maude announced today that Dakota Johnson will be joining the category-defining sexual wellness brand as co-creative director and investor. maude was founded by Éva Goicochea in April 2018 after successful careers in healthcare legislation and brand strategy. As a brand built on quality, simplicity and inclusivity, maude stands out as the only modern intimacy company that is focused on sexual wellness for all people. Johnson will work closely with Goicochea on the creative direction of the brand and development of a new product which will incorporate the evolution of sustainability and mission-driven initiatives.
Dakota Johnson (left) and Eva Goicochea. Portrait by Sharon Radisch at Menu Space NYC. Photo – maude archives ©
“Dakota so clearly embodies maude’s mission. She fearlessly has taken on the subject of sex and intimacy through her work—becoming a powerful voice for inclusivity and progress. Her elevated eye for design and sharp sense of humour connect so seamlessly to our aesthetic,” says maude founder and CEO, Eva Goicochea. “On top of that, her venture into production through her company Teatime Pictures shows not only her entrepreneurial spirit but the support of strong female voices.”
“Sexual wellness is a fundamental human right. Maude’s ethos is something I strongly support and is symbiotic with my core beliefs surrounding sexual health,” says Dakota Johnson. “Furthermore, the calibre and aesthetic of these products is excellent and elevated, and I love them. I am truly delighted to come on board as Co-Creative Director, hoping to weave sustainability and awareness/education-based initiatives into the fabric of the company, while delivering beautiful and quality sexual wellness products, accessible to all humans.”
This announcement follows maude’s recent $2.2 million dollar seed round bringing its total seed financing to $3.7 million. This raise follows a successful year for the early-stage company—who experienced 50% growth QoQ in 2020 and had over 22,000 pre-orders for its best-selling vibe throughout the pandemic. To date, the company has raised $4.2M in funding and Goicochea is one of only 60 Latinx women to raise over $1 million in Venture Capital. The round was led by CASSIUS with notable participation from UK consumer fund True, Outbound Ventures, Vice Ventures, and Patina Brands—who joined existing investors RRE and Tune House Capital—and angels including Dakota Johnson, Benjamin Millepied, Steven Alan, and Cédric Aumonier. Advisors include:
Anna Sedgley, former CFO, Dow Jones
Gene Han, former Vice President of New Ventures, Target
Jennifer Conti, MD, OB/Gyn Stanford University School of Medicine and co-author, The Vagina Book
“At its core, maude is a company that strongly believes in increasing access to care for all bodies, to decreasing stigma, and to changing the narrative on sexual health such that people feel comfortable embracing this as a part of their normal healthy lives.” says Dr. Jennifer Conti, advisor to maude.
“The sexual wellness industry has been monopolized for so many years by the same tired male-focused incumbents and hyper-feminine, trend-focused newer brands, “explains Goicochea. “Our take at maude is that sex is human and we’re building a company that completely rethinks the approach to the category.”
In just two short years, after launching with just four sex essentials—maude expanded to bath and body products, taking intimacy outside of the bedroom. This expansion continues to emphasize maude’s mission to support self- and partner- care as it relates to intimacy and sex. maude continues to grow its blog themaudern.com as an expansive platform to give its customers thoughtful and informative content on intimacy. This includes two recently added verticals that offer diverse topics and reach a broader age range. maude was a 2019 CircleUp25 award winner—establishing itself as a consumer brand to watch, joining alumni like Glossier and Harry’s. The company has been featured in over 500 pieces of press for its line of products, including high praise for its vibe which was named Best-in-Show by The Strategist.
Last month, maude introduced its pH-balanced body wash, expanding on its body line that launched this April. True to maude’s ethos of making easy-to-use products, this multi-purpose body wash doubles as a bubble bath. Formulated to be pH-balanced and fragrance-free, it’s safe for all skin types. maude’s assortment will continue to grow with plans for additional intimacy and body care products in 2021.
