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Varun Khanna, CEO & Co-Founder, Fullife Healthcare & Fast&Up
What inspired you to start Fullife Healthcare and Fast&Up, and what drives your passion for healthy living?
I’ve always believed that nutrition is one of the most underestimated pillars of health. It has the power not only to catalyze transformation but also to prevent disease and mitigate health risks. Prevention, to me, is the ultimate form of cure.
When you meet consumers who are genuinely motivated to change their lives for the better, nutrition becomes the cornerstone of that progress, it’s what sustains motivation and drives visible results. That belief is what inspired me to build Fast&Up, a quality-led nutrition brand that truly delivers what it promises and helps people achieve their wellness goals through science-backed, effective products.
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What inspired you to start Fullife Healthcare and Fast&Up, and what drives your passion for healthy living?
I’ve always believed that nutrition is one of the most underestimated pillars of health. It has the power not only to catalyze transformation but also to prevent disease and mitigate health risks. Prevention, to me, is the ultimate form of cure.
When you meet consumers who are genuinely motivated to change their lives for the better, nutrition becomes the cornerstone of that progress, it’s what sustains motivation and drives visible results. That belief is what inspired me to build Fast&Up, a quality-led nutrition brand that truly delivers what it promises and helps people achieve their wellness goals through science-backed, effective products.
How did your background in Biotechnology influence your entrepreneurial ventures?
Being a biotechnologist has given me the scientific lens to understand what truly works and what doesn’t. It allows me to look deeper, to understand what a cell needs, how it utilizes nutrients, and which biological processes can be influenced to achieve real, measurable results.
This background helps me differentiate between a potent active molecule and one that lacks efficacy, to evaluate absorption, and to appreciate the nuances of clinical validation. For me, science is not just data, it’s an art form. Without a deep understanding of it, one cannot truly commit to innovation or credibility.
At Fast&Up, being one of the few brands in the country that develops and manufactures everything in-house, that foundation in biotechnology has been critical. It’s what has enabled us to build products rooted in real science, because that’s where both innovation and trust begin.
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while building your companies, and how did you overcome them?
When we started out, we were among the very first few players in India who decided to build a nutrition brand grounded in science and quality, not in price wars. That decision came with its own set of challenges.
The category itself was young and evolving, with limited consumer awareness and an underdeveloped regulatory ecosystem. Educating consumers about nutrition as a daily habit, rather than as a quick fix, was one of our biggest hurdles.
We also faced the challenge of competing with low-cost brands that compromised on quality, selling stories instead of science, and products that often lacked integrity. But we made a conscious choice to stand by our principles, ethics, and commitment to quality.
It wasn’t always easy, but staying true to those values has ultimately been the reason for our long-term success. In the end, credibility and consistency always outlast shortcuts.
What drives innovation in your companies, and how do you stay ahead of the curve in the health and wellness industry?
Innovation at Fast&Up and Fullife Healthcare is driven by a strong scientific foundation and a global perspective. We have a worldwide presence in research and development, and we’re constantly drawing insights from international trends, technologies, and scientific discoveries.
Our innovation pipeline is built with precision and patience. We never rush products to market, every formulation undergoes deep research, validation, and rigorous quality control. For us, quality is non-negotiable, even if it means a longer route to launch.
We also believe in being fearless when it comes to science. Even when certain concepts aren’t yet mainstream, if the data is strong, we back it fully. A great example is our L-Carnitine range, we built the category on science when others were chasing trends, and today, that belief has shaped the entire market.
How do you identify market gaps and opportunities for innovation in the health and wellness space?
We’re constantly scanning the landscape, tracking emerging research, clinical studies, and evolving consumer needs. Our goal is to identify areas where people are looking for support but conventional medicine doesn’t yet offer an effective solution, at least not until the condition has already progressed.
We want to intervene before that point — to help people stay healthy rather than wait for illness. That’s the essence of preventive nutrition, and that’s where many of our innovations begin.
At the same time, we study global trends closely, from fitness-driven lifestyles to alternative proteins. Our product roadmap and category launches are always guided by this dual focus: consumer need and scientific opportunity.
You’re passionate about preserving the environment. How do you incorporate sustainability into your business practices?
For me, the environment isn’t just a word, it’s an emotion, a deep sense of responsibility. It’s one of the core reasons I built the kind of business I have, one that not only improves human health but also minimizes its impact on the planet.
Our effervescent tubes alone prevent a massive amount of waste from entering landfills. Each tube provides around 20 liters of electrolytes, equivalent to roughly 40 plastic bottles, that’s 40 fewer bottles ending up in the trash for every tube we sell.
