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This startup built a Fitbit for your brain to combat chronic stress
Startup Awear, founded by Antonio Forenza, created a wearable device utilizing EEG technology to measure brain activity and manage chronic stress. The device, worn behind the ear, analyzes beta waves and provides mood insights and AI coaching via an app. Currently available through a pre-sale, Awear aims for wider consumer access and is testing its device clinically on elderly patients.
Key points
- Antonio Forenza identified the lack of a wearable for stress management after successfully using an Apple Watch for weight loss.
- He developed Awear, a device that uses EEG technology to monitor brain wave activity and assess psychological stress levels.
- Awear analyzes high-frequency beta waves to provide feedback on stress, mood, and emotional resilience through an app.
- Currently, Awear is in early-access sales, priced at $195 with a lifetime app subscription included.
- The device is being tested for clinical applications in elderly post-surgery patients and was a finalist at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025.
Why it matters
- The increasing focus on mental health and wellness devices aligns with 2025 IT trends toward health technology.
- Historical advancements in wearables have created a market for health monitoring devices, establishing a path for consumer engagement similar to Oura and Peloton.
- Awear’s development reflects a broader trend in health tech innovation aimed at addressing chronic conditions through proactive monitoring and AI.
Awear represents an innovative step in mental wellness technology, capitalizing on the growing consumer demand for tools that support stress management and emotional health in an increasingly stressed society.