SOSV is a global, deep tech venture capital firm that operates the HAX and IndieBio startup development programs focused on human and planetary health. SOSV invests $500,000 in startups at their inception as they onboard either HAX or IndieBio for a 4-6 month period designed to accelerate the raise of their next institutional round. SOSV joins the later rounds of HAX and IndieBio graduates.  HAX, based in a 35,000 sq ft facility in Newark, NJ, is equipped with machine tools, 3D printers, chemical, electrical and mechanical engineering labs, as well as on-staff engineering and design experts. SOSV's IndieBio has locations in NYC and San Francisco, both of which offer extensive services and facilities to founders including on-site BSL-2 labs, well equipped lab benches and hoods, and advanced lab equipment, such as chromatography equipment.

SOSV

HAX is a venture capital-based program dedicated to accelerating startups with a hardware element. Their program operates across two locations, San Francisco and Shenzhen, giving founders the resources necessary to move with lightning speed. Teams accepted into the program will focus on rapid iteration of prototyping in many forms. This includes physical models, technology iterations, user interaction studies, volumetric studies, marketing messaging, business plans and launch strategies. With the help of HAX’s full-time staff, mentors, partners, and startup community, they’ll also work with you on developing a scalable business plan. As teams are ready to take their  product to market, they’ll head to San Francisco to work with HAX on business development, fundraising, and growth. This stage emphasizes introductions to corporates, investors, partners and press. It also focuses on helping teams secure their first round of funding, as well as gain first-revenue and partnership traction. HAX is an SOSV program. SOSV is a global venture capital firm that operates startup venture programs around the world. SOSV had more than 1,000 portfolio companies and $950 million in assets under management.

Breed Reply, Reply's active operational investor, funds and supports the development of early-stage companies in the Internet of Things (IoT) in Europe and the USA. Based in London, with operational offices in Germany and Italy, Breed Reply supports entrepreneurs and young talent by quickly bringing new ideas to the market. This is done via three fundamental services: funding at early-stage level; active operational involvement with significant know how transfer of business, managerial and technological expertise; and go-to-market support through the extensive Reply network.  Breed Reply’s focus is the Internet of Things over all markets, with their current portfolio in Health, Fitness & Wellness, Smart Building & Cities, Security, Industrial IoT, Big Data, Platforms and Drones.

Breed Reply

Kokoon Technology

Kokoon's is a digital health company on a mission to transform the sleep experience. Their team of scientists and engineers are passionate about making sleep science more personalised, accessible and enjoyable.  Applying the latest advances in sensor technology and data science Kokoon delivers personalised audio coaching and experiences via it's app-based software platform.

Kokoon develops sleep-promoting, smart headphones for people who suffer from sleeping problems. The headphones feature motion and electroencephalogram (EEG) brain wave sensors to track sleep patterns and dynamically adjust content playback according to the user's sleep state. The headphones also have a built-in smart alarm. Kokoon’s app also hosts content such as cognitive behavioral therapy programs, sleep exercises, and music tracks to help users sleep. As of September 2024, the device was priced at GBP 183.99 (~USD 243).

A new industry proving that digital connectivity and mental health can co-exist.

Digital Wellness

Kokoon

Kokoon develops sleep-promoting, smart headphones for people who suffer from sleeping problems. The headphones feature motion and electroencephalogram (EEG) brain wave sensors to track sleep patterns and dynamically adjust content playback according to the user's sleep state. The headphones also have a built-in smart alarm. Kokoon’s app also hosts content such as cognitive behavioral therapy programs, sleep exercises, and music tracks to help users sleep. As of September 2024, the device was priced at GBP 183.99 (~USD 243). Key customers and partnershipsKokoon's customer base includes individuals seeking to improve sleep quality, particularly those in high-stress professions and frequent travelers. Its products have garnered attention in the health and wellness industry, forming partnerships with health tech companies and researchers to refine its sleep-monitoring algorithms and improve the accuracy of sensors.

