With stress levels on the rise and the prevalence of chronic conditions increasing, people are seeking a holistic approach to their physical, mental, and emotional health.

Yes, we still care about what we put in and on our bodies, but a wave of wellness innovators is is going beyond that, providing products and services that make us feel better in a different, fuller way: They’re fostering communities that center on well-being and stave off loneliness. After all, the Harvard longevity study on happiness proves year after year that the secret to becoming a healthy and happy octogenarian (and beyond) is having strong relationships with friends, family, and some form of community. You can see how these kinds of companies factor into the full list of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in the wellness and personal care category.

“We’re learning more every day about the loneliness epidemic and the significant toll that social isolation takes on our health, so offering a sense of community is essential to any wellness brand, whether it’s through an educational experience, an open dialogue among product users, or bringing people together for an event,” says Erica Huss, wellness entrepreneur and consultant, and cofounder of the BluePrint Cleanse and the experiential wellness event Gather. “This is especially critical when it comes to health topics or questions that have a stigma or an element of shame around them, like mental health, parenthood, aging, and menopause. The more we can connect and bond over our common experiences, the less isolated and alone we feel. And everyone wins.”

Take Hyrox, for example, the fastest-growing indoor fitness competition in the world (and one of our World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2024). Hyrox allows individuals to train at their regular gym at their own pace then show up to participate in competitions that don’t have set finish times. In Hyrox events, no one finishes last, and there are no losers—athletes complete the challenges and everyone, including thousands of spectators, celebrate their achievements. “It’s not about who is winning,” says Huss. “It’s about finding ways to get like-minded people together to achieve an incredible goal.”