The Pitch #166 Awear: Whoop For Your Brain
20 snips
Sep 10, 2025 In this engaging discussion, Antonio Forenza, the innovative founder of Awear, unveils his mission to blend technology and mental wellness. He introduces a groundbreaking ear cuff designed to monitor brain activity and provide real-time stress coaching. Antonio shares his personal journey, emphasizing the urgent need for effective mental health tools. The conversation highlights challenges in convincing investors, the potential of EEG technology, and the vision for a future where emotional support is as accessible as physical health tracking.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Founder’s Personal Health Turning Point
- Antonio lost 40 pounds after using an Apple Watch to track physical health, which inspired him to seek similar tools for mental health.
- He built Aware, an EEG ear-cuff and app that maps brainwaves into emotions and offers coaching.
Interrupt Stress With Real-Time And Long-Term Signals
- Use real-time feedback to create self-awareness and interrupt stress in the moment with simple cues like breathing prompts.
- Also provide long-term tracking so users can see week-long patterns and take deliberate breaks.
Wrist Metrics Differ From Brain Signals
- Wrist wearables measure peripheral signals like HRV and capture physiological stress, which can diverge from mental stress.
- Measuring brain activity at the source (EEG) can detect mental states with finer temporal resolution.