Many Americans take daily supplements like vitamins B, C, and D. But what if you could skip the pills, and instead chew a flavorful gum or enjoy a mint?
Neuro Gum & Mints, a Las Vegas-based startup producing all-natural gums and mints designed to boost energy and focus, is turning that vision into reality.
“We thought, what if we could replace your medicine cabinet?” says Kent Yoshimura, one of the founders of Neuro. “We’re hoping to change people’s idea of how they can get their supplements beyond a pill or drink format.”
A Personal Journey Inspires Innovation
Yoshimura and Ryan Chen, Neuro’s other founder, were passionate athletes and college friends unsatisfied with the energy drinks available at the time. Yoshimura began experimenting with nootropics, a diverse group of substances claimed to improve memory, focus, and attention. They have limited side effects.
Around the same time, Chen was in a tragic snowboarding accident that left him paralyzed. So, Yoshimura started sharing his supplement mixes with his friend as part of his recovery. The pair saw immediate improvement.
“We thought, if these mixes were in a more shareable format, it would be better than a typical pill or drink,” says Yoshimura. “We eventually identified gum and mints as the perfect answer for us. No one had innovated in that area yet.”
The friends, who have academic backgrounds in neuroscience and chemistry, conducted research and development on the new product. This included a pilot study with BrainCo, part of MIT’s Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. The study showed users of Neuro’s gum and mints reached high levels of focus more quickly.
Neuro Gum & Mints’ flagship product is Energy & Focus, which includes natural caffeine, L-theanine, and vitamins B6 & B12. The product line has expanded over the years to include Memory & Focus, Sleep & Recharge, and Calm & Clarity. Each product has a unique all-natural ingredient mix sourced from FDA-approved labs.
From Startup to Success
“We were a bootstrap business the first couple of years,” says Yoshimura. “The first shipment of gum was sitting in my apartment, and my personal phone number was the customer service line.”
The pair crowdfunded on Indiegogo and got a boost after going on the Dr. Oz show. Three years in, they raised their first round of capital. They slowly worked their way up to doing nine figure business.
Eventually, they knew it was time to make the move out of California.
“It’s really expensive to do business in California,” says Yoshimura. “It’s hard to find facilities. Wages and taxes are really high. All those things make it prohibitive for a small company trying to break out.”
Choosing Las Vegas: A Strategic Location
Yoshimura says they found lower costs, and less regulations in Nevada, along with a growing entrepreneurial ecosystem that they could learn from. Plus, the region’s tourism industry was also a big bonus.
“We’re a consumer-based product, and now we have direct access to nearly every consumer in the U.S. via the Strip,” says Yoshimura. “Plus, every business leader comes here at some point for a conference, so I’m always able to meet up with our clients.”
Yoshimura moved to Las Vegas in 2022 and Neuro’s headquarters and operations followed in 2023. Soon after, they were connected with the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance (LVGEA). The LVGEA assisted the company with successfully applying for tax abatements through the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development to enable the company to continue to grow in the region.
“Neuro is a perfect example of the type of high-growth startup we’re working to attract to Southern Nevada,” said Heather Brown, Senior Vice President of Entrepreneurial Development at LVGEA. “They’re innovative, fast-scaling, and operating at the intersection of health, wellness, and consumer tech, sectors that are booming nationwide. With our pro-business environment, strategic access to major markets, and a rapidly expanding entrepreneurial ecosystem, Southern Nevada is positioned as the next frontier for startups like Neuro who are ready to scale.”
The tax incentives will help Neuro expand into a new 50,000 square foot distribution and fulfillment facility. It will also provide additional office space for its growing employee roster.
“The tax incentives help our bottom line,” says Yoshimura. “We’re in growth mode, so any savings we make from the incentives, we funnel back into growing the company in Las Vegas. It’s giving us an opportunity to prove ourselves.”
Looking Toward the Future
The company currently employs around 20 full-time employees in Las Vegas and expects to add up to 30 employees over the next few years. They also have plans to work with local universities to create career pathways for students.
“We are seeing a lot of top talent moving here,” says Yoshimura. “And so far from my experience, Las Vegas has a ton of good, hard-working talent that we can invest in and develop.”
Neuro Gum & Mints has big plans as it looks towards the future, including entering big box retailers in 2026, and opening two new manufacturing facilities in the U.S. Yoshimura says Southern Nevada could be the perfect spot for that part of their business too.
“We knew if we wanted to grow, we’d have to maximize our opportunities. Las Vegas has presented all of them,” says Yoshimura. “It felt like a no-brainer to move.”
To learn more about how LVGEA can help you locate or grow your business in the Las Vegas region, connect with our Business Development team.