Headspace is a digital wellness company that delivers meditation programs through a smartphone app. The company was founded by Andy Puddicombe, a former Buddhist monk, and Richard Pierson, a marketing and brand development professional. In addition to meditation, Headspace offers stress management programs, mindfulness activities, and sleep therapy solutions. Headspace also operates a business-to-business (B2B) focused “Headspace for Work” program with around 1,600 corporate customers as of January 2021, which has seen around 3x growth during 2020. Further, the company operates “Headspace for Health,” a program that develops US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved meditation tools to treat chronic diseases.In November 2022, the company launched a new platform that combines its product offerings with mental health platform Ginger’s <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/5119">an entity it merged with in August 2021 </a>. The platform combines Headspace Health’s meditation and mindfulness services with Ginger’s on-demand coaching, therapy, and psychiatry services, to offer enterprise clients an integrated solution for supporting their employees.In September 2022, the company <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/12918">acquired fellow mindfulness platform Shine </a>for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition enhanced Headspace Health’s offerings and also helped grow Headspace’s member base. Select content from Shine was earmarked to be added to Headspace Health’s content library.In January 2023, the company <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/16052">expanded its geographical reach </a>to offer coaching, therapy, and employee assistance-related services to UK headquartered enterprise clients.&nbsp;Key customers and partnershipsAs of September 2024, the company has over 100 million users across 190 countries, with its brands “Headspace for Work” and “Ginger” being used by over 4,000 enterprises including Starbucks, Adobe, Delta Air Lines, Mattel, and Paramount. The company also partners with health plans, such as Cigna, to provide its services.In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/36071">November 2024</a>, Headspace partnered with Hyatt, to help hotel guests improve their sleep quality while traveling. The collaboration featured a five-episode "Science Behind Sleep" video series filmed at Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, offering research-based tips for managing sleep struggles.In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/30378">June 2024</a>, Headspace partnered with Uwill, a mental health platform for colleges and students, to integrate Headspace's wellness services into Uwill's existing portal. The collaborative effort allowed Uwill's Urise program to incorporate Headspace's services, primarily meditation, yoga, and mindfulness offerings.In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/27330">March 2024</a>, Headspace partnered with Meta to launch "Headspace XR," available for an upfront fee of USD 30. Headspace XR provided guided mindfulness and meditation exercises led by the same instructors familiar to regular Headspace users. The exercises covered activities such as breathing techniques, body scans, and mood tracking. Additionally, it incorporated a social element, including interactive metaverse-style gaming in vivid environments.In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19771">June 2023</a>, the company extended its partnership with with employee benefit management platform provider Virgin Pulse to integrate its platform with Virgin Pulse’s platform. The integration enabled employees enrolled in Virgin Pulse’s health benefit offerings to access the full suite of Headspace’s offerings as a part of Virgin Pulse’s Homebase for Health platform.

Headspace

Calm is a digital wellness company which offers guided meditations to make people happy as well as mindfulness and sleep programs through a smartphone app. Its audio content is designed to strengthen mental fitness and address mental health challenges such as stress, anxiety, insomnia, and depression. The company started out as a website in 2011 where users were trained to stare at a screen and listen to waves on a beach for two minutes without touching their mouse. In February 2013, more content was added and the company launched a mobile app.&nbsp;In October 2022, the company launched a new clinical mental health offering called “Calm Health,” marking its expansion into the mental health space. The new solution provides condition-specific programs designed to bridge mental and physical care and includes tools for communication with providers and medication tracking. This solution was created for the company by Ripple Health, which was acquired by Calm in February 2022.As of 2024, Calm reported over 100 million downloads and more than 1.5 million five-star reviews. The app is available on iOS, Android, and desktop platforms. Calm operates on a freemium model with paid subscriptions unlocking full access to features. In 2023, an annual subscription cost USD 69.99, with monthly and lifetime options also available for USD 5.83 and USD 399.99, respectively. Key customers and partnershipsCalm offers content in English, Spanish, French, and German and operates Calm Business, a business-to-business (B2B) covering over 10 million employees across 3,500+ organizations as of September 2024.Calm gained significant traction in 2020 during the Covid-19 lockdowns. It became the most downloaded digital wellness app during April 2020 with 3.9 million downloads worldwide, including 1.6 million downloads in the US. Kaiser Permanente, a large managed care service provider, provided Calm free for its 12.4 million members in May 2019. Calm also partnered with CNN on the 2020 US presidential election day to play the sound of rain hitting leaves on air, a marketing effort that went viral on social media. As of September 2024, the app had 150 million+ downloads.As of December 2022, the company has partnered with over 20 brands to collaborate and provide its services through sales partnerships. These brands include Xbox, Amazon, YouTube, Adidas, Fitbit, and American Express.&nbsp;In October 2022, Calm partnered with <a href="https://news.adidas.com/partnerships/adidas-and-calm-unite-to-progress-sports-performance-through-mental-wellbeing/s/48baf8f2-f856-4313-91cf-71bf7238faea">Adidas</a> to progress sport performances through mental well-being. Another partnership is with <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/20/lyra-partners-with-calm-to-bring-meditation-to-mental-health-service.html">Lyra Health</a> to combat stress and burnout and support resilience-building in the workplace.

Calm

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 Simple Habit is a guided meditation service provider, which offers bite sized, five-minute long meditation sessions through an app targeting people with busy schedules. The company also offers mindfulness, sleep, and wellness programs. As of November 2020, Simple Habit offered over 2,000 sessions designed to help users sleep, reduce anxiety, and get over relationship issues. The content is organized by occasion, such as commuting, going to sleep or preparing for a meeting. 
 
