former head of Google UK and co-founder of Clearscore; Eamon Jubbawy, co-founder of Onfido and Isometric; Charles Delingpole, founder of ComplyAdvantage; and Alex Stephany, founder of Beam.

Commenting on the strong support for Collider, Cooke explained “Collider is all about offering non-drinkers something more exciting than what’s currently available—providing a sensory experience that mirrors an alcoholic drink, but without the downsides.”

When discussing future plans, Cooke said that “the aim is to be the largest independent non-alcoholic beer in the UK.

“I don’t see our product as part of a different category to regular non-alcoholic beers, we are just non-alcoholic beer 'plus.'”

Cooke revealed: “We have some big plans for the rest of the year and 2025 as we look to be at the forefront of the growing non-alc plus movement and bring mood boosting beer without the alcohol to the masses. This fundraising round enables us to do this.”

So, what can you expect from an adaptogenic beer? Collider's unique blend of Lion's Mane mushrooms, Ashwagandha and L-theanine are thought to relax and de-stress while inducing positive feelings, making them an ideal accompaniment to a social beverage like beer. The effect is claimed to be very like drinking alcoholic beer but without the unwanted side-effects, such as distrupted sleep or a hangover.

Explaining why Collider is a worthy investment, Rachel Muzyczka, partner at DMG Ventures, emphasised that “the functional drinks category is an exciting place to invest in.

"We believe Collider stands out as a genuinely disruptive and scalable player with an enormous market opportunity in front of them.”

Cooke continued: “Collider is contract brewed according to recipes and adaptogenic infusion processes developed in-house” but that “an NDA prevents either party from disclosing the name of the brewery.”

However he did hint that its contract brewery “isn’t in London, but it is within the UK.”

Collider's fundraising comes at a time of growth in both the non-alcoholic beer and adaptogenic health sectors. The brand claims that their combined global market value currently stands at more than US$60billion, set to rocket to over US$120 billion by 2030.