This startup built a Fitbit for your brain to combat chronic stress | TechCrunch

"A few years earlier, he had lost 40 pounds with the help of an Apple Watch, which counted steps and tracked his calorie burn, and he began wondering if there was a similar device to assess his stress. "I wanted to lose 40 pounds of stress, and realized there's no wearable for that today," Forenza told TechCrunch. That's when Forenza realized he'd stumbled onto a gap in the consumer health market."

"While EEG is used clinically to diagnose diseases such as epilepsy and sleep disorders, it can also detect psychological stress by measuring high-frequency brain waves called beta waves. When those rapid beta waves persist for extended periods, they can lead to exhaustion, insomnia, and mental distress. Forenza collaborated with data scientists and biomedical engineers to develop Awear, a small device worn behind the ear for continuous brainwave monitoring."

"'Our brain is phenomenal at self-adjusting and makes us believe we are not stressed,' Forenza said. 'It's fine to be in 'fight or flight' every once in a while. It's part of our nature. But if you fall into the trap of constant 'fight or flight', then that leads to chronic stress, depression, anxiety.' Forenza claims that Awear helps users proactively intercept excessive stress before it leads to negative health effects."

Antonio Forenza, formerly head of research and development at Rakuten Symphony, sought a way to measure and manage stress after losing weight with an Apple Watch. He identified a consumer gap and developed Awear, a behind-the-ear EEG wearable that continuously monitors brainwave activity. The device detects high-frequency beta waves associated with psychological stress and prolonged 'fight or flight' states linked to exhaustion, insomnia, and mental distress. Awear transmits data to an app that reports mood and delivers AI-powered coaching to help users intercept excessive stress and improve emotional resilience. Awear was selected as a Startup Battlefield 200 finalist at TechCrunch Disrupt.

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