Co-founded by Dr. Matt Walker and already utilized by the NBA, Somnee deploys EEG sensors and AI to information the mind right into a pure sleep state
Sleep tech startup Somnee has raised $10 million in a seed extension spherical for its AI-powered sleep headband that’s already making inroads with the NBA and Equinox Inns.
The funding spherical was led by Khosla Ventures, with participation from Marc Benioff’s Time Ventures, Lead VC, Orlando Magic homeowners the DeVos household, Seaside Ventures, Nelstone Ventures and Metalab, amongst others.
Based in 2022 by a crew of College of California, Berkeley, neuroscientists together with well-liked social media character Dr. Matt Walker, Somnee makes a sleep headband that’s designed to assist folks go to sleep quicker, sleep for longer and enhance their general sleep high quality.
The scarf, which at the moment retails for $429, makes use of electroencephalogram (EEG) sensors and proprietary synthetic intelligence (AI) know-how to map a person’s mind exercise and ship personalised stimulation that guides the mind right into a pure sleep state. In accordance with Somnee, its headband significantly outperforms melatonin, cognitive behavioral remedy for insomnia, and Ambien. A typical Somnee session lasts quarter-hour earlier than mattress, and in a single day use isn’t required.
The Berkeley-based firm is positioning its product as a tech-forward, drug-free various to conventional sleep options. Dr. Walker famous that Somnee capabilities as an “electroceutical” product and never a pharmaceutical one.
“We’re making an attempt to talk to the mind in its personal language – utilizing mild, exactly timed pulses of electrical energy, not not like how a conductor makes use of delicate hand actions to information an orchestra into concord,” Dr. Walker stated following the funding spherical.
Somnee will use the brand new funding to assist the upcoming launch of its second-generation headband, which is at the moment being utilized in beta pilot mode with select NBA teams through a recent partnership. Somnee’s new headband will characteristic personalised mind mapping, real-time monitoring and AI-powered intervention all through the sleep cycle.
The funding spherical marks the most recent milestone in a 12 months of spectacular development for Somnee, which hired former Fitbit executive Tim Rosa as its CEO round 18 months in the past.
Beneath Rosa’s management, Somnee was not too long ago chosen to participate within the NBA Launchpad startup accelerator program, which helps the event of applied sciences that advance participant well being and efficiency. The corporate has additionally partnered with Equinox Hotels and has gained a number of sleep know-how awards from publications together with “GQ.” Rosa has additionally led efforts to relocate Somnee’s manufacturing out of China and broaden groups in California and India.
Somnee is at the moment exploring further partnerships with skilled sports activities organizations, employers and healthcare manufacturers, it says.
“We’re like a sleep lab for the bed room,” Rosa advised Athletech Information in February. “We’re taking the know-how that Dr. Matt Walker and our scientists use at UC Berkeley, and we’ve miniaturized it right into a product that not solely helps with sleep onset, however helps with sleep upkeep in addition to general high quality.”
Somnee is one among a number of innovative, new sleep tech products to enter the market in recent years, pushing the worldwide sleep market to a projected $950 billion by 2032.
Rosa, who performed a key function in Fitbit’s rise to prominence as the corporate’s chief advertising and marketing officer, sees parallels between the rise of health trackers like Fitbit and the emergence of sleep tech merchandise like Somnee.
“It sort of jogs my memory of after we began at Fitbit,” Rosa stated. “Then, sitting was the brand new smoking. Now, not sleeping is the brand new smoking.”
