Sleepiz AG secures USD 1 million to create the future of sleep apnea diagnostics
17.05.2021
Sleepiz AG, a medical technology startup and Venture Kick winner, received USD 500K funding to enable the future of sleep diagnostics through a novel three-dimensional radar technology.
 The Sleepiz team
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Funded by the European Union’s HORIZON 2020 EUROSTAR grant, the collaboration is between Sleepiz and Acconeer, a Swedish radar sensor company, in partnership with the University of Gothenburg’s Sleep Medicine Center. A total of USD 1 million has been granted for the research between Sleepiz and Acconeer.
Sleepiz is delighted to join forces with Acconeer, a leader in radar sensors, to co-develop a customized radar chip for improved functionality and features. Sleepiz has recently entered the market with its first medical device, the Sleepiz One, which was developed together with the medical community. By combining expertise in both medical and radar industries, the collaboration will develop the next generation contactless device for diagnosis and monitoring, validated by the University of Gothenburg’s Sleep Medicine Center. The radar will enable better-personalized therapy through a novel three-dimensional monitoring approach, providing more insights and standards than the current state of the art. The project is due to begin in May 2021 and will be carried out for three years.
“For Sleepiz, such recognition and trust by the European Union allow envisioning the future of healthcare that is deeply rooted in the power of medicine and technology combined. Our goal for this collaboration with Acconeer and the University of Gothenburg is to continuously progress the status quo and create the next generation of our sleep monitoring device that will improve people’s lives with the most innovative technology available. All at the comfort of one’s home.” says Soumya Dash, the CEO and co-founder of Sleepiz AG.
Sleepiz won Venture Kick in 2017. Read our interview with the Zurich-based medtech startup to find out more about Sleepiz's vision and goals.
How will this recent investment help you achieve your vision?
Sleepiz’s vision is to create the future of healthcare. Currently focusing on sleep apnea diagnostics, Sleepiz has entered the market with a sleep apnea screening solution that takes sleep apnea diagnosis to one’s home. The hurdle with sleep apnea diagnostics today is that it requires a patient to be admitted to a sleep lab and be monitored through cable devices that are inconvenient, expensive, and timely for patients. With Sleepiz, the patient can get diagnosed comfortably and in a quick manner. We aim to co-develop a radar sensor that is even more tailored to the physicians’ needs, which means better and more insights into one’s sleep.
The recognition and trust by the European Union allow us to envision a future of healthcare that is deeply rooted in the power of medicine and technology combined. Our goal for this collaboration with Acconeer and the University of Gothenburg is to continuously progress the status quo and create the next generation of our sleep monitoring device that will improve people’s lives with the most innovative technology available. All at the comfort of one’s home.
You won Venture Kick Stage 1 in 2017. How did the success help you lay the foundation for your growth and today’s achievement?
Back in 2017, Sleepiz was still just an idea. We had a vision that we wanted to help people and improve their lives. In the past four years, we have come a long way in developing this vision and making it come to life. However, this would not have been possible without support from initiatives such as Venture Kick.
Winning Stage 1 back in 2017 laid the foundation for our growth by giving us the support and financials that were necessary at the time while ensuring us that our idea and vision are backed by the community. Visibility is one of the most important aspects of succeeding as a startup at the beginning, and Venture Kick Stage 1 provided us just that. We were able to begin our financing rounds and attract our first customers because of the belief that Venture Kick had in us.
What inspired you to found Sleepiz?
One day, Soumya, our founder, was on his way to his lab at ETH Zurich when he had an epiphany: His PhD project had hidden potential. Back then, he was working on wireless communication technologies. Although mostly used to send and receive information, Soumya’s expert understanding allowed him to see that his algorithms for improved information transmission could be used for higher purposes than increasing the streaming speed of your favorite Netflix show: They could enable tracking, measuring, and diagnosis of sleep disorders. Even though he was not yet familiar with sleep apnea, his curiosity to understand sleep drove him to dive deep into the topic. A shocking first encounter with the state of the art sleep disorder diagnosis methods solidified his conviction that sleep monitoring required rethinking. The day Soumya had first visited a sleep lab is still clearly instilled into his memory. The abundance of cables and sensors hooked up to the patients was painful to see, especially for a wireless engineer. Why should we accept the use of ancient tech in the 21st century?
Being driven to improve people’s lives, he felt empowered to make a positive impact after identifying this gap in sleep medicine. Thus, he began the remarkable next steps because, from his educational perspective, Soumya knew that if you really want to have an impact, you have to do it yourself.
Quickly. from one employee, there were four. Sunil, a colleague and friend of Soumya’s from ETH, joined first, followed by Max, who at the time was studying at the University of St. Gallen, and lastly Marc, another ETH PhD student whose skillset and mindset complimented the trio’s expertise. In January 2017, the journey of Sleepiz began.
What is your advice for the potential digital health entrepreneurs launching companies in Switzerland today?