We use recycled boards and papers, even if they aren’t the glossiest or most luxurious, because what truly matters is keeping trees standing, not cutting them for a five-second unboxing thrill.
At our manufacturing facility, built on once-barren land, we’ve created a thriving green ecosystem with indigenous trees, low effluent output, and active recycling systems. Sustainability for us isn’t a slogan, it’s embedded into every part of what we do.
How do you see the health and wellness industry contributing to environmental sustainability?
When a person becomes truly active and fit, their awareness naturally expands beyond their own body, it extends to the environment around them. A runner notices litter on the track and picks it up, that’s how plogging was born. A cyclist makes sure not to leave waste behind and values clean, open spaces.
Health and wellness cultivate mindfulness, and that mindfulness often translates into environmental responsibility.
Through Fast&Up, we’ve empowered consumers to make eco-conscious choices, like preparing their electrolytes at home instead of buying bottled drinks. It’s about reprioritizing what truly matters, good health, clean environments, and conscious consumption. When brands lead by example, the industry follows.
What are some of the most important lessons you’ve learned throughout your entrepreneurial journey?
Entrepreneurship has been one of the greatest teachers of my life. It’s taught me responsibility, accountability, and the importance of staying true to my passion and purpose. It’s shown me how a mission can evolve into a shared dream that inspires an entire team.
I’ve learned that success is rarely a solo pursuit, it’s built alongside incredible people who bring energy and belief into what you’re building. It’s also taught me that patience is as important as ambition.
The journey has made me more grounded, self-aware, and resilient. It has changed me as a person for the better, teaching me impact, empathy, and balance.
How do you stay motivated and driven, and what advice would you give to others looking to achieve their goals?
As Dory says in Finding Nemo, “Just keep swimming.”
If you’re truly passionate about something, you have to follow it through, no matter how unpredictable the journey gets. There will be challenges and setbacks. Things won’t always unfold the way you plan, but what matters is perseverance.
You keep moving forward, stay calm, stay grounded, and keep swimming. That’s how progress, and success, eventually find you.
What are some exciting projects or initiatives on the horizon for Fullife and Fast&Up?
We’re entering a truly exciting phase. We’re bringing new, cutting-edge ingredients to India and developing innovative delivery formats that will redefine convenience and experience.
Internationally, we’re partnering with some incredible global organizations that will bring immense pride and joy to every Indian who believes in homegrown excellence.
Being selected by some of the world’s largest partners is both humbling and energizing. The next few years will be all about scale, innovation, and impact.
You’re interested in investing in companies with novel products. What criteria do you use to evaluate potential investment opportunities?
I firmly believe that not everything needs to be built by one person or one company. There are so many passionate founders creating incredible products and pioneering new categories, and that’s exactly where our interest lies.
At Fullife, we see the future of nutrition as a collective revolution. We’re looking to collaborate and invest in innovative founders, unique products, and high-potential categories that address real consumer needs.
What excites us most is the intersection where passion meets product, and where our expertise can serve as the backbone that helps great ideas scale.
How do you see your companies evolving in the next 5–10 years, and what role do you envision playing in the industry?
Health and wellness are set to become one of the biggest revolutions in consumer health over the next decade, and we’re proud to be among the pioneers driving that change.
Having been deeply committed to this category for more than a decade, we’ve built credibility, loyalty, and trust that will only strengthen as we continue to innovate.
Our role is to pioneer new categories, bring global innovations to India, and ensure that consumers here have access to world-class solutions, not as late adopters, but as early innovators. Leadership, for us, means the responsibility to keep India healthy and ahead.
How do you balance your responsibilities as a CEO with your role as a mentor and investor?
Balancing my roles as a CEO, mentor, investor, and most importantly, as a father, has been one of the most meaningful challenges of my life. It’s something you learn through experience and intent.
As a mentor, I’ve always believed in trusting people early. Many members of my core leadership team started that way, I worked closely with them, helped them grow, and watched them evolve into independent leaders.
As an investor, I look for ways to add value beyond capital, through perspective and structure. But right now, my biggest investment is in being present as a dad. After building my first baby, Fullife, I’m focused on my babies at home too.
Ultimately, it all comes down to intent, to mentor, to build people, to find balance between passion and purpose.
Rapid Fire
Coffee, or tea?
Coffee as dark as space. It is always the fuel of early mornings and long brainstorms.
If a biography or biopic were made on you, what would be the title?
Just Keep Swimming
If not an entrepreneur, what career would you have loved to pursue?
I’d be a gardener and a chef or perhaps a chef who grows his own vegetables in a small beach town. Something simple, grounded, and completely opposite of my current world.