Cure Hydration was founded in 2019 by Lauren Picasso. Lauren was an early employee at e-commerce giants Rent the Runway and Jet.com, but with an entrepreneurial dad, Lauren was inspired to start her own company. The idea for Cure came about while Lauren was training for a triathlon; even despite drinking lots of water, she would return from her workouts with headaches and nausea. The water wasn’t enough to replace the electrolytes and sodium she was losing, but Lauren couldn’t find a hydration solution on the market that wasn’t full of added sugar and artificial ingredients. Intrigued by the apparent white space in the category, she decided to dig deeper.

Lauren started doing research on Pedialyte, which had become very popular among adults, and noticed it was a medical-grade product. She looked into the science behind Pedialyte and discovered the World Health Organization formula for Oral Rehydration Solution, which was proven to hydrate as effectively as an IV drip. Lauren decided to recreate the WHO formula — a combination of sodium, potassium, and glucose — using healthier and more premium ingredients like organic coconut water and pink Himalayan salt. She mixed these ingredients together at home, tested them after her workouts, and realized they worked... but tasted terrible. Lauren then hired a formulator who helped her experiment with various fruit juice powders and organic flavors, and after a year of development, they got the taste just right. Lauren bootstrapped Cure for the first nine months and launched a referral campaign with a Peloton bike as the top prize, amassing thousands of customers who later became loyal fans of the brand. Today, Cure is recognized as a leader in the better-for-you hydration space, offering one of the cleanest options on the market for those seeking an electrolyte boost.