Arya, an AI-driven sexual wellness platform for couples, has secured $7.5 million in a seed funding round co-led by Patron and Play Ventures. This financial boost comes alongside the announcement that renowned sexologist and relationship expert, Shan Boodram, has joined Arya as the Chief Intimacy Officer.
The fresh funds will propel Arya’s mission to enhance intimacy and sexual wellness among couples through its AI-powered concierge service. The platform uses advanced algorithms and insights from leading relationship researchers and sex therapists to offer personalized advice and curated experiences. Arya aims to provide a safe, engaging environment where couples can explore new intimacy methods and receive monthly or on-demand fantasy packages.
Boodram, a prominent figure in sexual education and a popular YouTube personality, brings a wealth of experience to Arya. Her impressive resume includes appearances on major media outlets like The Today Show, The View, and CNN, as well as roles as an expert for Netflix’s “Too Hot To Handle” and a relationship expert for Bumble. With a master’s degree in psychology and her extensive work in the field, Boodram is well-positioned to elevate Arya’s offerings.
Reflecting on her new role, Boodram emphasized the importance of redefining passion in long-term relationships. “Collectively, we have been misled that a healthy relationship equates to never-ending passion. As I have seen in my work, research and personal life, that is simply not true. As companionship builds, passion cools and I have spent my career helping couples embrace this inevitable reality and the exciting responsibilities that come with it. In early romance, we have lust and make love. As relationships mature, we have love and make lust,” said Boodram. “After getting to know the team at Arya, I knew I wanted to be a part of the company’s future as we share a commitment to normalizing sexual wellness and giving individuals the tools they need to help their relationships thrive holistically. As Arya grows, we look forward to leading couples toward greater connection, exploration and experimentation—making intimacy fun and fulfilling at every stage of their partnership.”
“Following the pandemic, consumers put strong priority into wellness – everything from physical and mental health to work-life balance – and we’re seeing that trend continue. Sexual wellness is a big part of a holistic approach to health, which is why we created Arya,” said Offer Yehudai, co-founder and CEO of Arya. “Our goal is to help couples better prioritize sexual wellness. This is why we brought Shan onto the team. Her authentic, relatable approach to intimacy reflects our mission to help individuals integrate sexual wellness into their health and longevity goals. Her new role, alongside our latest funding, will help us support and expand our community of more than 250,000 users.”
The seed round also saw participation from At.inc/, Heracles Capital, and several angel investors, including Neil Parick, co-founder of Casper, and former Oura CEO Harpreet Rai. Amber Atherton, Partner at Patron, praised Arya’s innovative approach, stating, “Couples’ intimacy is a billion-dollar problem. Arya is bringing a game-like approach to the more sensitive endeavor of deepening emotional connection and intimacy in relationships, in an entertaining and science-backed way. We’re excited to partner with Offer, Shan and the team to help more couples discover new ways to explore intimacy on their schedule.”
