About two-thirds of adults within the U.S. drink alcohol, however about one in three try to drink much less. Sunnyside, which introduced it raised $11.5 million in Collection A funding final week, goals to assist folks reduce on their ingesting with out having to stop altogether.

The San Francisco-based startup affords an app for customers. At $99 a yr, customers of Sunnyside have entry to drink monitoring, day by day reminders of their objectives, customized suggestions, neighborhood help with different customers of the app and one-on-one peer help.

“This method gives a much-needed different for these trying to change their relationship with alcohol, however who aren’t open to quitting ingesting fully,” stated Nick Allen, CEO and co-founder of Sunnyside, in an e-mail.

The Collection A funding spherical was led by Motley Idiot Ventures and included participation from Will Ventures, Uncork Capital, Offline Ventures, Joyance Companions, Knowledge Ventures, Eudemian Ventures, Adjoining, Scribble Ventures, Cooley LLP and MyFitnessPal founder Michael Lee. Sunnyside has raised $14.6 million since inception.

A Motley Idiot Ventures investor selected to put money into Sunnyside due to its deal with serving to folks drink moderately and create more healthy habits.

“Sunnyside has a novel alternative into an enormous new vertical within the wellness business,” stated Kristine Harjes, vp of the agency, in an announcement. “By making a non-judgmental method the place stability is the purpose, the Sunnyside group expands the addressable viewers to anybody trying to enhance their well being by taking extra management over their ingesting habits.”

With the funding in hand, Sunnyside goals to deal with three key areas: product, model and neighborhood, Allen stated. The corporate lately employed Steve Lloyd, former chief product and know-how officer at health firm Strava. Lloyd can be taking up the identical function at Sunnyside and can lead the product and engineering group in creating a brand new characteristic that can supply challenges for customers, in addition to an AI ingesting coach named “Sunny” that can present customized teaching for members.

The cash can even be used to spice up advertising and marketing efforts. Lastly, the startup will make investments extra closely in neighborhood constructing, Allen stated. For instance, its app affords day by day journaling prompts that enable members to replicate on their expertise, and customers can work together with each other round these prompts.

“Key to eradicating stigma round proactive alcohol administration is to make this a journey of connection, somewhat than loneliness,” he stated.

The corporate was born out of Allen and co-founder Ian Andersen’s experiences. Allen grew up in a house with two dad and mom recovering from alcoholism, and Andersen misplaced his mom on the age of 11 due to liver failure from alcohol abuse.

Allen beforehand informed MedCity Information that a number of years in the past, he determined to make a change to his ingesting habits, however didn’t wish to go the complete abstinence route like his dad and mom did. Nevertheless, he struggled to search out options that might assist him reasonable his ingesting. That led to the founding of Sunnyside.

Different firms within the house embrace SoberBuddy and I Am Sober, however these principally deal with sobriety somewhat than reducing again on alcohol.

“It’s clear that the choice to stop fully is the suitable selection for some drinkers, however there are numerous hundreds of thousands extra who’re turned off by the all-or-nothing method,” Allen stated this week. “Sunnyside fills the hole for this inhabitants, increasing the addressable market for many who may benefit from more healthy habits round alcohol.”

Picture: fizkes, Getty Photographs