Aaron Keay Calls for Greater Accessibility and Support for Early-Stage Health & Wellness Startups

Founder of Klutch Financial Urges Industry and Public to Back Mission-Driven Entrepreneurs Facing Funding Gaps

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / April 23, 2025 /Entrepreneur and investor Aaron Keay is calling attention to a growing gap in the health and wellness sector: the lack of accessible funding, visibility, and support for early-stage startups trying to make a meaningful difference in people 's lives.

In a heartfelt appeal, Keay-founder of venture-backed family office Klutch Financial and boutique gym concept Kommunity Fitness-shared concerns over the rising difficulty for mission-driven founders to secure seed capital and gain traction in today 's noisy startup ecosystem.

"We 're seeing incredible founders building products that improve mental health, physical fitness, and overall wellbeing," said Keay. "But too many are getting overlooked-not because their ideas lack value, but because they don 't have access to capital, networks, or visibility."

A Market Full of Potential, But Lacking in Support

Despite record global investment in health and wellness-over $7.2 billion in 2023 alone according to CB Insights-studies show that less than 1% of VC funding goes to founders without access to established networks. Women and BIPOC founders receive even less.

"Founders from outside major tech hubs or without big connections are often left out," Keay said. "And those are often the people closest to the real problems."

The issue isn 't just economic-it 's social. Health and wellness innovations have a direct impact on communities, yet without early support, many never make it past prototype stage.

"Accessibility shouldn 't just be about who uses the product. It should also be about who gets to build it," Keay added.

Championing a New Standard of Accessibility

Through Klutch Financial, Keay has backed numerous early-stage companies in wellness, fitness tech, and consumer health. But he says investors can 't solve the problem alone. It requires a cultural shift-one where accessibility, mentorship, and community-driven discovery become core to how startups are evaluated and supported.

"We have to stop assuming that great ideas only come from a narrow slice of people," Keay said. "Some of the most effective solutions I 've seen come from founders who 've lived the challenges they 're solving."

What You Can Do

Keay is encouraging others-whether they 're investors, consumers, or professionals in the industry-to take simple, actionable steps to make a difference:

• Amplify emerging voices. Share startups and founders whose missions resonate with you, especially those outside the mainstream.

• Support locally. Try out health and wellness services in your own community instead of defaulting to big brands.

• Mentor or advise. Offer time, insight, or encouragement to someone who 's just getting started.

• Be curious. Explore products and ideas from diverse backgrounds-even if they 're unfamiliar.

"You don 't have to be an investor to move the needle," Keay said. "Even small acts of support can change the trajectory of a founder 's journey."

About Aaron Keay

Aaron Keay is a Vancouver-based entrepreneur, investor, and former professional athlete. He is the founder of Klutch Financial Corp, Kommunity Fitness, and an advisor to RX3 Growth Partners. Keay is known for backing early-stage startups in health and wellness, consumer products, and fitness innovation.

Media Contact

Aaron Keay
info@aaronkeayentrepreneur.com
https://www.aaronkeayentrepreneur.com/
https://ca.linkedin.com/in/aaron-keay-b650817

SOURCE:Aaron Keay

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