 
 In June 2022 the company launched its Sleep Habit app, a virtual sleep clinic that helps users improve the quality of their sleep. The app uses clinically validated approaches to improve sleep quality and treat issues such as insomnia via methods such as cognitive behavioral therapy. 
 
 
 As of September 2022, Simple Habit claims to have a 7 million users between both of its apps. 
 
 
 
 
 In November 2018, Simple Habit raised USD 10 million in a Series A round led by Foundation Capital, bringing the company’s total funding to USD 12.6 million. The company used the funds to expand its library of guided meditation sessions and to add audio content led by therapists and executive coaches. As of late 2018, the app was reported to sign up as many as 30,000 new users per week. As of November 2020, Simple Habit reported having helped helped over five million people reduce burnout through its app’s services.
 
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Simple Habit

Insight Timer is a company which offers guided meditation, yoga, and sleep programs through a smartphone app. It also offers free interactive live sessions with teachers, performers, and therapists through the app and web. The company’s business-to-business (B2B) offering, “Circles for teams”, targets enterprise customers to help bring employees together to practice group meditations, chat with each other, and recommend content. In October 2020, Insight Timer began offering free, daily live yoga classes from instructors based on a pay-what-you-can model.Insight Timer's core offering is its extensive free content library, which includes over 140,000 guided meditations, talks, and music tracks from thousands of teachers and experts worldwide. The app features a customizable meditation timer, allowing users to set session lengths and choose from various ambient sounds and ending bells.The majority of the content is available for free, and users can sign up for a premium version priced at USD 9.99 per month or USD 59.99 per year, as of August 2024. Premium users get access to content such as Insight courses and the ability to download content. This subscription unlocks additional features such as offline listening, the ability to fast-forward and rewind meditations, and access to over 1,000 in-depth courses on various topics. The app also offers live events, including yoga classes and meditation sessions, as well as a community space where users can connect with like-minded individuals and join discussion groups.Insight Timer collaborates with meditation teachers, psychologists, neuroscientists, and experts from institutions such as Stanford, Harvard, and the University of Oxford to provide content for its platform and with musicians to offer ambient and relaxation music. Insight Timer has positioned itself as a platform that supports its content creators with a revenue-sharing model that distributes 50% of course income to teachers. As of 2022, the app reported having approximately 12,000 teachers and yoga instructors contributing content to its platform. As of November 2020, the app had a 16% 30-day retention rate, more than double the average retention rate of 7.7% for top 100 apps in Apple’s App Store.&nbsp; Key customers and partnershipsThe app had over 29 million users as of September 2024. In April 2021, Insight Timer partnered with <a href="https://www.vondereurope.com/magazine/brand-partnerships-insight-timer">Vonder</a> to provide curated content, including different wellness classes and weekly group meditations. The company had also partnered with <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gisele-bundchen-partners-with-insight-timer-to-encourage-millions-to-meditate-for-free-301126987.html">Gisele Bündchen</a> in September 2020 to encourage people to meditate for free.

Insight Timer

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 Big Sky Health is the developer of the Oak Meditation breathing app. Oak Meditation offers guided and unguided meditations, sleep meditations, meditation timers, yogic exercises for breathing, animated instructions, and music tracks. The company is headed by Mike Maser, an entrepreneur who was diagnosed with stage IV cancer. Most of the companies services are offered free of charge with in-app purchases ranging from USD 5.99 to USD 38.99.
 
 
 
 
 In addition to Oak meditation, Big Sky also offers a fasting app called Zero and an alcohol moderation app called Less. In May 2020, Big Sky raised USD 8 million in Series A funding in a round led by Greycroft with participation from existing investors True Ventures and Trinity Ventures, bringing the company’s total funding to USD 12.2 million. Big Sky Health expects to use the funds to expand its staff and boost customer acquisition.
 
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Big Sky Health

Apps that provide relaxation, stress reduction and non-therapeutic mental health support via meditation-related techniques.

These apps aim to increase users’ body and brain functions including memory and attention to detail with microlearning, gamification, and journaling techniques.

Helps users analyze and address sleep disorders with wearable tech, music and sound therapy, and storytelling.

Apps that provide virtual training programs, track workouts, and provide guides for nutrition.

Companies that use GenAI as a core part of their product offering for Digital Wellness

Some digital wellness providers provider VR/AR experiences for meditations

Some companies offer personalized care/meditation plans, workout regimens, or treatments for sleep disorders

Offers app-based platforms that improve health and wellness

Wellness providers use GenAI to enhance their solutions

Kokoon

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