SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - Mar 29, 2016) - Rythm today announced more than $11 million in funding to build active wearable products that harness the power of the human brain to improve human potential, starting with sleep. The funding comes on the heels of the debut of Rythm's first product Dreem, a headband designed to increase sleep quality, earlier this month via its Dreem First program, which is open for beta sign ups here.
The funding comes from prominent French entrepreneurs Dr. Laurent Alexandre, an influential biotech investor and telecommunication mogul, Xavier Niel, as well as public grants. Dreem represents a new product category, personal neurotechnology. This investment has enabled Rythm to build an extremely talented team of 50 employees, specialized in neuroscience, engineering and mathematics that will enable Rythm to further understand the human brain and create products aimed at improving everyday experiences.
"This funding and partnership allows us to grow faster and healthier than any other company in this space. In just a few years, we are now positioned as the largest neurotechnology company in the world," said CEO and co-founder, Hugo Mercier. "Beyond Dreem, we're working with leading academic experts and our talented team of engineers and scientists to develop a multitude of possibilities for further products to solve everyday human problems, in areas like sleep quality, learning, entertainment, and various others that we haven't even dreamed of yet. For us, this is just the beginning."
Everyone sleeps but most people would like to rest better. Dreem is the first active wearable designed to improve the quality of sleep. The headband combines advanced sensor technology found only in sleep labs and hospitals to track and analyze brainwaves in real-time. At distinct moments in a sleep cycle, sound stimulations are used to enhance the quality of one of your most important stages of sleep: deep sleep. Overall, the headband improves sleep quality and also ensures that you always wake up feeling refreshed via a smart alarm feature.
"What Rythm has developed with Dreem has massive potential, particularly when you consider the importance of sleep," said investor, Laurent Alexandre. "Their work, to impact and better understand the human brain, starting with sleep, is exciting and at the forefront of the next frontier. The intersection of neuroscience and advanced technology is something that I wanted to be a part of."
In addition to funding, Rythm announced they're conducting clinical trials with the French Armed Forces Biomedical Research Institute (IRBA) and academic research team (EA 7330, Hôtel-Dieu, Paris Descartes University) in order to assess the Dreem headband on people with unconventional sleep routines. It will showcase how Dreem improves sleep on both "normal" nights and during periods of sleep loss. Rythm hopes that by enhancing sleep quality, even with limited hours of sleep, the Dreem headband will limit performance degradation and improve recovery.
"Dreem will not only help these people sleep better, but by conducting clinical trials with Rythm, we'll improve our knowledge about sleep's effect on performance and recovery," said Dr. Mounir Chennaoui, Head of IRBA's Fatigue and Vigilance unit.
Dreem is the first wave of innovation from Rythm and a glimpse at the significant potential for consumer neurotechnology. Through Rythm's Dreem First program, Dreem is available now for $349.00 at Rythm.co and is supported via mobile apps on iOS devices.
About Rythm
Rythm is a leading neurotechnology company. Bringing together the world's foremost experts in hardware, software and neuroscience, Rythm builds consumer technology that stimulates brain function to enhance performance. The initial product, Dreem, the first active wearable device that increases sleep quality, was launched via limited series Dreem First program in 2016. Based in Paris and San Francisco, Rythm has raised substantial funding from investors, awards and government grants to support a world-class team of 50 people. For more information, visit rythm.co.