A Massachusetts start-up has developed a wearable that uses proprietary algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) to improve health through noninvasive, proactive brainwave stimulation.

Elemind Technologies has emerged from stealth, closing a $12m seed round to develop its first product ahead of its reveal in the coming months.

The scientists launching the company are associated with research institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Imperial College London, Harvard Medical School and the University of California at Berkeley. The team published multiple studies proving the efficacy of the science and technology in peer-reviewed journals including Nature Communications (www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-20581-7).

The company’s wearable neurotechnology reads individual brainwaves and guides them in real time by responding with tailored stimulation. Precision guidance of brainwaves can change behaviour in a smarter, more targeted and natural way than pharmaceuticals.

Elemind calls the approach electric medicine, a drug-free, personalised and adaptive approach that fine-tunes the stimulation based on the body’s response until the desired state is achieved. The company partnered with multiple research institutions to validate the technology and build applications.

To date, Elemind’s technology is supported by five clinical trials and several publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Clinical trials show Elemind’s technology is effective at inducing sleep up to 74% faster, suppressing essential tremor with a decrease after only 30 seconds of stimulation, and boosting memory. Clinical trials also demonstrated Elemind was effective at increasing pain thresholds and enhancing sedation; this study is in peer review. Elemind has potential impact across many neurological conditions.

“Chemical drugs affect the entire body, often leading to unwanted side effects,” said Meredith Perry, CEO and co-founder of Elemind. “Elemind offers a non-chemical, direct and on-demand option that learns and dynamically adjusts to each person. We’re the first and only company able to precisely guide and redirect brainwaves in real time.”

Investors in the company’s seed round include Village Global, LDV Partners, MIT’s investment fund, E14 Fund, Wharton’s Alumni Angel fund and Embark Ventures, as well as the founders of Skype, Nest, Opentable, Broadvision, Boston Scientific, Vital Proteins and Fab Fit Fun.

“We were impressed by Meredith and the team’s bold vision, the significant market potential, and were fortunate to be the first investor in Elemind,” said Erik Torenberg, venture partner at Village Global. “Elemind’s neurotech wearable represents the latest advancements in the industry. The team has made significant progress towards its vision and has made our decision to invest look easy. I’m excited about what’s to come in 2024.”

Qing Zhang, partner at LDV Partners, added: “Elemind is revolutionising neurotechnology. Their innovative design combines cutting-edge technology with thoughtful craftsmanship to help individuals improve their health.”

The Elemind (elemindtech.com) team has been conducting research and developing its technology in stealth since 2019. It holds three critical patents covering its core signal processing algorithms and dynamic neurostimulation techniques.

The team includes several seasoned neuroscientists and researchers: Ed Boyden, co-founder, who served as a neurotechnology professor at MIT for 17 years; CTO David Wang, previously CTO of the NuVu Innovation School; Ryan Neely, who has a PhD in neuroscience from UC Berkeley; Nir Grossman, an 11-year neuroscience professor at Imperial College London; and Heather Read, a 21-year behavioural neuroscience and biomedical engineering professor at the University of Connecticut.

“A new era of transformative neurotechnology is arriving and Elemind is at its forefront,” said Wang. “Elemind broke new ground with an algorithm that allows for instantaneous neuromodulation. Each brain is unique and constantly changing, so we leverage AI and ML to optimise stimulation parameters to achieve the desired state the fastest. You can think about it like noise cancellation for the mind. Our technology uses phase-locking auditory stimuli to align precisely with the user’s brainwaves and steer them to a different frequency associated with a different state.”

Elemind’s first product is a general wellness device that will not be subject to FDA regulation.

A white paper covering the technology can be found at: drive.google.com/file/d/16IehlDJ3xgTUxclp_E4lCjsVT5jiRHtJ/view.