Switzerland has vast potential for new technologies and is the hub of many health companies for a reason. At the start, building connections and networking is essential, especially in the health industry. It is important to talk to experts and utilize their knowledge to your potential, which will lay the foundation and understanding of the industry, and its needs, from the start. The possibilities are endless, and the support, such as Venture Kick, is there, so do not be afraid to get out there and go for your idea! No matter how crazy it may be.
Sleepiz is delighted to join forces with Acconeer, a leader in radar sensors, to co-develop a customized radar chip for improved functionality and features. Sleepiz has recently entered the market with its first medical device, the Sleepiz One, which was developed together with the medical community. By combining expertise in both medical and radar industries, the collaboration will develop the next generation contactless device for diagnosis and monitoring, validated by the University of Gothenburg’s Sleep Medicine Center. The radar will enable better-personalized therapy through a novel three-dimensional monitoring approach, providing more insights and standards than the current state of the art. The project is due to begin in May 2021 and will be carried out for three years.“For Sleepiz, such recognition and trust by the European Union allow envisioning the future of healthcare that is deeply rooted in the power of medicine and technology combined. Our goal for this collaboration with Acconeer and the University of Gothenburg is to continuously progress the status quo and create the next generation of our sleep monitoring device that will improve people’s lives with the most innovative technology available. All at the comfort of one’s home.” says Soumya Dash, the CEO and co-founder of Sleepiz AG.
Sleepiz won Venture Kick in 2017. Read our interview with the Zurich-based medtech startup to find out more about Sleepiz's vision and goals.
How will this recent investment help you achieve your vision?Sleepiz’s vision is to create the future of healthcare. Currently focusing on sleep apnea diagnostics, Sleepiz has entered the market with a sleep apnea screening solution that takes sleep apnea diagnosis to one’s home. The hurdle with sleep apnea diagnostics today is that it requires a patient to be admitted to a sleep lab and be monitored through cable devices that are inconvenient, expensive, and timely for patients. With Sleepiz, the patient can get diagnosed comfortably and in a quick manner. We aim to co-develop a radar sensor that is even more tailored to the physicians’ needs, which means better and more insights into one’s sleep.
The recognition and trust by the European Union allow us to envision a future of healthcare that is deeply rooted in the power of medicine and technology combined. Our goal for this collaboration with Acconeer and the University of Gothenburg is to continuously progress the status quo and create the next generation of our sleep monitoring device that will improve people’s lives with the most innovative technology available. All at the comfort of one’s home.
You won Venture Kick Stage 1 in 2017. How did the success help you lay the foundation for your growth and today’s achievement?
Back in 2017, Sleepiz was still just an idea. We had a vision that we wanted to help people and improve their lives. In the past four years, we have come a long way in developing this vision and making it come to life. However, this would not have been possible without support from initiatives such as Venture Kick.
Winning Stage 1 back in 2017 laid the foundation for our growth by giving us the support and financials that were necessary at the time while ensuring us that our idea and vision are backed by the community. Visibility is one of the most important aspects of succeeding as a startup at the beginning, and Venture Kick Stage 1 provided us just that. We were able to begin our financing rounds and attract our first customers because of the belief that Venture Kick had in us.
What inspired you to found Sleepiz?
One day, Soumya, our founder, was on his way to his lab at ETH Zurich when he had an epiphany: His PhD project had hidden potential. Back then, he was working on wireless communication technologies. Although mostly used to send and receive information, Soumya’s expert understanding allowed him to see that his algorithms for improved information transmission could be used for higher purposes than increasing the streaming speed of your favorite Netflix show: They could enable tracking, measuring, and diagnosis of sleep disorders. Even though he was not yet familiar with sleep apnea, his curiosity to understand sleep drove him to dive deep into the topic. A shocking first encounter with the state of the art sleep disorder diagnosis methods solidified his conviction that sleep monitoring required rethinking. The day Soumya had first visited a sleep lab is still clearly instilled into his memory. The abundance of cables and sensors hooked up to the patients was painful to see, especially for a wireless engineer. Why should we accept the use of ancient tech in the 21st century? Being driven to improve people’s lives, he felt empowered to make a positive impact after identifying this gap in sleep medicine. Thus, he began the remarkable next steps because, from his educational perspective, Soumya knew that if you really want to have an impact, you have to do it yourself.
Quickly. from one employee, there were four. Sunil, a colleague and friend of Soumya’s from ETH, joined first, followed by Max, who at the time was studying at the University of St. Gallen, and lastly Marc, another ETH PhD student whose skillset and mindset complimented the trio’s expertise. In January 2017, the journey of Sleepiz began.
What is your advice for the potential digital health entrepreneurs launching companies in Switzerland today?
Switzerland has vast potential for new technologies and is the hub of many health companies for a reason. At the start, building connections and networking is essential, especially in the health industry. It is important to talk to experts and utilize their knowledge to your potential, which will lay the foundation and understanding of the industry, and its needs, from the start. The possibilities are endless, and the support, such as Venture Kick, is there, so do not be afraid to get out there and go for your idea! No matter how crazy it may be.